River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1909-06-10


felt money in his 2ossession. He was
merely a shower of the queer" one
who passes the bad money and re-
ceives only a couple of phoney bills
at time. c
In no other line of criminal work
is there such scientific organization
shown as in that of counterfeiting.
The men who pass the money never
do business with the man who makes
the plates. The plate maker is an en-
graver who usually receives lump
sum for his work. Those who print
the money are the manufacturers and
they dispose of the queer in whole
sale quantities to dealers, who sell to
retail dealers, who have, in turn,
their Z showers out" passing the
money. The man who fell into Muir
rays hands was a shower. Having
made the arrest and searched him, he
found on a piece of paper in the pris-
oner's coat pocket the name, tom
Hale, New York" Murray at once
sent a telegram addressed to Hale as
follows:
Come on. am sick. Stopping at
Morton house. Room S4."
Murray made arrangements with
the clerk of the Morton house to keep
track of any person who called and
asked for the guest in room "a. No
body came. The shower, who was
known as Poke" Sales, stayed in Jail,
having been identified by Landers
and the bartender. A week passed
without any fresh developments. A
heavy snowstorm had been raging for
several days, the trains were block
AIDED and all traffic delayed. But on
the ninth day there was new ar.
rival at the Morton house. Although
it was an excessively cold day he
wore no overcoat. He inquired for
Mr.. Sales in room "a and was instant
ly bounced upon by Murray who was
close at hand. Upon being taken to
headquarters and searched several
hundred dollars was found upon him.
but nothing in the way of counterfeit
money. Still, Murray detained him
with the intention of hunting for his
baggage, for it was obvious that a
man wearing such expensive clothes
as adorned the person of the prisoner
would be likely to have an overcoat in
the vicinity somewhere.
On the following morning Murray
began a systematic hunt for the miss
ing overcoat. During the course oil
his search he stepped into a saloon
kept by man named John Anthony
Here's a curious thing happened
yesterday" he said. There was a
woll-dressed chap came in here
washed his hands and walked out
again leaving his overcoat behind him
You'd think that would be about the
day."
Seems funny" responded Murray
Let me look at that coat, John"
The overcoat was produced and In
the first pocket Murray examined he
found $1,000 in counterfeit $40 ant
$10O bills wrapped up in a handker
chief. They were such excellent coun
terfeits that they actually deceived
the eyes of several bank experts tt
whom they were shown. Murray wen
back to the Jail and approached his
prisoner.
Hello, Hale, here's your coat" he
said.
"All right, thank you" said the
stranger.
"Then it is your coat, Tom?'
queried Murray.
"Why, certainly" replied the pris
oner.
Murray produced the counterfeit
money from the pocket and Hale, re
alizing what grave mistake he had
made. denied that the garment was
his property. Murray compelled him
to don it and the fit was perfect. The
saloon-keeper identified him as the
stranger who had left the coat in his
place.
poke" Sales pleaded guilty to pass
ing counterfeit money and received
fiye-year sentence. Hale was taken by
the United States authorities to Pitts
burg, then to New York and finally tC
Washington. He was a smooth talk
ing fellow and made the government
officials believe he would be of great
use to the secret service department
He promised to expose the entire
counterfeiting business and Wood
who was the chief of the secret serv
ice, engaged him on the force and
sent him to New York.
But Hale's promised exposure of his
former colleagues turned out to be
fake. He enabled the secret service
men to get hold of few small SHOW
ers, and that was all. Then Wood lef
I'll XXT1nitnIOrr no