The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-12-13
Coupons-A scheme OF the
Counierfeifcrs Discoverod-Caution
10 Brokers und the Public.ss

A dangerous counterfeit of the United
States six per cent. bonds of le6l, says
the New York RoSt, of December 5th,
was discovered to-day by Assistant
Treasurer Van Dyck; To whom the
coupons were. submitted by brokers who
had arranged to buy them. The manner
in which the attempt was made to carry
out this fraud, and the circumstances of
its detection, are rs follows:
This advertisement was printed in the
Herald of this morning:
"WANTED-A boy for brokers' office.
Call at - Exchange Place, room IL, at
10 o'clock A. NJ"
In answer to it n boy called NJ the
room designated before the advertisers
arrival. A man came, however, and
when n bargain was made with the boy,
he was sent to announce TO the janitor
of the building that 1.-THE room would
be accepted" This indicates that the
occupation Of the room was contingent
upon obtaining the services of thc boy.
When the boy returned Tie found two
men in the room. He was then sent TO
Jersey City for letter, the rougueS not
having their plans completed. He
found, of course, no letter in Jersey
City, and when he returned an hour or
two had passed. Then there were
three men in the room i'll Exchange
Place.
Still it appears the counterfciters
were not ready, and the boy was sent
upon another crrand.
About one o'clock this afternoon he
was supplied with package of cou-
pons, which he was directed 10 take TO
the Office of II. \. Heiser's Sons, No. 3S
Wall street, and TO dispose of them for
gold. The coupons were carefully cut
and arranged. There were various ngnl-
bcrs, from 200 to 1000.
The coupons purported to be duo on
January I, 1867, and the boy was to OBJ
tain ninety-eight cents OH the dollar,
according to the custom of accepting
less than the face of the c0uponsin case
Of advance payment
The following are the words on one of
the coupons:
acts of July Il and August >, l76l.
The Emitted States of America Will pay
to bearer Fifteen Dollars for six months
interest, due lst January, 1851, upon
bond No. 75J for 500. l.. +. Crittendcn.
Register United States Treasury"
The brokers scrutinized the coupons
closely, and made out the bill for them,
which was stamped for the purpose.
The coupons came to 81 go, according
to their face. At p cents to the dollar
tho price was Sl,2O5, which was to be
paid in gold.
But before completing the purchase
the coupons were sent to the Sub-Ireas-
nrv. There they were at iirsf4pro-
nounced genuine, hut after veTyrtosc
examination il was found that they
were spurious. 1t appears that they are
Il little larger than the genuine cou.
pons. This is the best test of them.
When their true character was diScov-
cred. United States Detective Sampson
was called for the purpose of arresttng
the counterleiters. Police Captain Wal
ling was also in the Sub-Treusury build
ing. The two went at once to lleiscr's
Sons Office, and taking the boy, who had
been detained, went at once to the room
in No. 10 Exchange place, where tho
boy left his employer and the two con-
fcderatCs.
Nobody was found there, and no trace
whatever of the cOunterteiters. Only
an old table WIS in the room.
The men had watched the hoy from
the time he left the room, when they
saw the detective. who is doubtless very
well known to them, for he has long
been successful officer, they avoided
arrest by getting themselves away from
the Exchange place building.
Whether any brokers have already
been dcfrauded by these false coupons.
is not aSccrtained.