Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1914-05-15
] A BOLD
COUNTERFE|TER,
Il IS BELIEVED
Taken to Trenton Yesterday and
Examined by Federal
i Authorities.
FEDERAL GRAND JURY TO ACT
AIleued COunterfeiter Held in
Mercer County Jail in De-
fault of $1,5O0 Bail.
SAYS THREW AWAY MOLD
Think Man Was Member of
Gang Making Bad Coin
in the State.
SAYS THREW AWAY MOLC

That Michael Batchur, of 701
Parker street, this city, who was ar
rested by the local police here Wed
nesday night, charged with being q
eounterfeiter, is probably a member
o. the gang of bogus money makers
and passers that the government sec
ret service men have been looking for
In New Jersey for some time, is the
belief Of the United States marshal Is
office at Trenton. However, United
States Commissioner Richard S. VIII
son, Of Trenton, before whom the
man was arranged late yesterday af-
ternoon, declared during the hearin G
that Batchur, In his belief, had not
brains enough to successfully make
counterfeit money that would be pas
sable, but that the evidence produc-
ed, which was gotten together by the
local police, showed that the man had
intended, If he could, to manufacture
counterfeit coin for currency
Batchur was he'd in $500 bail
for the federal grand jury, which
meets in Newark, June /. The man
was placed In the Mercer county Jail
'in default of the amount of bail.
Batchur, 1t is alleged, admitted that
he had thrown away the mould in
which the coins found in his posses
sion were made, after he had be-
come suspicion" of being detected.
After being confined in the Jail for
several hours following his arraign-
ment, the man emphatically protest
ed that he was innocent, and said
the guilty party had escaped back to
his native country, Russia. Batchur
then declared that this man, whose
name he would not disclose, had
taken the dies with which the bogus
coins were made. 1t is believed that
probably Batchur did have a confer
crate that made his getaway, and
that Batchur then began trying his
own crude way In making the bogus
coin with mould which he declared.
It is said. he had thrown away.
The man was arrested by Detective
Sergeant Huff and Patrolman Gutow-
ski after he had been accused by two
fellow countrymen who declared they
had been discharged from their posi-
tions at the American Smelling &
Refining Company's plant by Bat
ehur, who was a sub-foreman. The
detective sergeant and patrolman
made thorough search of the man 8
house Wednesday night, but could
md no trace Of dies. moulds or bogus
coins. and 1t is believed that the
mans operations were carried on at
the smelter plant, where he could
easily obtain metals for his work
Yesterday morning Chief of Police
Burke turned the prisoner over to
United States Marshal Bollschweiler,
and Secret Service Inspector M.
Manasse, of New York, who with
Batchur, the two witnesses, Detective
Sergeant Huff and Patrolman Gutow-
ski went to New Brunswick to have
the man arraigned before United
States Commissioner Rice, of the
county seat. Mr.. Rice was i'll, and
Batchur was then taken before Com
missioner Wilson at Trenton. When
he was being led to his cell Batchur
is said to have acted as if he were
contemplating making a break for
liberty, which gave Chief Deputy
Marshal Snowden much concern
Whether Batchur Is connected
with the gang OF counterfeiters that
the secret service men are after in
New Jersey, will be probed by United
States Marshal Bollschweiler Yes
terday several secret service men
secured Elizabeth in vain efforts to
run down gang of counterfeiters.
James e. Gallagher, detective at
the smelter works, who aided in the
arrest Of Batchur, stated that the
man was steady worker and one of
the best employees of his race they
had at the plant