The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-06-20
TIE Co1NERs.
Notes from the Diary of a Detective

During the year 1847 the west was
flooded with counterfeit coin. 1t was Sc
well manufactured that it passed readily.
The evil at last became SO great that the
United States authorities requested that.a
skillfui detective might be used to ferret
cut the nest of coiners. l was fixed upon
to perform that duty.
had nothing to guide me. the fact
however, that Chicago was the city where
tie counterfeit coin was most abundant,
led me to suspect that the mandatory
was somewhere within its limits. Itwas,
therefore, to the capitol of the west that
I proceeded. I spent FIVE weeks In the
city without gaining the slightest clue to
the counterfeiters.
began to grow discouraged, and real
" thought I.should be obliged to return
home without having accomplishing any
thing, and having received a letter from
my wife, requesting thatl should send
her some money, as she was out of funds,
i
at the same time handing a SUN of mon
ey to pay for it, in which we're several
halfdollars. The clerk pushed three OF
them back to me. saying. Counterfeit y
"What!" said l, ''you don't mean to
tell me .Ecse half-dollars are counter
felt -
81 do"
fare you certain p
.'Perfectly certain. They are remark
ably well executed, but deficient in weight.
See for yourself.
And he placed one of them in the bal
ance against genuing halfdollar, and
the latter brought up the former.
''This is the best counterfeit coin that
I ever saw in my life" l exclaimed, ex-
amining them closely. us all the coun-
terfeit money in circulation here of the
same character as this 2"
''Oh dear nc" the clerk replied, ''it is
not nearly so well done. These are the
work of the famous New York counter
feiter, Ned WilIett I know them well,
for l have handled great many in my
time. Here is some of the money that
is in circulation here" he added, taking
some halfdollars from the drawer. ~ GU
see that the milling is not so well done as
Ned Willet's, although this is pretty
good, too
l compared the two, and found that he
was right. l supplied the place of the
eounterfeits with good coin, and returned
the former to my pocket.
A few days after this I received infor.
nation which caused me to make jour
ney to a small village about thirty miles
fiom Chicago l arrived there at night,
and took up my quarters at the only tay-
ern in the place. 1t was a wretched
dwelling, and kept by an old man and wo-
man, the surliest couple, think, it was
eyer my lot to meet. In answer as to
where L could have a lodging there that
night noticed the host gave particular
look at his wife, and, after some whisper
ing, | was informed in the most ungra-
cious manner possible | could have bed.
/ have frequently, In the course of my
life, been obliged to put up with wretched
accommodations, so [ did not allow my
equanimity of temper to be destroyed by
the miserable sleeping apartment into
which | was ushered after had finished
my rcpast.
The chamber was of small sizer and
certainly we'll ventilated, for [ could see
the stars through the roof. The bed was
simply bag Of straw thrown in one cor
ner oe the room, without sheet or cover
ing of any kind. This last fact, however,
was not Of much consequence, as it was
summer and oppressively hot.
/ stood mere than an hour gazing out
of the opening which served for window.
Before me wos an immense prairie, the
limits of which | could not see. The tav-
ern in which | had taken up my abode
appeared to be isolated from all other
dwellings 4; and, save the croak Of the
tree toad, and the hum of the locust, not
a sound reached my ear. It was a beau
tiful moonlight night, SO bright that I
could read the smallest print.
At last began to grow weary, and,
throwing myself on my pallet, was soor
asleep. How long | slep | know not, but
was awakened by dull sound, which
resembled some one hammering III the
distance. | suppose it was the PECULIAR.
ty of the sound which awoke me, for it
was by no means loud, but conveyed to
me the idea of some one striking iron
with muffied hammer | arose from my
bed and went to the window. The moon
was now in the western horizon by which
fact / knew 1t must be near morning.
The sound | have before referred to
reached me more distinctly than when in
the back part of the chamber. 1t ap
peaTed to come from some clubhouse.
which were situated a hundreds yard:
from the house.
Now, am naturally of an inquitins
mind, and this sound, occurring as it did
an the middle of the night. piqued my
curiosity, and felt an irrepressible desire
10 60 out and discover the .ause of it
The desire, asthe sound continued, grew
upon me with such intensity that re
solved to crafty it at any price.
put on my boots, the only article o.
attire had discarded, cautiously opened
tho door of my chamber, and noiseiessly
descended the rickety staircase. A few
steps brought me into the lower apart
ment, which / found entirely deserted.