Year: 1869




The Detroit Post has the followng.-'F
erick Peters, formerly of this city, was examined
on Wednesday august 25) before United States
Commissioner Mandell, on charge of counter
feiting United States coin. The defendant was
arrested last spring for robbing the post office at
Ann Arbor He was held for trial but subse-
quently pleaded the penitent so strongly, and
made such apparently honest promises of refor-
nation that the proceedings against him were
dropped and he was allowed to 90 unpublished.
He went to East Saginaw, where he has since
been employed as grave-stone cutter. A few
days since he was again arrested charged, this
time, with making spurious coin. The testimony
against him is that of Henry B. harrington, who
testifes that he witnessed the making of the
coin, and produces in court the dies used in the
operation


This Harrington is matchmaker, living in
Saginaw City. His family live in the lower part
of a building, in the upper part of which he has
watch-repair shop and it was in this shop
that he testfes the spurious coin was made. 1t
appears that harrington does not enjoy first
class reputation. About eight years ago he
served a term of one year in the State Prison
for passing n counterfeit ten-dollar bill. Since
that time he has been suspected of being impli-
Gated in various unlawful operations in connec-
ton with counterfeit money. He has twice been
arrested, On the occasion of his last arrest,
about a year and half ago, he was admitted to
bail, and it was understood that the proceedings
against him would be dropped on condition that
he would detect certain parties engaged in cir
culating counterfeit money in the Saginaw
region, and that he would turn up $40, 900 of
counterfeit money ON the Linderpark Bank of
New York. supposed to be in the possession of
one Ben Ballard. Since that time he has been
operating in conjunction with the United States
detectives; has made reports of his dOings TO
them, and has operated in accordance with their
suggestions.


The following Is the substance of his testimony
against Peters,


81 first met the defendant about the first of July
last on street between East Saginaw aud Sagl-
nav City; he asked me If my name was not Far
rnpton and told him it was; he then asked me if
was not in Jail in Detroit at OF" time, and told him
| was; he said he was there 900 for ro6bing post
office. We then entered into conversation, and he
finally asked me if would not like TO go with him
in making counterfeit money said the officers had
been prosecuting me about this counterfeit money
game, If there was any money in it l was
going in for it. He said he could
make the best bogus coin of anybody in the
of money in it, as he could sell it for fifty cents on
the dollar; told him he could have the use of my
shop and tools to what he could do; we made an
appointment Of a day on which he was to come to
MY house and make some of the coins; he came the
next Sunday; think it was the second Sunday in
July; he brought with him young man who works
IN harness shop in East Saginaw, whose name
do not now remember; they worked together in my
s6op. and made about four quarts of Coins: Peters
brought the dies with him. they were made OF plaster
Of Paris. CIhe dies were produced in court, and
fully Identified by the witness.) | kept these dies
after Peters got through; put them into my bench
drawer, and day or two afterwards brought them





'"The coins made half and quarter dollars
The materials used were tin, antimOny, and lead.
furnished chips fire, and lead and Peters furnished
the rest He said the coins were not very good, be-
the moulds were damp but that after the coins
were galvanized nobody could detect them. fur
nished him silver and acids to gayaniZe them.
Peters said he wanted to some of the coins and
took them with him, and some he left with me-
Those which he left with me took to Midland to
show certain parties there They said they wanted
10 see what Kind of workman Peters was; that
if he was skiful enough at making counter
ieits they would admit him to their assOcia-
tiOn They pronounced the work very poorly done.
"a quantity OF spurious coins was exhibited to the
court Cannot identify any of these coins as the
ones made by Peters; did not mark any of those
coins, and did not Keep any OF them in my possess
sion. These resemble the coins made by him, but
do not look as WELL having been OXydized by expo
sure TO the air These coins do not look very well
now, hut after they have been galvanized it would
he hard to distinguish them from the genuine coins
They have the proper weight, hardness, and ring.


'Duputy United States Marshal Ii. g. Blan-
chard testified that since the release of Earring
ton, II year and half ago, he has been acting
under the direction of the United States Mar
shall for ferretng out counteIfeters.'