New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-18

20 him when ! asked him where he OBJ
tanned the copper plate to make the
counterfeit so gold certificates found In
his room 90 the rectory of St Joseph
Roman Catholic church. in Harlem. He
id not tell me that God gave it to him.
He told NE that he made the plate after
working on II many months and that he
worked on II even after the murder
Il asked him TO fix the last day he
worked ON the plate. and he said II was
Saturdav This was the day before he
was arrested for the MURDER He did not
once mention the murder and | dldn
suggest H. We talked only about his
career as a counterfeter.
Father Schmidt told me he hrst began
counterfciting eight years ago In Ger
many D., said that he had only expert
mcntcd then. and didn't try TO make any
false money FOR circulation. lie admitted
that he Intended 10 shove the money
turned out from the plate We found In his
room
i asked him why he wanted 90 do this
He replied that he did not intend TO
profit personally by the counterfeits. lie
said he wanted 10 distribute them among
the poor He added that he did not think
that he would be robbing any one or COM
hitting any crime In SO doing.
"He was very careful in his choice Of
words. and was extremely anxious that
nothing he said would be harmful 20 his
associate. Ernest Muret lie said he did
some Of the work on the plate at Murets
home In ST. Nicholas avenue, but insisted
that Muret knew nothing about il. Then.
a moment later. he said that Muret often
urged him not 20 engage I'm counterfeit
ing.
"He was so anxious to protect Muret
that / was convinced that he lied When
he talked In regard 10 the fake dentist.
II Is not possible that Muret did not know
and participate in all that he was doing
in the counterfeitlng line.
"He admitted that he made more than
one hundred negatives OF 81. s. and g
silver certificates. and also OF s. and SO
gold certificates We have some Of the
negatives. but in nearly all OF them he
bhl faces We're wiped off the plates with
chemicals
william J. Flynn chief OF the United
States Secret Service. who is In active
command here Of the governments case
against Schmidt and Muret. said that he
forwarded photographs of Muret and
Schmidt TO some Of his agents in Massa-
chusetts and Connecticut
THESE agents know several people who
were victImlzed by countcrfelters who
passed $40 and so gold certificates In that
territory recently. and within a day We
viii be able to say if Schmidt and Muret
were the men who passed bad money in
New England"
Chief Flynn said the counterfeitinS
plant seized In the West 18th street Hat
rented by Muret and Schmidt was COM
plete in every detail lie said that there
was enough evidence to convict Muret on
two counts. which would carry Il maxi
mum sentence Of thirty years.
We have no fear that Mu-et will es-
cape" said chief Flynn. THE effort to
burn the counterfei, notes looks as II
Muret. after Schmldts arrest, started a
cleanup and was frightened of"
Father Schmidt, in answer TO a note
sent TO his cell yesterday. said Anna
Aumuler knew nothing of his work as a
counterfeiter. When the police found tbs
Eighth avenue fat, another note was sent.
Ia which the priest was asked II he had
other fats or apartments besides the three
already found by the police, and II Muret
rented the Eighth avenue Hat with him.
His reply. written In a bold free hand,
was:
II alone rented that fiat on Eighth ave
nue.. Muret was not associated with me
in that. There are no other flats of mine
at present. used to have furnished
room with Anna, but this was long ago. "
In regard to the charge that he sold
quack medicines to some members OF st.
Josephs parish in Harlem, Father
Schmidt sent this note:
1T has been said that | have taken
money from the poor. This Is not true.
The collection of envelopes found in my
room were given To me by Father Braun
TO make a list OF all the donors. II you
will ask the poor on the East Side, near
9TH street. or around l25th street, you
will hear different stories'