The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-17
ARE
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
To Float Millions Worth of
the Queer.
MEN ARE CAPTURED
Had Been at Work More Than Year
on Scheme TO Flood Country With
Fine Make OF had Money.

New York. Aug, i6.-~Wiliiam J.
Flynn, chief of the United States Sc
cret Service. leading several OF his
agents. climbed to the garrett OF a
neat frame cottage at Washington
and Railroad Avenues, Grant City.
Richmond borough. at 2 o'clock this
morning. He found lithographing
presses, chemicals, a photo craving
plant and all the other essentials of
a complete plant for making counter
felt money.
The big. swarthy man. Antonio
Monteforti. expert engrayer, who was
at work. was arrested. along with
Luigi Barracuda. who was proudly
surveying a big press that had been
moved recently into the ground floor.
Thus plot to food the country
with s. 900. 600 In counterfeit 81. 81.
IS and $40 bills was uncovered Just
before the leaders were ready 10 print
and send them out to middlemen.
The scheme was the biggest and most
ella borate that has been unearthed in
many years, and the arrests were
made and the paraphernalia seized
before one hill had been printed.
Within n few minutes after Chief
Flynn entered the house, Captain
John Henry who has charge OF the
New York Secret Service men. and
shadowing the alleged counterfetters,
swooped down on store In n tene.
meut At 423 East Ninth stree; Man
haitian
Gather In Half Dozen.
Captain Henry gathered In six men,
all ~ italian birth four OF whom
were held on charges OF coun-erfeiting
by Chief Flynn. while the two others
were accused Of violating the internal
revenue laws In the basement 81 the
house in East Ninth Street men were
found engaged In making wines.
whiskeys and other liquors by means
az alcohol and chemicals. the mix
lures being put in bottles with
counterfeit labels.
Captain Flynn was much pleased
with the outcome of the two raids for
he had nipped a scheme that red been
worked out with the utmost detail.
According to the evidence obtained,
the plan OF the big enterprise was 10
make enough plates 80 that - 0to, 900
of the notes could be printed within
short time The next step contem.
plated Flycn was informed, was to
destroy the entire counterfHiting
equipment and dispose % the bills AZ
the rate of st cents on the dollar
realizing about 1850. 900
Inc pan was DH1ti utNFlpUiIlFilN
for more than year. and several
men had been devoting their time
exclusively TO that work Elaborate
as was the engraving and printing
scheme, the project OF floating the
counterfeit hiiis-stlver certificates, In
dian fve- dollar bills and Buffalo ten
dollar notes--was more Ingenious.
The leaders it Is said. had arranged
for a practical underwriting Of their
supply by group of twenty middle
men. who were to peddle the money
at AZ cents on the dollar TO the men
who would actually pass them to the
public
Overheard In March.
There was not a flaw In the smooth
scheme. except one-~namely, that two
OF the conspirators were overheard
discussing "A phase Of 1t one night in
an Italian cafe, That was in March
When Chief Flynn got word OF the
plot, he and Captain Henry began n
skillful and ingenious system of shad.
owing, by which they were led, first
to the store In East Ninth Street and
then to the frame house in Gran
/ city
/ The purchases of at least nifty dlf
fcrent sorts OF chemicals used II
photo-engraving, the electrotypinp
process and In the making fthe An
est Inks, all were carefully noted. The
moving of a big Universal hand pres
from n store In Manhattan to Gran
CITY was followed
Flynn called to this city traine'
agents from st. Louis, Cincinnati
/ Cleveland, Washington. Philadelphia
/ Pittsburg and Scranton. With sever
men. including Agent Frank Burke
| Flynn went to Grant city early today
I
abiest man In the group, had entere,
the cottage In Railroad Avenue. The,
made a quick descent.