Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1873-04-10
Seme Interesting Things About
Counterfeit Money.

'N"'tt ~ fSAoaN
tile correspondent, has been amusing him.
self lately by interviewing an engraver on
the subject Of counterfeit money. Said
this gentleman: ~ am one of the Oldest
engravers in the country. There is an in
vestigation one day to be made into the
currency of the country which will startle
you and fyour newspapers and all their
readers. There is a $40 bill. Take it
look at it. Do you see anything no.
table about it?" l looked the bill all
over, and then the man oil over, and saw
nothing to excite remark in either
There is nothing particular about that
BILL" he said "except that it is counter.
felt. There are eighteen distinct coun>
terfeits, on the $40 bill, and as an en-.
graver, / know that they represent eigh.
teen different counterfeiting gangs. Peo,
pie generally know nothing whatever
about the duplication Of United States
bonds. and about the quality Of couuter>
felt scrip aaoat. If you as newspaper
man, were to go to General Spinner. and
to the heads Of the Treasury, and ask how
much counterfeit currency was in circu-
latiOn, they would probably tell you ten
per cent, or one-quarter Of the whole
amount of the stamps current IN this coun-
try, which are fraudulent. Do you know,
sir, that the postal currency is renewed
SIX times every year? That is the case,
and see the possibilities for its increased
duplication and counterfeiting. We
could better afford to pay fifty per cent.
premium, and use gold, than have to
deal as we do with a lot of paper which is
beyond the control, to great extent, of
the government officials. The extrava,
gantly high prices, and the corruption in
our politics and life, hinge upon the cur.
rcDcy. The duplication Of the United
States bonds Will some day be found such
an alarming matter that it will bring the
whole country to its feet. That crime
began in the Treasury as far back as
Chase's time. John Covode and Others
in Congress made strenuous efforts to ex.
pos,, but they we're gagged by the gavel
and the party majority. An official, who
at that time was connected with the prin-
ting, had in some way got grip upon the
Secretary. and could not be budged from
hit place by any power in the country.
His accounts were short one year S63 900
and he could not tell where the money
had gone. They kept after him, howev-
er, and on one occasion he appeared be-
fore the examiners with his arms full
Of bonds, and, throwing them down, said,
There are your $G3,OOO!" Now, there
was press used for printing at that time,
and it ran repeatedly in the light. The
official himself was seen to emerge after
dark, on two occasions, with a great tin
box in his hand, which he put into bis
buggy and carried away. Now how much
duplication of bonds do you suppose it
required to make S63,0OO worth Of eou-
pons, SO as to equalize that aecounty-
Several hundred thousand, ! suppose"
"No, sir: it took between $l8,000,000
$40, 100000 of bonds; and about that
time happened the first duplication" /
looked SUDDENLY into the old gentleman's
eyes, and was in great doubt whether /
was speaking to an intelligent lunatic or
great reformer.