The San Francisco call., 1909-01-28
Woman Connterfeiter and Com
paniOn Arrested After Fierce
Fight With Sleuths
Josie Livingston Draws Re-
vOlver on Secret Service
Agents When Captured
Much Wanted Pair Are Located
in Mason Street LOdg-
ing House
Federal Men Struggle for Life
With MalefactOrs, but
0verpOwer Them

A FTER a desperate battle. during
IN which the woman attempted
4 \ to kill the two arresting1
officers. United states Secret
Service Agents Harry NJ Mohitt and
Joseph N. Nye arrested Josie Living
ston and Robert Bradley, counterfeit
ers. in a Mason street lodging house
late yesterday afternoon. The room in
which the arrest was made was COM
pletely wrecked during the attempt
made by the man and the woman to
escape, and both federal officers
showed marks OF the fierce struggle
Three complete sets OF metal molds
for 90 cent pieces, one complete set OF
metal mOIds for % cent pieces and a.
large number OF counterfeit half dol
lars and quarters were seized by the.
secret service operatives and Detectives
George Mcmahon after the pair had
been handcufred-
Information had been received BY
the local office Of the United States Sc
cret service some weeks ago that a
man and woman were preparing to.
flood the city with counterfeit coins.
The couple were living in a little cot
tage at 1868 Forty-eishth avenue A
constant watch was kept ON this house.
but the secret service agents were
never able to find any evidence OF
counterfeiting. Tuesday the couple
moved into the lodging house In Mason
street near Lombard.
Woman Draws Revolver
shortly after $3.50 o'clock yesterday
afternoon Secret Service Agents Mof-
fit and Nye. accompanied by Detective
Mcmahon, went to the Mason street
lodging house. Leaving Mcmahon to
guard the hallway Mofitt and Nys en-
tered the apartment occupied by Josie
Livingston and Bradley. The couple
were seated at table eating their
evening meal when the officers snterd
the room. The woman did not appear In
the least excited when she was told
of the mission OF the officers and at
tempted to lead them to believe that
they had made a mistake. She told
Mofitt that Bradley was her husband
and that he had just come home for
his supper after working hard allday-
as a railroad switchman.
BY this time the woman had arisen
from her seat at the table and she them
walked around the table to where's
Bradley was seated. without a words
of warning she hastily pushed her hantfs
in under the table cloth and pulled
forth a heavy caliber Colts revolver
Her attempt to aim the weapon at the
two secret service agents was frus-
trated partly by the sudden leapinx-
of the officers toward her and by Brad
ley
Mofitt tore the gun away from tho
woman's grasp and as he did so Brad
ley leapsd at his throat Mohatt hurled
the gun away from him and closed In
on Bradley. The two men struggled
about the room for few minutes and
Bradley exerted all his strength to
strangle the secret service agent Mof-
htt, who is a powerful man, finally
pinioned Bradley's arms by his side
and handcuffed him.
Would Destroy Evidence
Just as he was swapping the wrist
steels on Bradley's arms the Livingston
woman struggled to free herself from
the grasp Of Nye. She succeeded in
freeing one hand and with this she
attempted TO reach into BradIey's
pocket. In which were some evidences
Of their crime She was prevented
from doing this and was held armly
against the side OF the room until the
handouts were placed on her wrists.
Even then she tried to reach little
cupboard in the room where Some OF
the counterfeit paraphernalia was
stored. She succeeded in getting her
hands on some Of the molds and would
have hurled them out of the window
but for the vigilance OF the secret
service agents. Detective Mcmahon
came into the room at this time and
he held the man and the woman while
the two secret service agents searched
the room.
Neither OF the prisoners would dis
cuss the case with the officers. but they
admitted that they were about ready
to begin their work of disposing OF the
bogus coins.
For several weeks the Livingston.