American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-03-24
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.



was flooded with counterfeit coin. 1t wa
so we'll manufactured that it was passed
readily. The evil at last became so grea
that the United States authorities re
quested that skillful detective might bt
sent to ferret out the nest of coiners.
was fixed upon to perform the duty.
l 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 mandatory
was somewhere within the limits. Il
was, therefore, to the capital of the West
| first proceeded. | spent FIVE weeks in
that city without gaining the slightest clue
to the couuterfeilers.
l began to grow discouraged; and real
ly thought should be obliged to return
home without having achieved any result
One day received letter from my
wife requesting me to send home some
money, as she was out OF funds. | wen
into bank and asked for draft, at the
same time handing sum of money to
pay for it 10 which there were severaI
half dollars. The clerk pushed three OIL
the half dollars back to me. saying:
"Counterfeit
"What," said l, "do you mean to tel
me that those half dollars are couater.
felt ?"
II do. ="
"Are you certain ?"
"Perfectly certain. They are remarka.
bly, well executed but are deficient in
weight. See for YOURSELF"
And he placed one of them in the bal
snce against genuine half dollar and
the latter brought up the former.
"That is the best counterfeit coin l
ever saw in my life," l exclaimed, exam-
ining them very closely. "Is all the
counterfeit money in circulation here OF
the same character as this ?"
"Oh, dear, no." replied the clerk, at
is not near as well done. These are the
work Of the famous New York counter
feiter Ned Wilett. | know them well,
for have handled a great deal in my
time. Here is some of the money that is
in circulation here" he added, taking
several half dollars from the drawer
"You see the milling is not so well done
as Ned Willett's, although it is pretty
good, too"
l compared the two and found that be
was right. supplied the place Of the
Ihree counterfeits with good coin, and re.
turned the former to my pocket.
A few days after this l received inform
nation which caused me to take a Jour
ney to a small village about thirty miles
from Chicago. l arrived there at night
and took up my quarters at the only tsv,
ern in the place. 1t was a wretched
lwellng and kept by an old man and wo.
nan. the suriest couple think it has
'ver been my lot to meet. In answer to
ny inquiry as to whether | could have
odgings there for the night, noticed
hat the host gave peculiar look at his
wife and after some whispering l was in-
ormed in the most ungrscious manner
'ossible, that | could have bed.
have frequently, in course Of my life,
'een obliged to put up with wretched
so | did not allow the
qusnimity Of temper to be disturbed by
be miserable fare set before me, and the |
till more miserable sleeping apartment
ito which / was ushered after l had
oncluded my repast.
The chamber was Of small size, and .
'as certainly well ventilated, for I could
ee the stars peepiug through the roof.
he bed was simply bag Of straw
lrown into one corner OF the room,
'ithout sheets or coverings Of any kind
his last fact, however, was not of much
as it was summer time, and
ppressively bot.
l stood more than an hour gazing out
the opening which served for window
'efore me was spread an immense prai-
e, the limits Of which l could not see.
he tavern in which had taken up my
bode appeared to be isolated from all
her dwellings; save the croak Of the
ee frog and the bum Of the locust, not
'und reached my ear. 1t was a beauti
! moonlight night-sO bright that l I
'uId see to read the smallest print.
At last | began to grow weary. and
rowing myself on my pallet WAS soon
unged in deep slumber. How long | {
'Et know not, but was awakened by
dull sound, which resembled some one !
'mmering in the distance. supposed
was the peculiarly Of the sound which
yoke me, for it was BY no means loud
1t conveyed TO me the idea Of some one
riking iron with q muffied hammer. l
&c from my bed aud went to the window