Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1921-08-20

Inc biggest CuuutcrfeltnE coup
ever attempted has just been dis
covered BY the police in Milan The
value OF the counterfcted Treasury
bonds found hidden III the house OF
one Of the accoupices amounts to
more than one million dollars says
correspondent OF the New York
Tribune.
About TWO months ago bank in
Milan ana another in Rome notified
the police that false bonds of the face
value of $1,000 were being negotiated
by persons unknown. The clcvcrest de
tectives were put On the track, tut no
one could be caught simultaneously
the police in Milan were looking for
man who had counterfeited the customs
stamps at Saronne Their suspicion
fell on a young electrician. vel known
as an engrayer. Who was employed in
the electric works; but for some time
he had been missing from home
This man, Della Necchla, was we'll
known among artists and esteemed a>
one himself When fifteen days ago the
officials of IA bank again notified the
police that they had heard that other
$4,000 bonds had been circulated the
authorities decided to search the house
Of Della Vccchia. The electrician
was out, but his wife was AT home
Posing as collector from the works
the detective examined the meter
and then insisted on searching the
studio There he found forged seuls
with which the Treasury bonds must
have been stamped The wife could
throw no light on the matter, ana
though arrested insisted On her limo
cence. The husband had disappeared
entirely and some say he has gone
abroad.
Lieutenant Arrests Friend
With these seals as proof that the
bonds had been counterfeted in Milan
the police continued their investiga
tions and got on the track Of an init
mate friend Of Della Yecchia a painter.
Resentini a nightly frequenter Of Ger
tain wine shops on the outskirts at
Milan. The lieutenant In charge di>
gused himself a. franciscan monk
In search Of aims and finally discovered
Rescntini drinking with boon friends
The lieutenant called on him. in the
name Of the law to accompany him u
the police station When he reached
there he confessed he knew something
about the counterfciting but that an
other painter could cnli-hten the police
further Thi, friend proved To- be
Carlo Pezzala who had turned his
studio into an up-to-date Typographical
office. with noisclr>S machines and
many bronze and zinc plates. He made
n full confession and told the lieuten-
ant that the bonds were first photo
graphed hy one man and then taken
10 Della Yecchia who engraved the
plates. while the printing vas don" In
his studio.
Tie seals. the printing press, paper
and plates having been found, the next
task was 70 find The photographer and
the heads Of the gang. In al effort To
satisfy the police the painters decided
TO assist Them in getting ou io the
track 81 all the others involved They
accompanied the police Ia the friend
photographed. and hy no sign or word
did thev hetray ihc fact that the pole"
were with them Thinkng that the
visitors were friends ami Interested
In the countcfcitinG scheme. the ph"-
tograpler proudly showed his modern
apparatus his plates the Slo"n bonn,
and when he had finished the polio"
arrested him
Though they had found the seals and
machines they had not vet obtained
poSSes,ion Of the 81 10000 worth OF
counterfeit bonds Without these their
work was almost useless Pressed for
the name of other accomplices The
palnterS mentioned Celeste Pcliaghi
nolisher Of bricks. CeSare CALL owner
az silk factory and his partner thrl"
Meschia. The first visit was 10 Celeste,
who was surprised ~ see the police.
The house wa~ searched thoroughly
and were il not for Information from
one of the accompilces the search
might have been IN vain, as the bonds
had been hidden behind inside shutters
I'm n sneciaIly prepared niche There
was found the 81 100000 worth ~
beautifully engraved treasury p"i'"s'
az the value Of $40 0oo each
Alleged Originator Of Plot.
The last man 10 he arrested was the
leader and originator of the plot. &c
sare Cali. who now owns silk fac
tory worth. In the material contained
therein none. 100000 When arrested
Cali made a full confession. He said
that for many years he had been work
inc hard 10 regain the self-respect lost
who he counterfeIted government
80, < some years ago. lie had striven
- rehabllitate himself. hut was con
tinuaIly pursued by longing for great
wealth. Last year he Thought out a
great scheme which consisted in buy
ing real Treasury bonds. counterfe'ting
them and selling the counierfeits. or
using them for borrowing nPney.
Hs pnndered So much M ne ~ u