Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1909-07-17
CRIMINALS CAUGHT
SECRET SERVICE men GET
COUNTERfEITERS.
Detective Richey Lives in Criminal Den
Goes Through -Four Years of Rough
Life to Nab Bad Gang-In Peril of
Death-Wo.'ks Into Confidence of
Counterfeiters With Good Results.

Chicago.-Secret Service Operator
Lawrence Richey has finally run down
the alleged members of gang of in
ternational counterfeiters who are said
to have been operating in the United
States, Italy and other countries for
five years. In doing so, Richey per-
formed exploits worthy of the heroes
Of detective fiction.
An American by birth, he learned
Italian in order to ingratiate himself
in the confidence of the counterfeiters.
lie began to associate with them as a
fellow criminal four years ago. In or
der to better deceive them he engaged
in hard labor as a street digger, though
known as the ''Beau Brummel" of the
department. Scores of times he has
slept among desperate Italian criminals,
any one of whom would have killed
him at the slightest hint Of his real
identity.
Three Caught; Another in Italy.
The prisoners whose capture brought
to light the feat of the detective are
Antonio Di Paolo, Antonio Mecca and
Mrs Magdalena Ricci. Dominick Ric
CT, the woman s husband, is in Italy
and the police there have been asked
to arrest him.
Palo was arrested in Mrs. Ricci's
rooms by Richey and Secret Service
Operative Peter Drautzburg, who had
also assumed the role of an Italian
criminal Paolo showed the men a
package of counterfeit bills which he
took out of mattress. He was over
powered after pistol fight Mecca
was arrested at Argo, ILL.,, where, it is
said, he circulated bad money among
workmen. The prisoners were bound
over to the federal grand jury.
Before effecting the capture of the
prisoners Richey repeatedly brought
counterfeit bills of the "Indian head'
issue of 1904 to his superior officer,
Captain Porter. He reported that
Ricci and his wife were in Italy send
ing the money to this country to Paolo,
who was passing it to "shovers 5"
throughout the United States. The bills
first made their appearance in Massa-
chusetts five years ago. They are a
fine Imitation and only an expert can
detect them. Richey traced. the bills
to Ricci.
How Detective Worked.
The detective made a dozen unsuc-
cessful attempts to- gain the confidence
of Ricei IS associates and then decided
to learn their language. He adopted
the garb of an Italian immigrant, went
to sea in a tug to meet an incoming
vessel and arrived in New York with
other immigrants. At the dock he be-
came acquainted with Italians who
enabled him to become one of Ricei IS
intimates.
For the last four years he has lived
alternately among the Italians and in
his Official capacity at headquarters and
successfully avoided exposure. He pre-
vented two murders by warning the po-
lice of "Blackhand plots anonymous
ly over the telephone.
He deferred making the arrests until
the alleged counterfeiters permitted evil
dence to be caught in their house and
then brought his long quest to an end.
Naples Gang Headquarters.
Richey was told by his Italian com
panions that Ricci is one of gang
of counterfeiters and "Blaekhand
brigands in Italy. Naples is said to be
the headquarters for the counterfeiting
plant where notes and coins of the
United States and South American
countries are made by the wholesale
Through Italians in these countries the
spurious money is said to be circulated
1t is declared that at least $4,000 il
spurious bills has been circulated il
America by the gang.