The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1878-02-14
COUETERfEITIEG-
Explanation Of EEONy tho imitation
Coins are Made nnd Passed
Risking state Prison fer
Two DOTiaEs Il Day-A
Natural Mechanic.

Natural Mechanic.
The recent arrest on the West Side Of
a counterteitar proves important. The
prisoners name is Walter p Garter,
though he gave the alias Of James ?.
Ferguson when booked.
Carter lived at 500 West Fifteenth
straet. Procuring a search warrant, the
detectives went to the house without de-
lsy, and there found one of Ike most
complete coin outfits which has ever been
captured in the West, If not IN the coUn-
try. Carter occupied two rooms on the
second hocr, facing the street. One he
used for sleeping purposes, and the 9TH
er as his "mill" There were two en-
frances to The iBtyer--One from tie hall,
the d0uy being loa&ed and barred from
the inside, and ths ota6r through the
bedroom, there being two locks on the
Ioor, one Of which was peculiar and worry
nard to open. The officers, however,
forced their way in, and were more than
surprised at their success. In one cor
ulc Of the room, which was only ExlO
feet, was q large box fun Of plaster
moulds, q few Of them broken. Near by
was q smaller one, also full Of m0G!ds.
On one side Eas g battery, such as is
used for plating, aud pendant in the So
luton upon yEe wires were two or three
dozen " coins" taking Il bath. Fastened
to a table was a little machine with a
burr-wneel attachment, which Is used
for niilpg. On the table were q num-
Der Of moulds, into which the metal had
been run, awaiting the next stage Of op-
perntion--a bath Of silver; while scatter
ed IN tie floor were acids, glue, sand,
whiting pieces Of lead, copper, antimo-
ny-ever ythiug which couuterfeiters use
in th=ir business. There were IN all
nearly 800 sets Of plaster Of Paris
moulds for nickels, halves, and dollars,
and about 1925 IN "queer. All this
stuff was removed to the Madison street
ssutiol. Carter admitted chat ~ u"d
served three years at Waupun fc~ Tor
gerry.
dav afternoon he seemed inclined t9cou-
verse, and advantage was taken OF the
fact to get his experience. So the repor-
ter said:
when did you go into the counter
feiting business ? "
" About May, 1876, " was the reply.
''What was your object ?
"To get q living. / was cut oi
work"
'sT had worked at the machinist's
trade"
.'Eow did you commence opera
6us ?" -.
checks"
e. in what way?
81 took impressions Of them-mGds
plaster Of Paris moulds.
What success did you have "
Very poor"
{" What was the next step !?
AZ then took up nickels, but didn't
do much better"
"What was the difliCUlty?"
ct didn't pay to make them vsry
good"
Was the operation expensive
"Tolerahly 80, compared with halves
snd dollars.
chow much does It cost to make E
bogus nickle ? "
and the metal costs 3J cents; and then
! there Is the time d running.
How long does it take to make
nickel nould?" "
Half day-half dozen are made
at time. .,
''What material did You use"
Sc Plaster Of Paris,
Is that the best?
] 6 ENorrE EI,a host . y
CIVIL you tell me how you do it ? "
''No. I decline to give the modu
operandi."
when did you give up the MCKEE
business g?
"Tn about week nftez I commenc-
sd"
"W.bat was your next venture "
"Halves. They hadn't come oui
much at that time. I think mine were
the first MAT were put in general circEIa
ton. "
sue?" .ooo H.
teen or fourteen months.
" Did the halves pay
yes. until the sc6Ies for weigh-na
coin came Cut. .,
"They intarfered with the passing
eyes, rnther. I had either to make
them larger or pass them where there
were no scales.
"Then you advanced to trade dollars
I suppose " ,c,
- Yes. and Mexican dollars, and SoutE
American dollars; and finally / got th'
r.r11Iar United States dollar Of 1872.
" Did they pass readily ?
eyes the trade and United States
dollar did, but the others were lttl'
strange. and people didn't like to taxi
them. Some knew what n Mexican dol
lar was, and some didn't
Were not the trade dollars eve
guestioned?
"Oh. yes. Some druggists woul,
say they were good, and some would tr.
them with acid.
'sHow often were they refused ?"
,s About once in fifteen times l woul'
meet with man who would bother me
and then Iwould pay for the article wit
good money" -,
How many would you get rid OF in
day?
nossinc. Generally I would be out fou
hours. and get rid Of eight or te
pieces. whatever they might happen t
BE-" 80
''What stores did you patronize
None in particular. "
"You would go into those you took
fancy to? "
Eyes. Iwould buy things 1 coul
use eatables, matches, soap, &c,-any
7 thing worth five or ten cents.
&" After you had moulded piece, VIII
lid you do ?"
Finish up the edges"
) GLOW
Millod it like the regular coins.