Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-04-13
C%0UNTERFEITER HAS
CONFESSED TO POLICE
1rnntinned from page l.

cents in cnanSe Inc poA,|T
learned that Irving and his man
worked bogus dollars off in the sa-
looms of B. Wanda and Charles "A.
Hickman at opposite corners at
High and Washington streets. ihey
ATTEMPTED to pass n in the saloon
of Carsten Christensen in Fayette
street. but failed. When irving en-
tered Mike Petruska's saloon at
washington and Mechanic streets
Petruska refused to take one OF the
silver dollars in payment TOT d
drink. g
A cigar salesman from out OF
town stood nearby and he came to
tbe rescue of Irving, threw the
spurious coin on the bar and said,
."why, that's all right, if the bar
keeper will not take it. I'll change 1t
for YOU" and Herewith handed IT.
wing w silver half dollars. Irving
thanked the man p~rofusely, paid for
his drink and left. The incident
caused some discussion in the sa-
loon and the salesman's new dollar
was put to a number Of tests and
proved spurious. The owner made
a hasty exit and began a search Tor
Irving. He trailed him to Columbia
hall in State street and saw him en-
ter the saloon in front Of it. Patrol
man Quinn found his man a tall
husky person and used ~precautlon III
arresting him. Irving offered no re-
sistance, but tried to push the offl-
Ger up against the curb on High
street, when Quinn preferred the
center Of the street, where believed
he could handle him better. Irving
took his arrest coolly.
Police Hear of bad Money"
At $50 o'clock Thursday after
noon Chief Burke first received word
that counterfeiters were at work
here, when Steve Hutka, a saloon
keeper Of 337 Fayette street, notl-
fed him that a man had passed a
bad dollar on his son, George. All
the spurious coins gathered up by
the police bore the date 1884. The
one Hutka exhibited was dated
1898. When Irving was shown this
in his cell, he said he had not pass.
ed the one on Hutka. The police
believe his accomplice did, although
George Hutka identified Irving as
the man. The counterfeiters looked
allke, the ponce say.
When Irving was arrested he had
just passed a bad coin in the saloon
in State street opposite Commerce
street and had ninety-fiye cents in
change and a bad dollar In his pock-
ct. At the time of making his con-
fession yesterday, he said his accom-
plice with the spurious coins and
days proceeds had stood across the
street, at the northeast corner of
State and Commerce streets.
Notify Secret Service Men.
Immediately after the arrest,
Chief Burke notified Chief Flynn Of
the secret service force in New
York. In the meanwhile Detective
~Sergeants Huff and Long began a
rigid investigation and learned of
Irving's operations. They secured
SO much damaging evidence as to
prompt him to make the confession
last night. While the two detective
~sergeants were working on the case
yesterday Chief Burke and Schroed-
er spent much time questioning If
rng.> He was put to every test, but
did not break away from the decla-
ration he made after his arrest, that
he had found two spurious silver
dollars wrapped up In a paper dollar
when he left a trolley car after n
tering this city.
Secret Service Detective Schroed-
er told Irving he lied when he made
that declaration, as that was the
same old story of counterfeit pass
ers. Even this did not shake the
prisoners story, but when officers
Long and Huff came in last might
with evidence they had gathered and
1t vas laid before Irving to show
they had the goods on him, big as he
was, he broke down and cried like a
child. He sobbingly confessed he
was a member of a counterfeiting
gang, but said he had not been a
member of it long. He told of his
accomplice, told of the headquarters
of the gang and gave instructions
of how all hands might be captured.
Is Also Crooked Gambler.
This confession is most remark
able when it is considered the po-
lice learned today Irving has a very
bad record as a cheating gambler,
counterfeit money passer and gen.
eral all around crook. The Pater-
son police have him down as one
of the worst criminals they have
ever had to deal with. The Pater-
son chief said this morning Irving
worked with a gang at seaside re-
sorts during summer months and
worked the three-card monte game
on all the victims they could Sc
cure. They used tents, so hasty
exits could be made. The official
said Irving was an expert swindler
with cards and was noted in this
state as a pool shark. In 1908 he
played in a state championship pool
match with Joseph Concannon, of
Woodbridge. and other cue weld
ers from Newark, Trenton, Jersey
City and other places about the
state.
The prisoner says he is twenty
four years old and lived at 1 Ham
burg avenue, Paterson. He gave his
occupation as a laborer.
Deputy United States Marshal
Louis G. Beekman took Irving from
the police station to Jersey City, al
noon today.