Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-10-19
ADVEN RE
Among Counterfeiters.
FROM THE DIARY OF A DETECTIVE.

During the year 1s4s, the West was
flooded with counterfeit coin. 1t was s,
well manufactured that it was passed read
lily. The evil at last became so great tha
the United States authorities requested
that skillful detective might be sent t.
ferret out the nest of coiners. l was fixet
upon to perform the duty. $50 A9fIE1
had nothing to guide me. The fact
however, that Chicago was the city wher,
the counterfeit coin was most abundant
led me to suspect that the manufactory
was somewhere within its limits. 1t was
therefore, to the capital of the West l frs
proceeded. ! spent five weeks in that city
without gaining the slightest clue to the
counterfeiters.
l began to grow discouraged, and really
thought I should be obliged to return
home without having achieved my result
One day received letter from my wife
requesting me to send home some money
as she was out of funds. l went into &
bank and asked for draft, at the sam,
time handing sum of money to pay fo
it in which there were several half dollars
The clerk pushed three Of the half dollarl
back to me, saying: ..a}AA@
"Counterfeit. 5q
"What," said l, "do you mean to tel
me those half dollars are counterfeitp'
II do"
uAra 1,o, oorro;p o.
"Perfectly certain. They are remark
ably well executed, but are deficient il
weight. See for yourself"
And he placed one of them in the bal
ance against q genuine half dollar, and tn
latter brought up the former.
"That is the best counterfeit coin l eve
saw in nv life," 1 exclaimed, examining
them very closely. 'Is all the counterfeit
money in circulation here of the sam
character as thisP'
"Oh, dear, no." replied the clerk, ''it
not nearly SO well done. These are tn
work of the famous New York counter
feiter, Ned Willett. / know them well
for have handled a great deal Of it in m,
time. Here is some of the money that
in circulation here" he added, taking sew
eral half dollars from the drawer. "Yo1
see the milling is not so well done as Ne
Willett's, although it is pretty good, too.
l compared the two and found that h
was right, Isuppied the place of tn
three counterfeits with good coin, and re
turned the former to my pocket.
A few days after this received infol
nation which caused me to take jour
ney to small village about thirty mile
from Chicago. I arrived there at nigh
aud took up my quarters at the only tay
ern in the place. It was wretched dive
ling, and kept by an old man and woman
the surlest couple think it has ever bee
nv lot to meet In answer to my inquir
as to whether l could have lodgings ther
for the night, ! noticed that the host CAV
a peculiar look at his wife, and after som
whisperings 1 was informed in the mos
ungracious manner possible, that / coul
have bed.
have frequently, in the course of m
life, been obliged to put up with wretche
accommodations, so did not allow m
equanimity of temper to be moved by tn
| miserable fare set before me, and the sti
ruore miserable sleeping apartment, int
which was ushered after l had conclude
my repast.
The chamber was of small size, an
was certainly well ventilated, for l coul
! see the stars peeping through the roo
',"he bed was simply a bag Of straw throw
into one corner of the room, withov
sbeets or coverings Of any kind. This la
fact no ,~ever, was not of much const
ouence, as it was summer time and o.
pressively hot
stood more than an hour gazing OF
of the opening which served for wiudov
Before me was spread an immense prairi
the limits of which : could not see. II
tavern in which had taken up my abcd
appeared to be isolated from all otht
dwellings. Save the croak of the tree fro
and the hum Of the locust not SCUM
reached my ear. 1t was a beautiful moo
| light night-so bright that l could see
| read the smallest print.
At last began to grow weary, an
throwing myself on my pallet, was 500
plunged in deep slumber. How long
slept know not, but was awakened b
a dull sound, which resembled some or
hammering in the distance. 1 suppose
was the peculiarly of the sound whic
awoke me, for it was by no means louc
but conveyed to me the idea of some OF
striking iron with muff1ed hammer.
rose from my bed and went to the vii
dow. The moon was low in the westel
horizon, by which fact I knew that it mu
be near morning. The sound l have b
fore referred to, reached me more di
tinctly than when in the back part of tt
chamber. 1tappeared to come from son
out-houses which were situated hundrt
yards from the house.
| Now I am naturally of an inguirir