THE COINERS

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 263, 10 November 1906, Page 11

THE COINERS

BIG PARISIAN GiSG BROKEN UP.

L/ONDON, September 22.

The Parisian police hare recently "scotched, ,, if they hare not entirely "killed," one of the biggest coining swindles on record. For months past spurious ten and twenty franc pieces have been put into circulation in France, and for a long time the police were at their wits" end to discover the headquarters of the gang, and their manufactory. Meanwhile, false money was being distributed all over France, hardly a day passing that did not bring report to Paris concerning the depredations of the counterfeiters. The coins were splendidly turned out. The usual teets applied by suspicious tradesmen failed to detect anythinj wrong with these imitations. They were correct in weight, size and appearance, rang true .when tried by the usual process of throwing down on the counter, and refused to "grit" when bitten, or to bend when tried In tie ordinary tester. Moreover, being fairly thickly gilt, they did not betray themselves readily when subjected to a perfunctory acid test. Their only fault, Indeed, was their brittleness. If dropped from a height on to a stone or tiled floor, they broke like a piece of pottery. The -basis of the coins it has transpired was rock crystal, a modicum of lead being added to give the requisite weight., and the gold being applied by the usual galvanic process.

The first arrests in connection with the swindle were made quietly about a fortnight ago, when two young fellows, who proved to be students attending courses at the Sorbomif, were caught red-handed trying to pass 20 franc pieces at a cafe. A few days later other arrests were made, aud the police were somewhat astonished to find that all their captives were Sorftonne students of good family. This discovery naturally caused the authorities to take a. close interest in the Sorbonne scholars and their friends, and that academy suddenly received a large increase in its membership —a number of the youngest members of the detective force being enrolled as students. One fine day one of these pseudo-students noticed a couple of '-swells" foregathering with a group of Sorhonne men iv a quiet tornpr of the Luxembourg Gardens, aud stealing up unobserved, witnessed several bargains made between the students and the "swells" who were doing quite a brisk trade in 10 and 20 franc pieces at 2* francs and 5 francs each. The detective quickly sought assistance, and a few minutes later tho police "bag -, was the richer by ha-lf a dozen young fellows and a couple of extremely well-dressed "gentlemen" of doubtful antecedents. The capture Included the son of a deputy, and tbe offspring oi' a w>ll known general.

None of the captured men could be lc■iTiced to "peach," but a partially destroyed letter, which one of the •■swell's" tried to fnt after capture, gave the police a valnablo cine, as to the headquarters of rhe coiner?. The letter referred to a raau named Menage alias "Flycatcher." For two days the police searched for his abode, and on Saturday morning fonnrl It. Making a descent on an unpretentious house at Alfort, in one of the Paris suburbs, Menage, a woman, and a second man, named Lebeguet, were caught busy at work manufacturing spurious money. The plant was nn extensive one. and included the latest mechanical devices. Indeed, the equipment would have done credit to the mint Itself. Menage made a desperate resistance, aud was only captured after being knocks on the head by the butt of a revolver.

From documents and correspondence, seized at Alfort, it appear? that a l.nrse export, trade was done in counterfeit fen and twenty franc piece*, many of wJiieh have been passed at money-changes in London ami Edinburgh, and in Dresden, Ber'rn, Barcelona, ?.nd other Continental centres. Menage employed two secretaries, aud everything showed business acumen of a high order. Each letter was numbered and tiled, in accordance with the methods prevailing in the most up-to-dnte business houses. There were several hundred unexecuted orders for eor.6isnnie.nt of the false money. Menage., who is quite a young mau, probably under 30 years of age. twits the police with having, after all, failed to secure the. actual head of this company of coiners. There appears to be something in what ho says, for numerous letters from clients of the coining firm make reference to a mysterious personage, whose Identity Is Indicated by a simple cypher. Additional raids in the neighbourhood of the Latin quarter hare been eminently successful. Three more coining factories in fnl! working order, each with complete equipment, have been discovered. One of these establishments was In the Rue Vanvers. The ostensible tenant was an old lady who passed in the Tioicrhhourhood for « model of probity and respectability. To avert suspicion there was a notice board up stating that the premises wero to bp let. The detectives entered In the pruisn of probable tenants. They were ehown over the house, and at lirst could detect nothing wrong. They were about ro withdraw when one noticed a door hidden in a wall. "Before deciding on the place wo should llkn to see this otnor room,' , said he. pointing to the door in the wall. "It. is my daughter's dressing room. She is there now, and you cannot outer,"' saltl the dame. This was enough for 'the detectives, who forced the door, and found threi: men aud a woman manufacturing 10-franc pieces. HOW THE STUDENTS FELL.

Ail told, the polli-e have arrested nearly a hundred people, but their "hag" is still Incomplete, and no !<*ss than five si'or- detectives are etil! busily engaged in hunting down the outside agents of the Paris

"flrni" at TrnuvHle, Dieppe, Wiminereaux, and other French seaside resorts, whlcn Xiavo been particularly favoured by the fnlsi? coin distributors. Oreni. daring was shown by the members of the "firm" in working off the coins. One of In cm was in tne habit of selling postcards near the Maaeielne. and it is now certain that he wae stationed Ihere In order to supply customers with packets of the counterfeit money. During carnival time a rich harvest was reaped. The ' - Orm" had several kiosks on the boulevards, ostensibly to seil confeti and kutck knacks, but In reality to unload their ten and twenty franc pieces. These kiosks supplied the colna in wholesaia Quantities, under the very noses of via police. In the Luxembourg gardens toe g-.-iti,T held a sort of bourse, where buying and selling took pliice almost ns freely as 'n the cast; of legitimate scrip on a estivk exchange. The ruling market price for t-:n Irane pieces was •* francs, but fur quantities i;f is thuusuu.il and upwards, thij rate went down to 1 franc -"> c. The task of ctitrnpplng Uu- unfortunate studeut. w;us tne work of mouths. The ■"firm" began by sending Its agenta into th.t; Latin quarter, aimed wilh plenty of genuine cash. Tliey frequented reunions, lent the imppcuulous money, i\ud passed as "Jolly good lellows." One of them g-uv-e himself out as a wealthy man, who had himself been ;;

aludeut, aud who was anxious to devote Ula money to the proiuction of the moral and material well-being of his successors. He founded a eiub, to whu-li ail were welcome, and where frequent meetings were held to discuss philosophy, literature, and art. v proved a dangerous rival to the cafes, for there were music and refreshments.' and nothing to pay. Then came th? day wlica thi agent beg-an to distribnto ''i:i?(> coir*. ?om» of the prisoners assort fbat the hart money was in the first instance advanced as a lean, and that they were uuaware it was spurious. It pftssed, and when nest day they applied for financial assistance their friend oame out in hir- tri:° colour?, and soiU them packets.of the false coin. Some hesitated and drew back, others took the plunge jvjd once committed, threw all scruples~to the wind.

Islany of the young fellows cays. it seems convinced themeelvee that their offence Is a mere nothing; one indeed declares that fhe passing of counterfeit money is not one v. r hlt. worse than, the action of the Government in selling bad matches and inferior tobacco at three or four times tlielr proper value,.