River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-11-10

discussed my qualifications over their
wine at the banquet on Houston
street. Bower had completely won
Gurney's confidence. Telling him
that he was about to take trip to
Texas, he inquired If he could buy
$4,000 in counterfeit money at whole
sale figure.
"Of course; any amount of It," an
swered Quincy.
A deal was arranged for its deliv-
cry on the New York side of Fulton
Ferry. Bower was to be at desig-
mated spot at a certain time, and Cur
ney was to pass along. hand over the
spurious and receive good money in
| payment
At the appointed time there was a
large crowd standing around the ferry
landing waiting for the boat Bower
was there, and few PAGES from him
stood seemingly honest tinsmith
with joint of stove-pipe under his
arm and pair of shippers in his
hand. His clothes and the SCOT upon
his hands and face bore unmistakable
witness to his calling. Near by, look
ing in another direction, stood stout
ly-built business man of ample girth.
In one hand he carried hat box, in
the other valise. In the immediate
vicinity was a tall, reverential ap-
| pearing gentleman, with neat side
whiskers, whose white tie and the
ministerial cut of his coat were in
keeping with the sanctimonious ex.
preston of his face
When the ferry boat struck the
| dock Quincy stepped off, peered eau.
tlously and carefully around, scanning
| the faces of those who were standing
| near Being satisfied that there were
no suspicious persons about, he drew
package from under his coat and
stepped toward Bower to deliver it.
At this instant the ministerial-look.
ing man raised his hand. The fat
man dropped his luggage and the tin
smith his tools. Both seized Quincy
by the arms and held him while the
tall brother, with a quick movement
snapped handouts on his wrists
Everything was done so quickly that
Quincy did not have time to catch
his breath before he was securely
| ironed
The prisoner was taken to the secret
service Office. I removed my side
whiskers and made some change in
my clothing, then entered the Office
and shook hands with the crestfalle1
criminal.
During that day and evening the
government officers were engaged il
arresting the showers of the gang
against whom Butts had secured evi
dence. Two of the ex-detectives
guests at Gurney's banquet, had al
ready been arrested for passing coun
terfeit money-one at Pittsburg anC
the other at Cincinnati. BY II
o'clock that night the officers had ar
rested 20 of the gang. They were
arranged in circle at the office, and
the right hand of one was hand
cuffed to the left hand of the next
Quincy, appropriately, happened to be
the center-piece.
l could not help a feeling of pity fol
the unfortunates, but they had volun
tarily preyed upon society and trans
crossed the laws of their land, and the
common veal required that they be
punished. They were all tried anC
convicted, most of them entering {
plea of guilty.
The boastful Quincy now fully real
lied the trap into which he haC
fallen. He had been hoisted by hi.
own petard, a circumstance tina
seemed to humiliate him almost be
yond measure. With little or no pres
sure he weakened and confessed tina
he had received his counterfeit money
from Joshua D. Miner, who was thu
capitalist that owned the plates upoI
which the National Shoe and Leather
twenties were printed.
Among the secret service officer.
Miner was known to be a counter
feiter, but on account of his grea
wealth and political standing, he wa.
considered a difficult man to grapplt
with. He was a large city contractor
at this time, and employed about one
hundred men opening up a new roa(
at the end of Ninth avenue.
Quincy was altogether too timid tt
make a deal with Miner in order tt
give the officers an opportunity to cap
| ture him red-handed, but he finally
agreed to go with me to see Miner
who, he believed, would surrender the
$40 counterfeit plates for the purpose
of shortening his sentence.
] Leaving a carriage on the boule
ward, I walked with Quincy a shor
distance on Sixty-ninth street toward
Miners house. We met Miner on the
| sidewalk and l was introduced b.
| Quincy, who then explained the
trouble he had gotten himself into
Miner said he could do nothing fol
him and, as last resort, l requested
Miner to step aside with me, where
told him that I was convinced that he
was the owner of the counterfeit
mates of the National Shoe anC
Leather bank. This he firmly denied
but I insisted and threatened to ar
rest him. He finally said that he
would make an effort to secure the
plates. / knew what this meant and
upon his promise to meet me the fol
lowing day, left him.
Miner appeared on time, but was
still doubtful in regard to his ability
to make the surrender demanded
He was a hard nut to crack but, be
fore we parted, 1 succeeded in con