The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-01-16
SPECTACULAR RAID IS MADE
UPON SHACK ON ROCKY HILL
IN SAN FRANCISCO.
THREE men CAPTURED
One Of the Most Extensive and Com
pleteiy. Equipped counterfeiting Con-
Germs Ever Discovered Is Unearthed
by Secret Service operatives-im.
portant Seizure.

San Francisco. Jan. l5.-The most
extensive and complete coin counter
feiting outfit that has ever fallen into
the hands Of the federal authorities
was captured here by secret service
men this afternoon and with it the three
men were arrested The secret SER
vice men admit that the seizure and
the arrests are of great Importance
and followed months of unremitting
effort. with trails leading in many Gi-
rections. The plant was located in
a lonely shack on the rocky summit
of Bernal Heights. the highest hill in
the city. and was captured after a
spectacular assault. Secret Service
Operatives Harry Moffitt and ]. NJ.
Nye were on the case and after defi-
nitely locating their quarry. they
called City Detectives Reagan and
O'Connell to their aid. Last night the
detectives on watch in the shrub
covered rocks. saw four of the men
they had marked. enter the shack. but
the attack was deferred i'm the hope
that other members of the gang might
come to cover. They were disappoint-
ed in this and late this afternoon
Chief Operative Moffitt decided to act.
Mako a Rush.
Creeping on hands and knees the
four officers approached the shack
and on a signal made a rush. But
the house was well barricaded and
they were compelled to batter an en-
trance with axes. While they were
smashing in the doors, one member of
the gang escaped. making his way
down cliff on whose brink the hut
stands. The three men arrested gave
their names as Michael Angelo. Sam
uel Dicola and Samuel Arman. They
are probably assumed names and there
is reason TO believe that at least two
of the prisoners are important cap
turec.
After securing their prisoners the
officers examined the plant which
filled tire little hut and We're astoundec
at the completeness and mechanical
excellence of the machinery. 1t was
a miniature mint. They found almost
perfect dies for every coin from 10
cents to $40 and saws. lathes. stamps
and other accessories of the finest
Workmanship. The stamps are said
to be equal almost to the same pat
tern as those used in the United
States mints. The largest stamp was
SO massive that II could not be car
ried into the federal building. II is
too powerful for hand operation and
probably fearing the noise of IA mo-
tor or other power engine. the gang
had devised and installed ii compli-
Gated and ingenious system Of levers
and graduated weights applied by d
long steel beam.
Clue is Followed.
No coins or metal Mere found. the
raid having been timed before tn,
plant was to have been placed III op-
Grafton. 1t is understood that the
clue followed by the secret service
operatives began with the purchase of
the big stamp and has been followed
for months. They refuse. however,
to say where the stamp was bought
Coins from dies Identical with those
we have here now" said one of the
officers. ARE NOW in circulation in
the east and may have been made
with this machine. II is probable.
however. that this gang is part OF
4 countrywide organization"