Evening star., 1934-11-22
Large Losses Here Traced
to Far-Reaching Plot
in Jersey.
ELABORATE EQUIPMENT
SEIZED BY U. S. AGENTS
$4,000 in New Bills Found in
Ho"se-Two Held Here for
Possessing ITEMS"

Smashing a counterfeit conspiracy
of far-reaching proportions, seizing a
remarkable plant at Tenafly, N. j.,
and making a number of arrests in
the New Jersey and New York area
yeste1 day. the United States Secret
Service today was believed to have
scotched a flood of bogus bills which
has reached far corners of the United
States, probably totaling $4,000
and caused large losses in the Ma
tional Capital.
In addition to the successful blow in
the New York sector, the Secret Serv-
ice killed another separate source OF
spurious $40 bills here when two COL
ored suspects were arrested and were
to be arraigned today before United
States Commissioner Needham C.
Turnage on charges of possessing
counterfeit money.
The conspiracy, with headquarters
at Tenafly, N. j., was routed as a
result of many weeks Of investiga-
ton and planning by the Secret
Service. A special squad of picked
operatives under direction Of Robert
Godby. who had maintained his head
quarters at Syracuse, N. Y, for that
area, worked under instructions from
Washington.
Details of the strategy by which the
Secret Service uncovered its prey we're
withheld for strategic reasons, but,
when the plan was ready. the Govern
ment. assisted by New York and New
jersey police, struck simultaneously
at several different points, arresting
10 men and one woman.
Plates Are Seized.
Among the elaborate paraphernalia
seized at the Tenafiy plant were plates
from which had been printed several
bills circulated in Washington. Among
these bills were at least three 500
notes which turned up at the Treasury
Department within the past week,
coming in curreny bundles from banks
whose names were not disclosed.
Tracing down the trail of counterfeits
here today, the Secret Service dis
covered this morning that one of the
plates seized at Tenafly also had made
q $40 bill which had been picked up
here last January. The plant Is be-
lieved to have been in operation for
about 18 months and to have poured
out a flood Of bogus money estimated
at about $4,000, 900.
Announcement Of the raids was
made first at Secret Service head
quarters late yesterday afternoon by
Joseph E. Murphy, assistant chief Of
the organization, after receiving re-
ports by telephone from Godby, in
charge of the squadron. After hearing
further from New York today, Murphy
qualification over the results
Of the raid, and said that the ma
chinery of prosecution would be pushed
forward, with first steps probably re-
sulting today in arraignment of Ger
tain suspects before United States
commissioner in New York.
ColOred Men Held.
Here two colored men yesterday
virtually helped secret service agents
trap themselves when they at
tempted to dispose of an "unlucky''
number of thirteen $40 counterfeit
notes of excellent workmanship. The
suspects were trailed by agents, and
finally gave away their secret on
Thirteenth street near T street when
one attempted to dispose of the evi-
dence by throwing out of ah auto
mobile window an envelope contain
ing the 13 bogus bills. The notes
were in a brown envelope of the
Postal Savings system and were
quickly retrieved by secret service
agents. The two suspects, James
Murtishaw and Thomas Blocker. both
giving New York as their address,
were to be arraigned today before
Commissioner Turnage. The bills,
said, were highly deceptive,
and probably would have been in
circulation within a short time had
secret service not grabbed the would
be passers
The elaborate printing plant at
Tenafly was discovered carefully, con-
cealed in an old mansion, where the
raiding party struck at daybreak,
while occupants of the place were
asleep.
Explaining the discoveries, Godby,
in New York, said they found a COM
plete photo-engraving plant in the
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