Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-11-07
The Coiners.
FROM naE Dr1kY or DETECTIVE. rs


During the year 1S47 the West wes
flooded with counterfeit coin. 1t was 90
well manufactured that il passed readily
The evil OF last became 80 great that the
United States authorities requested that
a skiIIful detective might be sent TO fer
ret out the nest of coiners. was fixed
upon to perform that duty. ~ Of
had nothing to guide me. The fact,
however, that Chicago was the city
where the counterfeit coin was mest
abundant, led me 20 suspect that the
manufactory was somewhere within its
limits. II was, therefore, 70 the capital
Of the West that / proceeded 4 spent
Eve weeks 10 the city without gaining
the slightest clue to the counterfeiters
began % grow discouraged, and
really thought should be obliged 10 re-
turS. home witho7t having achieved any
remit One day ] received letter from
my wife requesting me 70 send some
money, az she was out Of funds. went
TO the bank and asked for q draft, at the
same time having a cum Of money 70 pay
for IL, in which there were several half
dollars. The clerk pushed hree Of theral
back TO me, saying Counterfeit"
"WhatF said I, yoz den: mean 10
tell me those are counserfetY -
g. d0& - -
Are you certain7"
Perfectly certain. They are re-
markably executed, but are deficient IN
weight. See for yourself
And he placed one Of them in the
balance against genuine half dollar,
and the latter brought up the former q
"This is the beat counterfeit coin
ever saw 10 my lfe,' exclaimed, ex-
aiming them closely. "ss all the coun-.
terfeit money in circulation here Of the
same CHARACTER % thar q -
30 dear, 40" the clerk replied, Il
is not nearly so well done. These are
The work OF the famous New York coun.
terfeiter, Ned Willett know ehem
we'll, for have handled a greet maay
In my time. Here Ia some of the money
that il 10 circulation here" be added,
taking hale dollars from the drawer.
You see that the milling is not 80 well
done as Ned Willis, although this IL
pretty good too" 80
/ compared the two and found that be
was right. | supplied the place OF the
three counlerteits with good coin aud
returned the former TO my pocket
A few days after this Irseeived inform.
alton which caused mo 10 take o journey
TO small viiIagenboutt thirty miles from.
Chicago. ] arrived there at night and
took up my quarters at the only tavern
in the place. II was q wretehed dwelling,
and kept by an old mau and woman, the
aurlieat couple, | think, IL has ever been
my lot to meet. In answer as 70 whoih-
er could haye lodging there that night
/ noticed the host gave particular look
at his wife, and after some whispering,
was informed IN tho most ungrAcsona
manner POSSIBLE that could have a.
bed.
have frequently In the course Of my
life beea obliged TO put up with wrstched
accommodations, 30 ] did not allow my
equnnimity OF temper to DO destroyed by
the miserable sleeping aparsment into
which / was uahered after had finished
my repast.
The chamber was Of small aize, and
certainly we'll ventilated, for could see
the stars through tho roof The bed
was simply bag Of straw thrown into
ono corner e the room, without sheet or
covering Of any kind, This last fact,
however, Was not OF much consequences,
as II waa summer and oppressively hot
/ stood for more than go hour gazing
out at the opening that served for a win
dow. Before mo was nm immense prai.
RE, the limits OF which ! could not see.
The tavern in which had taken up my
abode appeared to be isolated from all
other buildings, and save the croak OF
the tree toad and the hum Of tho locust,
not sound reached my err. II was q
beautiful moonlight night, so bright that
| could soc TO read the smallest print.
AT laht 1 began 10 grow weary, aud
throwing myself on my pallet l soon
plunged in deep slumber How long
alept know not, but was awakened by
a dull sound, 1hich resembled some one
hammering IN the distance suppose
twas the popularity Of tho sound that
awoke me, for 10 was BY no means loud,
but conveyed to me the idea of some one
striking iron with u muiied hammer.
rose from my bed aud went TO the win.
dow. The moon WIS now in tho western
horizon, by which fact knew u must be
near morning. The sound i have before
referred to reached mo more distinctly
than when in tho back part of the cham
ber. II appeared TO come from sone
..1thouse which was sitaated hundred
Yards from the house
Now am naturally Of an lnquiring
mind, aud this sound, occurring as II did
in the middle OF the night piqued my
curiosity, and felt an rrepressible de-
sire TO 20 out and discover the cause OF
ii. This desire, as the sound continued,
grew upon me with such intensity, that
! resolved to crafty II at any price.
l put on my boots, the only article OF
attire I had discarded, and cautiously
opened the door OF my chamber and
noiselessly descended the riekety stair
case. A few steps brought me into The
lower apartment, which found entirely
deserted. erept quietly to the window,
and unfas ening il without making the
slightest noise, was soon In the moor
light .giU $40 100 4
Not soul was visible, but she sound
have mentioned grew much more dis.
tinct as | approached the place from
whence il proceeded. At last | found
myself before n long, low building,
through the crevices OF which l could
perceive lurid glare issuing, stopped
down and peeped through the keyhole,
and 10 my extreme surprise saw half q
dozen men, with their coats of aud
sleeves up, performing varsity Of
strange occupations. Some were work.
ing at forge, others were superiatend-
ing the casting of moulds, and sone
were engaged in the process Of mining
coin. In q moment the whole truth
burst upon me, Here was the gang Of
counterfsiters l was in search OF, aud
the landlord and his wife evidently De
longed to the same band, for in one
corner perceived them employed--the
former polishing of some half-dollar
pieces, and the woman was packing the
finished coin int rolls. ffr
49, -. .,.a.,..k IA -. -. a.