Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-04-02
OUTFIT AnO COIN DISCOVERED
Prisoner Had Three Sets Of Dies For
Making Hah Dollars Concealed Be-
meath Flooring Of His Little Shop
Confessed Upon Being Accused BY
Chief Reynolds.

{ nar0iy riu OF tue ptisoH pai'o' i'""''
ing from fve-year stay in the At
lan.a Federal prison. Samuel W.
Smith, IS years OF age was lodged
behind the bars at the police station
last night by Chief of Police Reynolds
on the charge OF cOunterieiting. Besides
the old mans own confession, three
sets Of half-dollar dies and a dozen
fairly good limitations of half.dOllar
pieces are in the hands Of the authori-
ties to be used rs evidence against
the prisoner.
No friends called to see the Old
man and he apparently did not give
the question CT bail thought. He
spent the night in the station and
will be taken before United States
Commissioner A. {. Gar,etQ for
preliminary hearing this morning,
Preliminary hearings are net new to
was arrested here on the charge Of
counterfeiting quarters and was sent
to the Federal prison at Moundsville
for term OF two years. Seven
years ago. in May 1892. he was caught
again at the same business. Cher
Reynolds arrested him and had him
convicted OF making half dollars and
quarters. This time he went to Al
lanta for five years and since then
his likeness has occupied prominent
place In the rogue's gallery at the
local station.
Came Here Again.
After serving his second term.
Smith returned to this city. wearing
the cheap, new penitentiary suit and
apparently in wretchcd health. He
went to Chief Reynolds and told him
"hard-luck story" and declared he
wanted o chance to do better. The
chief was touched in more ways than
one, and the old fellow went out with
a small sum Of money In his pocket
and with the promise Of help on the
road to an honest living.
For more than year Smith has
Kept a little sewing machine repair
shop on the Twentyeighth street
bridge, near Warwick avenue. He
Secured considerable patronage, and
apparently was making a fairly good
living. Only a week ago, however.
he called to see Chief Reynolds and
told him that times were hard. and
that he vas having trouble paying his
rent. In response to this plea. the
chief saw the property owner and
rental agent and the old man was
given mere time in which to meet
his bills
Several days ago il was reported
that some queer money was in
circulation around here. Then came
two pieces quarter and a half-do-
lar-to the chief from one OF the
banks. After examining the spuri.
Gus coins. the chief concluded that
Old man Smith must be at work again
Old Man Confessed.
Last night the chief took Smith in
charge and accused him. At first
the old man emphatically denied his
, guilt He looked over the bad coins
and declared tina, the workmanship
was better than ne ever did. Finally
after considerable sweating he ad-
mitted that he had been "experiment-
ing again. but said that he had not
showed a single piece. He insisted
that none OF his product had go,ten
cut: saying that he had il all SO well
hidden that 1t wound have been i'm.
possible for anybody TO steal any of
the coins and pass them. Then he
took the chief to his shop and. from
cleyerly cOntrived hiding place in
the floor produced two sets OF half.
dollar dies made OF brass. eleven
counterfeit halfdollars and a small,
quantity OF block tin He aediei
consistently that he had any quarter
dies.
More Evidence Found.
Later. when Smith was behind the
bars. Chief Reynolds again visited the
Stop and examined the counterfeiter's
secret deposit box. There hidden
in 6ue sand. he discovered another
Set Of half dollar dies an odd die o'
the same size. two solid brass cy,iu
ders c! the circumference or a doIla,
and evideatly intended to be convert
Cd into dies for toe manufacture q,
dollars. finished ana an unfinished
tin coin and several bits OF parapher
MALTA This stun vas concealed be
neath q sliding plank in the noor:ni
ssat probably never would have bccr
discovered IL the old MAJ had KEEP
hrs mouth shut
Somebedy Else q work.
The chief rs convinced that mono O
the coins known 30 have been n
circulation here were made by IN.
old man. Smith says that no intend
"a To get some more suitable meta