Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-10
LINK EX-GOVERNOR
!. INCOUNTERFE|T|NG
Indictments Charge Florida
Former Executive in
100000 Plot.
BY the Associated Press.

FAoOSCAoeOA
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, April TO-
Sidney j. Cats, ST., former Governor
of Florida, and Baptist minister, today
faced arrest on charges Of aiding and
abetting an alleged million-d coun-
terfeiting ring.
Two Federal indictments linking the
former governor with financing coun-
terfeiting conspiracy were returned here
yesterday. Others named in the indict-
n1ents were Julian Diaz, Tampa attor-
ney, arrested recently in Miami; Mateo
Mir, Armando Dominguez and Madeline
Leah Burwel, Diaz's former secretary.
With the return of the indictment Judge
Lake Jones set bond at 5000 for Diaz,
alleged head of the syndicate, and ST.
500 each for the others.
Cats Is alleged to have furnished
$4,000 to the ring to finance the pur-
chase of printing presses and equip
ment, with the understanding that he
was to receive $4,000 Of the counter
felt money as his part in the invest
ment, the indictments charge.
Woman Causes Arrest.
Diaz was arrested In Miami when he
Is said to have attempted to pass a
spurious 500 note through his secretary,
Miss Burwell. When detected, the wom-
an led Federal operatives to Diaz's hotel,
where he was arrested. He claimed, the
officers said, that he received notes
from Tampa bank.
Diaz and the former governor were
said to have been great friends, Diaz
being one Of his warmest supporters
during the recent State primary, when
Cats sought denomination to the ONCE
of governor, which he held from 1915
to 1920. It was brought out that Cats
as . minister recently baptized one Of
Diaz'S children in Tampa.
The Government charges that Cats
and DiaZ made their arrangements in
the deal in Tallahassee last December.
Cats could not be reached at his home.
at Defuniak Springs. early today. A
capias for his arrest was expected to
be served this morning.
The former governor, Long, has been
prominently identified in Florida poll
tics. When he was elected governor in
1915 he bolted the Democratic party,
after having been beaten in the pri-
mary, and made Statewide race on
an independent ticket. He was elected
by large majority. During the re-
cent campaign he ran second in q
field OF five candidates for the Demo-
cratic nomination.
OF the five persons named In the
indictments only two had been arrest
ed. The exact status of Miss Burwell
was not known, as she was released
following her arrest in Miami DiaZ
and Dominguez were in jail in Tampa.
Mir also was believed to be in Tampa
and his arrest was expected shortly.
Alleged Distribution Plan.
Former Gov. Cats was known to the
ring, the indictments charge, as Cato,
q Spanish word meaning cat. The in
dictments list him as Cats, alias Cato
The plot was uncovered by Federal
operatives working out of Atlanta, when
numerous 500 notes were reported in
circulation in Florida and New York.
Cats, according to Government
agents. had working arrangement
with q New York bank teller through
whom all counterfeit money made by
the syndicate was put into circulation.
They said Cats was dissatisfied with
the appearance Of the first run of bills
made by Diaz and demanded that more
perfect ones be produced.
Cats is considered a large property
owner In the western part of the State.
Cats CITES 10 FRAME-IPS.