The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-01-03
COLUMBUS.
Business In Counter
fejting Nickcls In the Peniten-
Iiury.

COLUMBUS, January 1.-For some time
counterfeit tive:cent pieces, or nickels,
have become very common here, and un-
til. to-day the public knew nothing as to
where they came from. To-day Sunday
Nes reporter, after patient investigation,
has learned the particulars Of what has
developed into a irst-class sensation.
These bogus coins have been traced to
young son Of Colonel G. s. Innes, Warden
Of the Penitentiary. Upon being inter
rogated the child told that he had been
furnished the coin by certain prisoners
to purchase tobacco for them. This led
to an investigation, and 1t now turns out
that the making Of the "queer" has been
going on in the Penitentiary under the
very eyes OF the guards without dis
covery. The moulds for the coin were
made by the prisoners, and the metal
used was amalgam, used in plating har-
ness in the harness shops. Finding the
game was discovered, one Of the convicts
squealed, and q search turned up about
one hundred pounds Of the amalgram
slowed away for future use. The coun-
terieit coin is n good imitation of the
genuine, the main difference being in the
upper part Of the shield, which is barred
in the genuine and smooth in the
spurious. The base coins are all dated
1870, and it is impossible to tell how much
has been put in circulation.
COLUMBUS rNvEsTMENTs.
The following is summary OF monies
invested in Columbus during the past
year: Public improvements, S90S,9OO;
manufacturing, Sl76, 900; business houses,
S246,60O; miscellaneous improvements,
Sl45,6OO; dwellings, Gl4,s5O; grand total,
S2,S60,95O.
THE INFANTTcIDE.
Lottie Peters, who threw her newly
born babe over wall onto the river bank
on Thursday night, where it was alter
wards found dead, died herself to-day in
great agony, and rumors are abroad that
her end was hastened by violent means.
The Chief OF Police informs US that the
girl before her. death charged that
Lee A. Myers. we'll known young
lawyer OF this city, was the father
of the child. The parties who occupy
the rooms adjoining those Of Miss Peters
say that Myers was with the girl short
time previous to her death. The coroner
does not seem to think it necessary to
hold any inquest, saying that he is satis-
fed the woman died from exposure and
want OF proper treatment after her child
was born. But the police think that the
circumstances attending her death are
sufficient TO warrant an inquest and a
critical examination into the circum-
stances Of her sickness and terrible death.
The police are looking for Myers to-
night.
coNTERFErr NICKLEs FROM THE PENITEN-
IARY.
The publication Of the discovery that
the convicts in the Penitentiary have got
down to hard money basis, by manu-
featuring spurious nickles has made n
sensation here. A rumor was current to-
day that the convicts had not confined
themselves to coin alone, but had also
been manufacturing bogus breenbacks.
The fact that Charley Ulrich, one OF the
most expert counterieitcrs in America, is
confined here was at once pointed out as
the leader Of the counterieiting green
back party such thing exists. Warden
Jones was interviewed on the subject to-
day; and he says il any greenbacks have
been made in prison, he does not know 1t.
He says that bogus nickles were madeby
two men, John Fought, sent from Aug
laiz county, for horse stealing, and Harry
Parker, sent from Lucas county, for bur-.
glary; these two men work close together
In the moulding shops, and there made
the coin in moulds, genuine coin being
used for pattern. The material used was
an alloy Of copper and zinc. The warden
says that the guard Of the shop was cog
infant Of what the men were doing, but
il was thought proper to wait awhile in
order to discover, II possible, all the men
implicated. This season OF waiting con-
tinued three days, and then the warden
found some of the stuff in the possession
OF his little boy. who generously present.
ed his parent with two Of the CROOKED"
coins. The boy said he had already
spent five Of the coins, which were given
him by Fought and Parker. Then the
two prisoners were put into the dungeon,
where they soon wiited and made clean
breast OF the whole business. The war
den is OF the opinion that very few coins
were made, and that but few Of these ever
left the prison.