Newspapers / The Roanoke beacon. / Nov. 11, 1910, edition 1 / Page 3
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
HOIST BY HIS OWN PETARD f lURING the sixties and and the early seven ties of the last cen tury, counterfeiting blossomed into one of the fine arts, and to such perfection was it brought that, in many instances, it was ex ceedingly difficult to detect the bogus stuff from the genu ine. As Insidious enemies of the people In every walk of life, counterfeiters may well be classed among the most suDiie ana dangerous persons wim whom officers of the law have to cope. Kver wide awake and on the alert for treachery in their own ranks, these crafty rogues can only be captured and convicted by means of carefully baited traps, or by what is generally known as the stool-pigeon system. Counterfeiters are divided into six distinct classes: First, the capitalist or procurer; second, the engraver; third, the printer; fourth, the whole sale dealer; fifth, the retailer, and sixth, the shover or circulator. The capitalist is the moat difficult man to Teach as he seldom handles any of the plates or spurious money. - Hence the chief offender in this line may walk calmly about, defying the detec tive, each tacitly understanding the other in his relative position; one suspecting and watching, the other patiently and tirelessly picking up, crumb by crumb, convicting evidence. The methods pursued by detectives to entrap counterfeiters are rarely tetter illustrated than in the following account of the capture of William M. Gurney, alias "Big Bill" the Koniaek r, one of the foremost wholesale dealers in "queer" of his day. He was born of respectable parentage, reared in the quietude incident to country life, educated and supplied with a sufficient amount of money wherewith to live like a gentleman and, strange ly enough, he choBe a path that led to his ultimate- ruin. In the excitement of those tumultu ous days the city of New York was well stocked with men possessed of a genius for conceiving and conceal ing crime. Perhaps no other city in the civilized world has ever afforded a better opportunity for fleecing the public. Gurney had been handling counterfeit money for several years but had managed to escape punish ment. He was one of the chief dis tributors for Joshua D. Miner, who was the head and front of a power ful octopus whose tentacles were stretched out in almost every section of the country. Gurney was by no means unattract ive in appearance, and there were four mfn walkine Broadway in his day whose physique could compare favorably with his. He stood six feet two inches in height and was corre spondingly well proportioned, while his expansive chest and well-developed limbs gave him the appearance of a man possessing the muscular strength of a giant. His black eyes were sharp and severe,,. or mild and pleasant, to suit occasions. In conversation he was easy and interesting and, among strangers, would readily have passed for a gentleman of marked ability. To be a leader among the counterfeit ing fraternity seemed to have been the crowning glory of his highest am bition. In the spring of 1869 I was ap pointed chief of the government se cret service and, though I had had experience with General Butler in New Orleans, and later m tne mieriiui revenue service, I was unknown among the counterfeiters. Shortly after my appointment I re ceived Information, at my headquar ter In Washington, regarding a rather unique affair that had taken place at one of the drinking resorts on Hous ton street, in New York city. Wil liam Gurney, with his characteristic push and daring, had invited a party of "queersmen" to partake of a ban quet at this place. There were 24 persons present at this function, three ex-detectives being among the num ber. On the following day I was furnished with the particulars of this remark able assembly, and the ex-detective who reported it also , provided a list of the banqueters. Among other things I learned that my appointment as chief of the secret service was dis cussed at the affair, and pronounced a good Joke upon the government. Gurney addressed his guests, boast fully declaring that "the new chief might do for a preacher or an Internal revenue clerk, but that he could never cope with shrewd men like the queersmen." "Now Is our opportunity," he said, "to reap a rich harvest." At the same time he advised his friends that he was going to take the new chief into his confidence and keep him well stuffed with fictitious information. "In the meantime," he continued, "I will draw out from him his plans and keep myself posted as to his pro posed movements." This plan pleased the fancy of the scoundrels, and they agreed that Gur ney was a great man. They were seated at the tables imbibing wine, and they drank to Gurney's health while the ex-detectives and counter feiters Jostled elbows and bandied jdkes good-naturedly as they contem plated the easy times In store for them. When sufficiently filled with I wine and erthrsiasra, they capped the ! cjlmax by hurratimg tor nis satanic majesty. The feast of Belshazzar was a. tame . affair in comparison with the indulgence of these men. If there were any letters of warning upon the walls, all were too drunk to read them, or they lacked a sober Daniel to in terpret them. Under the1 circumstances it seemed advisable to allow these merry plot ters to pursue their way unmolested until sufficiently off their guard to per mit the successful carrying out of a plan to entrap and apprehend the en tire party. Much of my time was now spent at my New York office In Bleeker street where, in due time, Gurney called upon me for the purpose "of paying bis respects and tendering some In formation In regard to counterfeiters." The artless appearing fellow said that when quite young he had been foolish enough to engage in counterfeiting, but had long since abandoned it and was now ready to render the govern ment such assistance as he could. I affected to receive him with open arms, and apparently gulped down as truth everything he had to offer. Gur- gSI'"" if.ft 7?Af AY5rf?7l MM Mm I QICC fOKFtfW: ney was well fitted to deceive with a plausible story, for he seemed candid in manner and well equipped in every way to impose upon the most Incred ulous. The officers of the secret service all considered iaV a dangerous per son and none wai.' anxious to encoun ter a man of such gigantic'proportions and apparently desperate character. My first move against Gurney was to send Mike Bower, a newly-fledged government detective, to form his ac quaintance. Bower was selected be cause his appearance was anything but that of a detective. Bower drifted Into Gurney's "boozing-den" on East Bleeker street where, after loitering around drinking and smoking for a week or two, he one day called Gur ney aside and told him he was broke and must have a little money. He drew from his inside pocket a gold watch with a short piece of chain hanging from it, giving it the appear ance of having been nipped from the pocket of some unfortunate citizen. Gurney snapped at the bait at once and Intimated, with a sly wink, that the watch had been stolen. When Bower finally admitted as much Gur ney seemed pleased and bought the watch at about one-third tits value, remarking: "You're all right, my boy. When you want anything, come to me." After a few days Bower again ap proached Gurney, this time with a diamond stud that had been slipped from its fastenings. "I need some more money," said Bower. Gurney inspected the gem with an appreciative eye, and finally said: "You are a good one. Did you ever handle any of the 'queer?'" "I took a little hand in It once," re- o4 True Story jf the Secret Service ' By COL. H. C. WHITLEY Former Chief U. S. Secret Service plied Bower cautiously, "but 1 do not like to take the , chances any more." "Oh, h I," replied Gurney. "We've got everything our own way now. The government detectives are all green men and there's no danger of getting caught unless a fellow goes and gives himself up." Taking from his wal let a $20 counterfeit note on the Na tional Shoe and Leather bank of New York city, he added: "Here's some thing good enough to deceive the dis ciples." After some parleying Bower ac cepted $300 of the "queer" for the dia mond, and I now instructed Bower to stay away from Gurney for a couple of weeks. While Bower had been working Gurney, that worthy had been coming to my office every few days to work me. He imagined that I fully believed what he said, and that he was regard ed as a valuable ally. I always re ceived him kindly, and assured him that I had no desire to make arrests unless forced to do so, and that I did not believe In using harsh measures unnecessarily. Gurney fairly chuckled at this simplicity and was thrown completely off his guard. He assumed an air of great mystery and spoke of the possible existence of counterfeit plates that might be reached for a reward. He would not, he declared, accept a dollar for his personal services but, because of his great fancy for me, was ready to as sist in every way possible. He wa3 permitted to blarney along and play the game to his own liking, secure in the belief that he was completely de ceiving the government officials. In the meantime the services of an old counterfeiter, fresh from the peni tentiary, had been secured. Many of his old confederates were now opera ting with the Gurney gang and, through him, Bill Butts, a fresh-looking detective from one of the western states, was introduced to several of the men who made their headquarters at a saloon on the Bowery. Butts in formed the barkeeper of the saloon that he had Just served a term fo "shoving the queer." At first the counterfeiters and thieves hanging around the place ap peared to be suspicious of Butts. One day, however, when these vlllians were drinking beer in the back room of the place, a fight arose. The de tective went In with the rest and stretched out several of the fellows, though he was badly beaten up in the end, and in addition was robbed of his pocketbook and watch. The ethics of the criminal profes sion are peculiar. When a crowd of crooks fight they frequently rob one another, and if the victim calls in the police to recover his property he loses the confidence of the rogues sr?rcD A Kit tf - who took part in the fray. But If he keeps silent it is conclusive evidence in their minds that he cannot stand investigation, and this establishes his character beyond doubt. It is ac cepted by them as sufficient voucher that he is a member in good standing in the brotherhood of crooks, and he is then admitted into full fellowship. Shortly after the melee one of the crowd suggested to Butts that he call in the police. He promptly replied: "No police for me," and the detective was thereupon received without hesi tation or mental reservation. During the next seven or eight months Butts worked with this gang of counter feiters as a shover of queer. "Counterfeit shovers," as they are called, usually travel in pairs. One fellow carries the bogus money and remains outside, while the other takes one bill, enters a place of busi ness, purchases some trifle, tenders the counterfeit note in payment, and receives change in good money. If this precaution were not observed, the possession of other counterfeit money, in case of detection and arrest, would Indicate guilt and lead almost inevitably to conviction. Detective Butts, however, did not pass any counterfeit money but used instead a good bill in the place of the one he received from the carrier. That was kept for evidence, and in this way he deceived the queersmen for months, and secured evidence to convict about twenty of the Gurney party. While Butts had been busy with the gang of shovers, Bower had been de voting his time to Gurney and the other leaders. On one occasion Bower purchased $500 of counterfeit money from Gurney, and this he handed to me as I was on my way to dinner at the St. Clair house. As I entered the restaurant I met Gurney looking as cheerful and Innocent as a Raphael cherub. The rascal appeared with a bland smile and informed me that he had come there especially to see me about counterfeiting transatcions out west. I took him by the hand, thanked him, and invited him to dine. We selected a table where Gurney could talk without being overheard. His information, as usual, wa3 in definite, hearsay, with no particular point to It. He told me that my pol icy of being easy with the counter feiters was working like a charm that there was no counterfeit money in circulation in. the east in fact, he had not seen a bad dollar in six months. At that very moment my hand was resting on the package of counterfeit money that had Just been purchased from him by Bower. A few days later Gurney told Bower, in a boasting way, of this in terview and, in a burst of enthusiasm, declared that everything about the government detective headquarters was known to him before ' it trans pired. He asserted that ha was one of my assistants, ar.d was so puffed up over his imaginary success that he really believed he knew what was go ing on in my office. The time now seemed ripe for the arrest of the entire party who had discussed my qualification! ovr their wine at the banquet on Houston street. Bower had complete!. won Gurney's confidence. Telling hiiA' that he was about to take a trip to Texas, he inquired if ho could buy $3,000 in counterfeit money at a whole sale figure. "Of course; any amount of it." an swered Gurney. A deal was arranged for its deliv ery on the New York side of Fulton Ferry. Bower was to be at a desig nated spot at a certain time, and Gur ney was to pass along, hand over the spurious and receive good money in payment. At the appointed time there was a large crowd standing around the ferry landing waiting for the boat Bower was there, and a few paces from him stood a seemingly honest tinsmith with a Joint of stove-pipe under his arm and a pair of snippers in his hand. Kis clothes and the soot upon his hands and face bore unmistakable witness to his calling. Near by, look ing in another direction, stood a stoutly-built business man of ample girth. In one hand he carried a hat box, in the other a valise. In the immediate vicinity was a tall, reverential ap pearing gentleman, with neat side whiskers, whose white tie and the ministerial cut of his coat were in keeping with the sanctimonious ex pression of his face. When the ferry boat struck the dock Gurney stepped off, peered cau tiously and carefully around, scanning the faces of those who were standing near. Being satisfied that there were no suspicious persons about, he drew a package from under his coat and stepped toward Bower to deliver it. At this instant the ministerial-looking man raised his hand. The fat man dropped his luggage and the tin smith his tools. Both seized Gurney by the arms and held him while the tall brother, with a quick movement, snapped handcuffs on his wrists. Everything was done so quickly that Gurney did not have time to catch his breath before he was securely ironed. The prisoner was taken to the secret service office. I removed my side whiskers and made some change in my clothing, then entered the office and shook hands with the crestfallen criminal. During that day and evening the government officers were engaged - in arresting the shovers of the gang, against whom Butts had secured evl dence. Two of the ex-detectives, guests at Gurney's banquet, had al ready been arrested for passing coun terfeit money o at Pittsburg and the other t Cindlni.atJ. ,Dy 11 o'clock that night the officers- .?. ar rested 20 of the gang. They wir.- arranged in a circle at the office, and the right hand of one was hand cuffed to the left hand of the next. Gurney, appropriately, happened to be the center-piece. I could not help a feeling of pity for the unfortunates, but they had volun tarily preyed upon society and trans gressed the laws of their land, and the common weal required that they be punished. They were all tried and convicted, most of them entering a plea of guilty. The boastful Gurney now fully real ized the trap into which he had fallen. He had been hoisted by his own petard, a circumstance that seemed to humiliate him almost be yond measure. With little or no pres sure he weakened and confessed that he had received his counterfeit money from Joshua D. Miner, who was the capitalist that owned the plates upon which the National Shoe and Leather twenties were printed. Among the secret service officers Miner was known to be a counter feiter, but on account of his great wealth and political standing, he was considered a difficult man to grapple with. He was a large city contractor at this time, and employed about one hundred men opening up a new road at the end of Ninth avenue. Gurney was altogether too timid to make a deal with Miner in order to give the officers an opportunity to cap ture him red-handed, but he finally agreed to go with me to see Miner who, he believed, would surrender the $20 counterfeit plates for the purpose of shortening his sentence. Leaving a carriage on the boule vard, I walked with Gurney a short distance on Sixty-ninth street toward Miner's house. We met Miner on the sidewalk and I was introduced by Gurney, who then explained, the trouble he had gotten himself into. Miner said he could do nothing for him and, as a last resort, 1 requested Miner to step aside with me, where I told him that I was convinced that he was the owner of the counterfeit plates of the National Shoe and Leather bank. This he firmly denied. but I insisted and threatened to ar rest him. He finally said that he would make an effort to secure the plates. I knew what this meant and, upon his promise to meet me the fol lowing day, I left him. Miner appeared on time, but was still doubtful in regard to his ability to make the surrender demanded. He was a hard nut to crack but, be fore we parted, I succeeded in con vincing bim, by the use of language not less threatening than it was forcible, that it was for his interest to surrender the plates. This he now promised to do and, shortly after an other interview at his home, I re ceived a check for a piece of baggage at the Grand Central depot. A de tective went to the baggage room at this depot and obtained an old hair trunk in which were found the plates. According to promise, Gurney, through my intercession and explana tion, was given a sentence of seven years instead of the maximum sen tence of fifteen. lCooyrtht, lSlfl, bjr W. Q. Chapman.j ROSY AS YOUNG GIRL J. W. Ornrcli, tie Notary PuMic, of Summit, N. C, Tells How Cardui, The Woman's Tonic Helped His Wife. Summit, N. C. "My wife had been ailing for nearly 12 years," writes Mr. Church, "and at times was unable to leave the house. She suffered agony with her side and back. We tried our family physician for many years, with out relief. After hia treatments all failed, she began to take Cardul, and gained in weight at once. Now she Is red and rosy, as a school girl. "Mrs. Church recommends Cardul to all suffering women." Cardul is more successful than oth er remedies, because It Is "different" It is in a class by Itself. In over half a century, more than a million women have been helped to rosy health and happiness, by using this well-known and scientific wom an's remedy. Cardul acts specifically, on the weak ened womanly organs. It helps to re fresh the worn-out nerves and Is the ideal remedy for young and old. As a tonic for women, it has brought remarkable results. As a remedy for women's Ills, Its friends say It has no equal. Try Cardul. N. B. Writ it: Ladles Advisory Dept. Chattanooga Medicine Co., Chattano, Term., for Sttcial Imgtrmctimt. aokl 4 page book, "Horn Treatment for Wom en," cent In plain wrapper on seqtMt, WHAT? Weeks Why are you stopping? You didn't run over that man. Swiftly I know it 1 Just :want to see what ails the steering gear. SICK, SOUR, UPSET STOMACH Indigestion, Gas, Heartburn or Dys pepsia Relieved Five Minutes After Taking a Little Diapepsln. Here is a harmless preparation which surely will digest anything you eat and overcome a sour, gassy or out-of-order stomach within five minutes. If your meals don't fit comfortably, or what you eat lies like a lump of lead In your stomach, or If you have heart burn, that is a sign of Indigestion. Get from your Pharmaeist a EO-cent case of Pape's DIapepsin and take a dose just as soon as you can. There will be no sour risings, no belching' f undigested food mixed with acid, bo stomach gas or heartburn, fullness or heavy feeling in the stomach, Naasea. Debilitating Headaches, Dizziness or Intestinal griping. This will all go, and, besides, there will be no soar food left over In the stomach to poison your breath with nauseous odors. Pape's Diapepsln is a certain cure for out-of-order stomachs, because It takes hold of your food and dlgeate It just the same as If your stomach wasn't there. x Relief in five minutes from all stom ach misery is waiting for you at any drug store here in town. These large 50-cent cases of Pape's Diapepsln contain more than sufficient to thoroughly cure almost any case of Dyspepsia, Indigestion, Gastritis or any other stomach disorder. The Test of Time. Benjamin Hapgood Burt and U. S. Epperson of Kansas City were motor ing in Long Island the other day and stopped at Evan's hotel In Douglaston. They ordered large quantities ol aw oysters, some of which were thrown aBide by the oyster opener. "How do you determine when an oy ster is bad?" asked Mr. Epperson. "You wait a short time and If your have ptomaine poisoning the oysters were bad," said Mr. Burt "Jf yon are not ill they were good. That's the only safe way to tell good oysters from bad ones." Reporter In Luck. City Editor (hurriedly) Anything new about that suicide in the St. Fash- -ion hotel? Reporter Not much. The man was a stranger, about my size. Shot him self with a .32 caliber revolver. Had on a dress suit at the time. The body had been taken to the morgue. City Editor 'Bout your size. That's lucky.' I want you to report a big so ciety wedding in an hour. Rush around to the morgue and ask t he keeper to lend you that dress suit What Murine Eye Remedy Does to the Eyes Is to Refresh, Cleanse, Strengthen and Stimulate Healthful Circulation, Promoting Normal Condi tions. Try Murine In your Eyes. ' Collateral. "Can you offer any security?" "Well, I'm willing to leave my wife.
Nov. 11, 1910, edition 1
3
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75