The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1875-09-22
FLOODED WITH THE QUEER.
Operations of the COunterfeiters
I'm Tennessee and Alabama.
Eron, tta Nashville American

In Tennessee and Alabama.
From the Nashville American.
The band of counterfeiters which
has been deluging the country for the
past year with over million dollars
of spurious bills, seems to have al
most no limit. They number hun
dreds and form a circle which reach
es from ST. Louis through Kentucky,
Tennessee, Alabama. Mississippi,
Texas. and back to st. Louis. rami-
flying pretty much throughout all the
States named.
In Tennessee the money has been
principally distributed in Maury and
Giles counties. The latter county
and Limestone county, Alabama,
have been flooded with the queer"
1t has been mostly put in the hands
of the farmers and the poorer class
es, who are little able to sustain the
losses which are thus entailed upon
them. The counterfeiters have gone
TO farmers, purchased their live stock,
and then paid them in fifty dollar
spurious Treasury notes, sometimes
getting as much as forty-fve dollars
back in lawful currency. They have
disposed Of the produce and cattle
as best they might at the nearest
market, and thus proited both ways,
turning their worthless bills to the
best possible advantage. Farmers
have gone into Pulaski with what
they conceived to be good money,
and have been astounded at being
told of its utter want of value.
Many have, on this account, been
forced to postpone payments of debts
created in the purchase of agricul-
tural implements and machines.
There is so much of this spurious
currency floating about that the
merchants of Pulaski have had fire.
quent recourse to the bank experts,
less they should get loaded down
with it. Every bill now undergoes
the closest scrutiny.
The counterfeit fives are upon the
National Bank of Paxton, Illinois,
and the Traders of Chicago; and
there are twenty and fifty dollar
counterfeit United States Treasury
notes, and fifty cent fractional cur
rency.
We are authoritatively informed
that the band is most thoroughly
organized, having a regularly adopt
ed constitution and bylaws for their
government.
Detectives have been engaged
during the past six months in ferret
ing out the counterfeiters. They
have all been working under Charles
f. Anchisi, Chief Operative of the
Secret Service. When he arrested
the dozen he had in charge at De-
catur, the other day, he employed,
besides the six Government officers
with him, citizens to guard the pris-
oners day and night. AS consider
able excitement was created by their
arrest, he thought it prudent to put
them under a strong guard. 1t was
at one time feared the friends of the
counterfeiters would attempt to res
cue them from the custody of the
officers while on the way to Hunts.
vile to be placed there in Jail, but
no attempt was made in that direct
ion. Some of the prisoners was
ironed.
1t is claimed that the proof against
the prisoners is very damaging, and
that few will escape punishment.
St. Louis is believed to have been
the headquarters Of the counterfeit
ers. That city has been flooded with
spurious 5s, los, and sos. The st.
Louis counterfeiters are supposed to
have supplied the whole Of tho Mis-
sissippi Valley. Last week four
counterfeiters were arrested there
with $200,000 of the "queer" in their
possession. The dectectives at that
point feel confident Of capturing the
largest amount of counterfeit money
ever obtained. Men of means and
business standing are Involved. and,
it is asserted, that the evidence,
when the case shall have been thor
oughly investigated, will be conclu-
siye against them.