Evening star., 1933-02-07
CONFESSES BOGUS
MONEY PLOT AFTER
SHOOTING z POLICE
Youth Opens Fire When
Trapped in Attempt to
Pass Counterfeit Bill.
SAYS HE TRIED'TO COVER
$4,000 MARKET LOSSES
Lester Lille Tells of Setting Up
Press and Study of En-
craving Methods.

losses, put nlmSeI bnTOugn an lnCeu-
sive course of secret training that made
him an expert ccunterfeiter was re-
vealed today by Third Precinct De-
tectives Joseph w. Shimon and w. v
Christian.
Subdued after furious battle, in
which hsshot and wounded two police
men last night, the alleged counter
feiter-Lester Lawrence Lille, 1901
Thirteenth street-withstood the ques-
tioning of police officials and secret
service agents for hours before he
finally consented to sign confession.
Officers Wounded.
The ofTicers-H L. Lay and Arthur
Gernhofer, also of the third precinct
were shot when they attempted to ar
rest Lille after he had tried to pass
q bogus Sl0 bill in a restaurant at
1903 Adams Mill road.
His thigh bone shattered by one of
the four .38 caliber bullets fired at
him and Gernhofer during the struggle,
Lay may be crippled for life, accord
ing to physicians at Emergency Hos
pital. Gernhofer. shot through the
AAANC, dAEO Wdo GdhC1I W SSllCy, .,
but his condition was termed ''nos
serious"
Lille, according to his signed state
ment to Shimon and Christian, con-
ceived the idea Of becoming counter
feiter about six months ago. A short
time before, his mother told the detec-
tives, the stock market had Gained
$4,000 insurance money received fol-
lowing the death of his father Part
OF the money belonged to Mrs Lille, it
was explained, and the remainder to
him and his brother, Joseph Lille,
part-time linotype operator.
Sets Up Plant.
After reading numerous books on
v-ri1us paa es CT counterfeiting, Lille,
according to his confession, rented an
a-32rtment ct 1928 Twelfth street, about
block firm his home, and purchased
> eto line of equipment.
: The neXt three months, he said,
! no,h-ng hut practice, expert
3 WITH various types of engray-
-oc2-s-s, making bogus $40, $40
{ -. 81 ills and tearing them I'D. BY
tn Liid~le Of lat month, however. he
said, he felt that he had perfected his
technique sufficiently to warrant distri-
button of the bills
Since then, he said, he has been
maintaining regular working hours, GO
ing to the Twelfth street apartment
every morning and spending the day
turning out counterfeit money.
He used the bills, he said to pur-
chase clothing, to bet on horse races.
to buy liquor and to defray the ex-
penses OF several out-of-town trips in
his automobile.
Equipment Found.
In the Twelfth street apartment,
Shimon and Christian found complete
line of counterfeiting equipment, in
cluding a printing press, lamp and
various chemicals used in his engraving
process, copper plates of the kind used
by engravers and about 81 900 In bogus
$50, $40 and 81 bills.
The bills, the detectives said, we're
secreted under the floor. while the
plates were hidden in the mattress of
studio couch.
Lille was seen lettering outside the
Adams Mills road restaurant by Park
Policeman w. K. Snider. Suspecting
the loiterer might be a hold-up man,
the officer warned Robert Moorehead,
manager of the restaurant, to keep
your eye on him."
A few minutes later, Lille walked
into the restaurant and asked Moore
head to change a $40 bill Moorehead
said he had no change, but would take
the bill to one of the stores in the
neighborhood.
While Lille waited for him to return
with the change, Moorehead went to the
corner of Eighteenth street and Colum-
bia road in quest of policeman. Re-
turning to the restaurant, he explained
he had been unable to get the bill
changed, but thought he might have
some money in a safe in the rear.
Meanwhile Snider had told Lay Of
his suspicious and the latter went to
the restaurant to investigate. Moore
head showed the bill to Lay, who ex-
amined it closely and decided it didn't
look just right"
Placing Lille under arrest, Lay took
him to nearby call box. There Lille
suddenly went into action, wrenching
himself from Lays grasp and attempt
ing to flee. Gernhofer, standing On the
to Lays assistance.
Puts Up Fight.
Lille, although of less than average
height and weight, put up a terrific
fight, and the officers had considerable
difficulty keeping him from running
away. Finally, in desperation. he reach
ed into his overcoat pocket, grasped his
revolver and pulled the trigger five
times. Two of the bullets went wild
and another failed to discharge, but
the others struck the policemen.
Both Lay and Gernhofer continued
fighting despite their wounds but
neither of them drew his gun. Instead,
Gernhofer drew his iron claw and
clamped it on Lilies right arm, yank-
ing his hand from his overcoat pocket
and disarming him. He and Lay held
the prisoner until the arrival OF Police
men H. S. Montgomery and r l.
Linton, dispatched to the scene follow
Ing receipt of several telephone calls
from frightened residents of the neigh
borhood.
A large crowd gathered to watch the
struggle, and some one turned in
fire alarm. In addition, the Fire
Rescue Squad and police reserves also
were called.
Gives Fictitious Name.
Lille was taken to the third precinct
station, where he insisted his name was
Lawrence Dumont" and he came here
recently from New York He declared
the counterfeit bill had been given him
by an acquaintance.
After several hours questioning By
police inspectors and secret service
operatives, he was turned over to Shi-
mon and Christian. 1t took the detec.
tives an hour to wiring from him hi.
real identity and nearly four hour.
more to get the confession.
The confession was obtained. the,
said, only after they had found fou
bogus $40 bills in Lilies car. parke,
near the scene Of the shooting. Then