The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1911-10-10
MAKER OF "QUEER" MONEY
TAKEN ON EVE OF DEPAR.
TURE FOR THE SOUTH. {
AN ARTIST At THE WORK
Albert Leon, Political Refugee, Said to
Have Maintained a "Plant" in Cali.
forna and in British Columbia
Banknotes Of Many institutions Are
Initiated.

Washington. Oct. 9-After n search
across the continent and into British
Columbia secret service operatives to-
day captured Albert Leon. a political
York for South America. Leon is all
legged to be the head of an extensive
counterfeiting gang which has flooded
the Pacific coast with spurious $40
banknotes during the last year.
The secret service was advised to-
day that Leon was alleged to have
perfected process by which he photo
graphed the face OF II no,e that looked
so much like surface printing that
many experts declared II to have been
printed from an etched plate.
Two OF Icons alleged confcderates,
Rudolph Swanson and Fred Mafnek,
were arrested in Chicago two weeks
ago. charged with passing counterfeit
money.
Leon arrived In this country about
three years ago. He took up Sec
tion Of land near Beaumont. near Los
Angeles. Cal. where 1t Is believed the
first spurious notes were made. In
December, 1910. he went to Nootka
island. British Columbia. and It was
charged that most of his counterfeit
work came out OF his plant there.
Many coun,erfeits.
The notes OF the following national
hanks. 1t was alleged, were counter
| teited by Leon:
Riverside (Cal) National bank; tho
First National bank, Yuma. Ariz.; First
National OF Orange. Cal: Pasadena
fCal) National bank; National OF
WillIamsport. Pa: Ei Cenfro (CaL)
National bank: First National of
Portland, Ore: National Bank OF
| Commerce. Wichita Kan: Anglo and
/ London Paris of San Francisco: ILL.,
nois National of Springfield. ILL.,. and
the Crocker National OF San Francisco.
| Leon also was alleged to have coun-
terfeited the $40 United States buf-
falo note and to have circulated II on
the Pacific coast. The national bank
notes were circulated principally in
Los Angeles. San Francisco. Portland.
Ore; Seattle, Wash; Chicago and
| New York.
Plant Raidsd.
Portland, Oct. 9.--Albert Leon who
was arrested in New York today on a
charge OF counterfeiting. was up to
the time the Associated Press dispatch
announcing his capture was received.
believed by local secret service of
ficia's to be in this city. The latest
counterfeit note found and alleged To
have been his handiwork. was a
crocker tSan Francisco) National
banknote secured In Portland last
Thursday. This was the only one
OF its kind that has been seen. Be-
cause of the finding of the note here.
Leon was supposed to have come to
Portland after the arrest of his gang
In Chicago on September 20.
The plant" on Nootka island. B. c..
a place that Is almost inaccessible, was
raided about the time that the arrests
were made In Chicago. Since then
the place has been under constant
surveillance, it being the expectation
that Leon himself would appear there
sooner or later.
The plant consisted OF some splendid
cameras and other pharaphernalia
and some notes In the process of
photographing
Plant Located.
Victoria, u. c., Oct. 9.-The coun-
terfeiting plant, alleged to have been
operated by Albert Leon. arrested In
New York today, was located two
miles from the Indian village of
Nootka, on the west coast of VAN
; eouver island, where Leon had small
/
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