Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-07-17
Showing the Queer.

ra.ticulars as TO the making and altering
of Cottntstiet notes.
The coultcrfeiter states that he has
been sentenced to the penitentiary ten
different times, the terms aggregatlns
-eyenty-oue years, but by behavior, term
Shortcomings and pardonings he only
serted twenty-seven years, having lett
prison last june--n year ago.
lie goes on 10 say that counterteitlng
* dore NV three clasSes-the mechanics
who maSS the money, the wholesale
dealers for whom the money Is made,
and the " shower" or one who rasses 1t
oh upon the community.
The eHgraverr who make the plates
are GENERALLY men of the trade who,
having fallen into diSSolute habits, are
picked up 10y the second elaSs, and, 10y
extremely great cunning. made To com
nit some little act, after which they are
held in bondage which never ceases
except with death.
remember one case in particular
voting Howard, bright young fellow,
raised in Cincinnati, who learned the
engraving trade, and in short time was
one of the most expert workme1 IN the
country; but. unfortunately ior HIM
self, became addicted To excessive drink
ing
While under the influence of liquor,
he was picked up by Jerry Cowden, and,
without hardly knowing what he WIS
doing, wett TO work upon plate. When
too late, he endear"red To quit; but
Jerry Cowden said No and Howard,
finding no retreat, after few moments
ended earth> troubles and his life ut the
same time by taking poison.
The same may he said of persons who
deal il counterfeit money the same
fatality follows, and after they have
once commenced, they rarely, If ever,
entirely give up the business, excepting
when. like myself, they are used up.
The eiigrayers of plate rent an OBJ
~cure room in q large city, or else goout
into the mountainous country, away
from railroads and other lines of com
munication, where there nre not many
people. and there they quietly work,
almost free from possible interruption.
Sometimes different parts of the bank
note plate are made in different sections
of the country. 50 hat IN case one man
with his work is captured, the balance
will be safe. This is very necessary from
the fact that complete plate costs
good round sum.
When the work 0n the plate is finished
it is taken in charge by The ane for WHOM
it is made, and given to the printer, Uho
runs them of. The printing is done on
sheets, half dozen bills being struck
ofI at single impression. These sheets
are then cut up, and the notes placed IN
packages of one huiidred to twenty-five
thousand dollars each, the amoUnt vary
inc according to the size of the bills.
Very frequently the printing Is done on
a hatloat ar trading boat, which lels-
urely floats duwn the river while the work
Is going on.
When the packages are ready for nse.
they are taken and sold to the leaders Oi
the gangs, who do the " showing who
in turn again divide with the leaders OF
sub-gangs.
The process of passing is very finely
arranged, generally five going in gang,
arranging beforehand what streets they
will travel through in day. The first
of the gang j. known aS the " banker ~
and carries the bulk of the stuff. She
for it is usually woman never comes
within mile of those who do the passing.
A woman j. generally picked ~ the
banker ~ she il less liable 10 be known
TO the "cops," n the detectives are
called. The next one is called the 'nb-
banker. and strols along parallel street
about semi-distance between the banker
and the operator. The third carries II
smaller sum than the second, and, ~ re-
quired, supplies the stuff to the operator
40. ( acts aS watch lettering along the
street taken by the pa.-er, he keeps a
close eye upon everything going on, e.
pecially watching the stores where the
money has been passed to see if any sus-
picion has been aroused ~ 10 the char
acter of the money. Through system
of signs and signals the shower Is almost
instantly notified OF any real or appre-
hended danger, 40 ~ To enable him TO get
out of the way, and by circuitOus way
meet at some designated point, where the
danger can be discussed and proper pre-
cautionary measures adopted. The man
or woman doing the passing never car
ries more than about three cOunterieits
with them at time, preferring TO 60 Oft
ener to the supply banker. One Of the
bills is carried in the pocketbook, along
with a lot of good bills. while the bal
ance OF the stuff is w4lded up into a
tight little ball and placed III the Joint
of the little finger nearest the hand and
the finger closed tightly over it. In case
a bill is found to be counterfeit and an
officer is called in, the shower modestly
declares his innocence of any knowledge
of the bill, and proposes at once being
searched, at the same time throwing out
the arms at full length, and in the move
ment opening the little finger and drop
ping the wad, either behind the counter
on the floor, or if on the sidewalk, IN the
gutter or street. The movement il 4
yery quick and natural one, and not
likely 10 attract the attention Of anybody
but a detective. This method in nine
ty-nine cases out Of a hundred succeeds.
Sometimes when a man is detected pass
ing counterfeit money, No. 4, or the
lookout" comes up suddenly, and, a.
suming the character Of an officer, arrests
the offender and hastens away with him,
and in case crowd follows takes a street
car or some other conveyance, and when
this is not practicable has some excuse
for entering a house or some out-ofthe-
way place, thereby afording pretty easy
means of escape.
Red I'm Denmark.
Red il the national color OF Denmark