Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-01-31
Adventures in a Coiner's Den.

During the year 1913 the West W.
flooded with counterfeit coin. It We
so well manufactured that it passe
readily. The evil at last became !
great that the United States suthori
ties requested that skillful detectiv
might be sent to ferret out the nest {
cOiners. was fixed upon to perforI
the duty.
Ihad nothing to guide me. Tn
fact, however, that Chicago was tn
city where the counterfeit coin wa
most abundant, led me to suspect ths
the mandatory might be somewher
within its limits. 1t was, therefore
to the capital of the West that frs
proceeded. spent i've weeks in tina
beautiful city, but without gaining tn
slightest:clue to the counterfeiters.
I began to grow discouraged, ant
really thought / should be obliged Il
return home without having achieved
any result. One day received let
ter from my wife requesting that
would send her home some money, a
she was out of funds. / went into
bank and asked for draft, at the samt
time handing SUM of money to pay fO
it, in which there were several hal
dollars. The clerk pushed three of the
half dollars back to me.
tCounterfeit,' he said. .s,ss. V
What said 1, do you mean to tel
nae those half dollars are counterfeit"
Il do.'
Are you certaiD?'
Perfectly certain. They are remar
kably well executed, but they are de-
ficient in weight. See for YOURSELF
And ne placed one of them in the
scaIe against genuine half dollar on
the other side. The latter weighed
down the former.
That is the best executed counter
felt coin l ever saw in my life,'I ex.
claimed, examining them very close.
ly. is all the counterfeit money in
here of the same character
as this?'
20, dear no. replied the clerk, sit is
not nearly so well done. These are the
work of Ned Willett. the famous New
York counterfeiter. know them well,
for / have handled a great deal of it in
my time. Here is some OF the money
that is in circulation here,' he added,
taking several half dollars from a
drawer. You see the milling is not
nearly as perfect as Ned Willett's, al.
though It it is pretty well done, too.'
compared the two together, and
found that he was right. / supplied
the place of the three counterfeit nalf
dollars with good coin, and returned
the former to my pocket again. -
A few drys after this I received in.
tin snk-aorrraI r,,o - &o1-o :,
iourney to a village situated. about
thirty miles from Chicago. 1 arrived
there at night, and took up my quar-
ters at the only tavern in the place. 1t
was wretched dwelling, and kept by
an old man and woman, the surliest
couple thinkiit has ever been my lot
to meet. In answer to my inquiry as
to whether / could have lodging there
for the Dight, l noticed that the host
gave q peculiar look at his wife, and,
after some whispering, 1 was informed
% the most ungraciOus manner posi-
Die that I could have bed. tis5 Il 81
1 have frequently in the course OF my
ife been obliged to put up with wretch
ID accommodations, so l did not allow
nv equfnimity Of temper to be de-
troyed by the miserable fare set be-
ore me, and the still more miserable
leeping apartment into which l was
lshered after I had concluded my re-
1ast.
The chamber was small In size, but
vas certainly well ventilated, for /
ould see the stars peeping through
he roof. The bed was simply bag
# strow thrown into one corner of the
pom, without sheets or covering of
nv kind. The last fact, however, was
lot of much consequence, as 1t was
ummer time and oppressively hot.
/ stood for more than an hour ga
ing out OF the opening which served
or a window. Before me was spread
n immense prairie, the limits of " hich
codld not see. The tavern in which
had taken up my abode appeared to
'e isolated from all other dwellings,
nd save the croak OF the tree-frOg
nd the hum of the locust not sound
cached my ear. 1t was beautiful
noonlight night, and SO bright that /
ould see to read the smallest print.
,Atslast began to grow weary, and
hrowing myself on my pallet was
BON plunged into deep slumber.
low long Islept l know not, but l
vas awakenedR by q dull sound which
esem bled some one hsmmering in
he distance. / suppose it was the Pc
of the sound which: awOke
ne, for it was by no means loud, but
to me the idea of some one
triking iron with a muffied hammer.
rose up from my bed and went to
be window; the moon was low in the
7estern horizon, by which fact knew
must be near'morning. The sound
have before referred to reached me |
lore distibetl than when in the back |
srt of the fellainber. appeared to
ONE, from some oulhouses which |
sere situated about one hundred
ards from the house.
Now, am naturally of an inquiring |
bind, ard this sound, occurring as it
id in the middle of the night in such
remote, out-of-the- way place, piqued
~ curiosity, andI felt an Irresistible |