Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-03-16
The Coine rs.
FROM A DIARY OF A DETECTIVE.

well manufactured that 1t passed readily.
The evil at last became so great that the
United States authorities requested that a
skillfnl detective might be sent to ferret
out the nest of coiners. / was fixed upon
to perform that duty.
| had nothing to guide me. The fact,
however, that Chicago was the city where
the counterfeit coin was most abundant, led
me to suspect that the manufactory was
somewhere within its limits. 1t was,
therefore, to the capitol of the West that
proceeded. I spent five weeks in the
city without gaining the slightest clue to
the counterfeiters.
began to grow discouraged, and really
thought should he Obliged to return home
without having achieved any result. One
day I receiv, d a letter from nv wife re-
uuestinp me to send some money as she
was out of funds. | went to the bank and
asked for a draft. at the same time hand
ing him sum of money to pay for it, in
Which there were several half dollars
The clerk pushed three of them back to
me, saving. "Counterfe;t."
What !" said |, ..yon don't mean to
tell NE those half dollars are counterfeitr .
lido"
Are YOU certain :"
"Perf.ctlv certain. They are remark
ably executed, but are deficient in weight
See for Yourself"
And he placed one of them in the bal
ance against a genuine half dollar, and
the latter brought up the former.
"This is the best counterfeit coin lever
saw in nv life," exclaimed, examining
them closely. "Is all the counterfeit
money in circulation here of the same
character Ms this l,'
40 dear. no." the clerk replied, cit is
not nearly so we'll done. These are the
wor, of the New York counterfcitcr, Ned
Willett. know them well, for | have
handled a great MANY of them in nv time.
Here is some o. the money circulating
here" he added. taking two half dollars
from drawer. "You see the milling is
not 80 we'll done as Ned Willett's although
this is prettv Good to-"
I comparcd the two and found that he
was right. | supplied the place of three
|counterfeits with rood coin, and returned
the former to INV pocket.
4 few DAYS after this received iuforma-
ton which caused me to take a Journey to
a small village about thirty miles from
Chicago. arrived there at night and
took I'm alarters at the only tavern in the
place. 1t was u wretched Dwelling, and
kept by an cid man and woman, the sur
licst couple, I think, it has ever been my
! lot to meet. In answer as to whether /
could have a lodging there that night no.
ticcd the host gavc peculiar look to his
wife. and after some Whispering, | was in
formed in the most uErraeiDus manner
possible that could have bed.
| | have frequently i'll the course of nv
life 5eea obliged to put up with accomm6-
dations, so dill not allow my equani,nity
of temper to be DESTROYED by the miserable
sleeping apartment into which | was ush-
cred after / had finished nv repast.
The chamber was of small size. and
certainly well ventilated. for / could see
the stars through the roof. The bed was
simply Il bag of straw thrown into the cor
ner OF the room, without sheet or GOV :
erins of any kind. This last fact, however,
was not of so much cqnsequence, as it was
summer and opprassivclv hot.
| stood fer more than an hour gazing
out of the opening which served for a win
dow. Before me was the immense prairie
the limits of which could not see The
tavern in which had taken up my abode
appeared TO be isolated from ali Other
dwellings, and save the croak of the tree
toad and the hum of the locust, not q
sound reached nv ear. 1t was beauti
full moonlight night, so bright that coult
see to read the smallest print.
At last | began to grow weary. api
.l,nu.;,.r m,solT nm tho nnllet 7 was sooy