New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-01
WASHINGTON.
THE SAFE BURGLARY CONSPIRACY.

THE SAFE BURGLARY CONSPIRACY.
1NEFPICIKNCY OF TIRE SECRET SERVICE BUREAU IN
DETECTING CoUNTERFEITERs-How COUNTER
FELT MONEY is NADIA DANDY roll" NEVER
cAPrURED-ENGRAvER OF COUNTERFEIT PLATES
LEFT UNMoLBsrED
IFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oP THE rRIBUNEI
WASHINGTON, June 29.-In conducting the further
Investigation into the suspected connection OF the
Secret Service Bureau of the Treasury Department
with the late safe burglary conspiracy 1T is under
stood that the Secretary of the Treasury will direct
inquiry to be made as to the general efficiency OF
the force Congress annually appropriates Sl25,OOo
TO pay the expenses of detecting and bringing to
trial and punishment, persons engaged In counter
feiting treasury notes, bonds national bank notes,
and other securities of the United States and the
coinage thereof aud for detecting other frauds upon
the Government" Under the authority of this
annual appropriation the Secret Service Bureau has
grown up and has been under the immediate control
of the Solicitor of the Department
The principal service that this Bureau Of Detec-
fyes has done is to ferret out counterfeters secure
their implements, &c, and arrest those engaged III
the business Col. Whitley's method has been to
send some of his men into the region where 1T Is
suspected that counterfeiting is done. and these
men either work themselves into the confidence OF
the dealers in and manufacturers of spurious money
or get control Of some one who turns States EVIL
hence The accusation against the bureau that has
frequently been made is that they never get the
principals in this business and never desire to. Two
or three times year the is sent the coun
try that Col. Whitleys force has discovered nest
of connterfeiers arrested them and captured their
plates. The public supposes that the manufacture
of that particular counterfeit is stopped But Col
Whitley and the Treasury officials know better.
When plate is engraved by hand and machinery
the currency is never printed from that The
original plate is always used die from which
negative is obtained by means of a transfer press
upon roll of soft STEEL This, which is called
dandy roll is then hardened, and the plates from
which the printing is actually done are transfers
from it, When a new counterfeit is made the manu-
facturers first put out small edition, in order to get
the benefit of the criticisms of the Treasury Depart
mont and of bankers, after which they correct mis-
takes and 60 on with their work. When they have
their dandy roll" nearly perfect possible they
make transfers to number of plates, from which
the printing is done, and the roll is placed
in some secure place. Now, it is reported
that Col Whitley's force has never yet
captured dandy roll" They have captured
great many plates from which counterfeit money is
printed and arrested the printers and distributors,
but they have never got the engraver or the die
from which the plates are made. In other words,
always escape and after the excitement has passed
are ready to 90 on again with their work
II is held that, with proper system of detection,
counterfeiting can be in great measure stopped,
while under the present system only the ends of the
branches are Topped off
THE EXAMINATION OF THE TESTIMONY II THE CASE
BEGUN BY SOLICITOR wIISoN-COL- WHITLEY TO
BE SUMMONED.
WASHINGTON, June 30.-The Hon. Bluford Wilson,
the new Solicitor of the Treasury, to-day began the
examination of testimony in the safe burglary bust
ness referred to him by the Secretary of the Treas
ury, aud will prepare lis report without delay He
will probably call before him Col Whitley, Chief of
the Secret Service Division, who is subordinate of
the Secretary, and of course must answer all ques
tions put to him, that the Secretary may become
thoroughly acquainted with all the facts IN the case
Attorney General Williams will probably call be-
fore him for examination Assistant DistrictAttoney
Harm 2ton, who is under the Department of Justice,
aud responsible thereto for his actions. Beyond the
examination Of these officials further testimony
will be taken the Secretary of the Treasury and
the Attorney General do not feel themselves au-
tlorzed to institute new investigation, but will
act upon the testimony taken by the Congressional
Committee, aud such additional facts as can be OBJ
famed from their subordinates.