COINING THEIR OWN MONEY
Mrs. Daniel Boyer, who lives in an old house on the road leading from Washington Square across Berry’s Mountain, near the intersection of the Powel’s Valley Road, Jackson Township, recently made information before Squire Hawk of Wiconisco, against Samuel Bechtel and George K. Lyter of Washington Square, charging them with manufacturing bogus nickel five-cent pieces. A hearing in the case was had yesterday, and drew together quite a number of persons from Washington Square and vicinity. —
Mrs. Boyer testified that Bechtel and Lyter were in the habit of coming to her house at a late hour at night and remaining until two or three o’clock in the morning, and that they occupied their time in manufacturing bogus five-cent pieces. She exhibited material of which the metal was alleged to be made and a die, with which she explained the process of manufacture. Upon being questioned why she had not made information before, Mrs. Boyer stated that she was threated with death by her husband if she divulged their secret work. Boyer is serving a sentence in the county jail.
The defendants were represented by J. C. Durbin and M. R. Young, Esqrs., and after considerable parleying and delay, the accused were discharged. Our informant states that they paid the costs and before night had indulged in a heavy load of benzine. Bechtel is a somewhat well-known character, and his name has heretofore been coupled with counterfeiting. It is believed that there has been a considerable business done in this line during the past year of two by these parties, and that an abundant evidence might be secured from about Washington Square to convict them. Why the case was so summarily disposed of by the justices of the peace, when so many prosecutions of a trivial nature are sent below, is not altogether clear to us.
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The above piece was originally from the Lykens Register, November 28, 1873, and was reprinted in the Sunbury Gazette & Northumberland County Republican, December 5, 1873.
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