Mary Gordon Counterfeiter

Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio 22 Jan 1878 page 1

Ironton, January 21 – Lewis Morgan, a detective of this city, and Marshal S. A. Donnelly, of Huntington, W. Va., after an absence of eight days in the wilds of West Virginia mountains, arrived today, having in charge a prisoner named Mary Gordon, the wife of the noted Bill Gordon, [he is listed as Willis Gordon in my Penitentiary Book] who is at present serving a term in the Ohio Penitentiary for counterfeiting silver twenty-five-cent pieces.  Morgan, Donnelly, and their prisoner leave for Cincinnati this evening on the Bostona.

 The Cincinnati Enquirer 23 Jan 1878 page 5

Brought Back

It will be remembered that one Mary Gordon was arrested some eighteen months ago, charged with manufacturing counterfeit nickels.  After she had been indicted her attorney, T. C. Campbell obtained bail for her, with Peter Jacobs on her bond, and had her released, after which she suddenly skipped the gutter and became among the missing.

At his own expense, Mr. Campbell set about the recapture of the woman.  He employed detectives, under the direction of Colonel Snelbaker, and chased her from State to State till they caught her a few days ago in the mountains of West Virginia, where she was hiding.

She was brought back to the city and recommitted to the Hamilton County Jail.  In this way did the attorney, at his own expense, without it costing the Government one cent, restore a prisoner to justice, and liberate her bondsman, whom he had procured, from paying the forfeited bail.

Portsmouth Daily Times 2 Feb 1878 page 2

Mary A. Gordon, a notorious counterfeiter, and wife of a counterfeiter was arrested in W. Va., last week, by Lew Morgan, of Ironton, and taken to Cincinnati.  A $200 reward was offered to her.

In June 1875 – In Cincinnati – Nicholas Carr had a hearing before Commissioner Halliday on a charge of passing counterfeit money.  He was the brother-in-law of the famous William Gordon who was in prison serving a 5-year sentence for the same crime.  His sister (Gordon’s wife), his mother, and his sister’s baby were present at his trial as instruments for pity. A few years prior in Cincinnati Jan 1876, Mary Carr sister of Napoleon Carr was arrested in Warren County, Ohio for passing counterfeit money.

Cincinnati Enquirer 16 July 1876 page 1 – More Counterfeiters. 

The capture of a Lot of Boodle and Factors on Carr Street. – For some time, grocery keepers and small merchants in the lower part of the city and the West End have been pestered with counterfeit coins of all denominations, from nickels to fifty-cent pieces.  Colonel Whitney and Colonel Snelbaker were notified of the fact and set about working up the matter.

They traced out the source of the counterfeits and were tracing down the maker when Officers Patton and James, of the Third street Station, suddenly swooped down the “boodle” Friday night, and the maker of the dies and money escaped.

The officers found the coin came from Mrs. Mary Gordon’s house, 216 Carr street.  Thither they proceeded at eleven o’clock Friday night and arrested Mrs. Gordon, her daughter Mary Carr, and a girl [not over 14] living with them named Mary Cooper.  The three Marys were taken to Third street and locked up.

A search of the house discovered a crock almost filled with spurious coins of all denominations, but principally quarters.  The dies and working tools were found in a garret of the house.  An old man who coined the money had taken the alarm and fled.

Mary Cooper confessed that she had helped pass the money.  Mrs. Gordon is the wife of the notorious Bill Gordon, who is now serving a five-year sentence in the Ohio Penitentiary for counterfeiting.  Yesterday a man named Sanderson and his wife, who live on Baymiller Street were arrested on the charge of helping to pass the money.  Sanderson is Gordon’s step-brother.

The whole party was arraigned before Commissioner Hooper yesterday.  Sanderson was discharged on his own recognizance, and the four women were sent to jail in default of $500 bail each to await a postponed examination.

Enquirer of the 21 July 1876 page 8 – The case of the Twenty-first Ward counterfeiters was up for hearing before Commissioner Hooper yesterday.  Mary Gordon was bound over to the Grand Jury, and in default of bail, was committed.  The hearing of the cases of her daughter, Mary Cooper, and of the girl Ford was continued until next Tuesday.

Cincinnati Daily Star 12 Aug 1876 – Mrs. Mary Gordon, who was arrested some time since for selling and having in possession 50 and 25 cent coins, and dies for their manufacture, was yesterday released by Commissioner Hooper on $1,000 bail.  Peter Jacobs, bondsman.

Cincinnati Daily Star – 21 Sep 1876 page 4 – Mary Gordon, the Carr street counterfeiter, jumped her bond and lit out for Middletown, Ohio.  The U. S. Officers are after her.

Cincinnati Daily Enquirer 23 May 1878 p6 – Mary Gordon got one day in jail.  Enquirer – Mary Gordon pleaded guilty to manufacturing and having in her possession counterfeit coin – wife of Bill Gordon, now in the Penitentiary.  The District Attorney stated that she had been of material service to the detectives.  She had been in jail for four months.  In consideration that she had been of service to the government, she was sentenced to one day in jail. 

 Miss M. J. Irwin says she is a cousin of Lyons.  Pleaded guilty of having counterfeit money in possession.  She had been a teacher in a colored school in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, PA, and there she had taught school since she was eighteen. The people of her native town interposed in her favor. Her attorney had advised her to plead not guilty, but she determined, in spite of his advice, to out with the whole story, and Mr. Richards said, “What she confessed was very much more than I had expected.” The sentence was one day in jail and a $1 fine. Wm. A. Lyons, convicted of making and having in possession counterfeit money, is said to be William Alexander, an old offender, which his attorney denies.

Louisa Lohrer plead guiltily for having in possession and selling counterfeit money and was brought up for sentence. Mr. Bond said she had been induced by detectives to go into the business. “Then she oughtn’t to be punished.” said, Judge Swing. “I want the case tried,” said District Attorney Richards: “If these statements are true, so that we may ascertain their truth by trial.” Her husband Robert Lohrer is in the penitentiary for counterfeiting and served a term there for murdering two policemen on Main Street many years ago. The sentence was twelve months in jail, and $100 and costs.