The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-01-31
DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.
How a Band OF Counterfeiters were TAX
en- Ia.

en- In.
WRITTEN FOR THE NEWS BY COL w
IL the spring of 1869, soon after was
appointed chiefofthe secret service ofthe
treasury department, a number of the
principal forgers and counterfeiters of the
city of New York met at the ''boozing-
ken of the notorious Bill Quincy, and
there held high old carnival, at which
there was great rejoicing on account of
the appointment of a certain verdant
counFTyman to an Office that so deeply
concerned their prosperity
4 On this occasion they made arrange
mems to flood the country from one end to
the otEer with counterfeit national bank
money, of which Quincy was to be prin-
cipal distributor. 1t was the opinion of
all OF them that no man unacquainted
with the detection ofcounterfeiters could
successfully Illustrate their welllaid
plans, or seriously endanger the liberties
of those who saw fit to take hand in a
business then so safe and profitable.
hcsrd of the banquet of these worth
les, and it occurred to my mind that the
feast at Gurney's might, in manner, be
likened unto the profane feast of a GER
tain king, except that Bill and his pals
had failed to see the notice of their own
destruction, as did BelshaZzar, when he
witnessed the tracing of the letters of
fire by she armless hand upon the wall of
his palace
1t WAS for the purpose of teaching Mr..
| Quincy Il lesson that he might remem-
Der without the aid of prompter that
| sent NJ ike Bower to make his acuualnt-
ance, with instructions to ego Slow and
not to force matters. Bower soon be-
came regular customer at Gurney's
bar and gambling table, and at the end
of three months had become pretty init
mate with the proprietor of the ken,
whom he one day beckoned aside,
and in quet and mysterious manner
drew valuable gold watch from his in
side pocket and offered it for sale at half
its real value. Bill snapped at the bait
at once, and with a sly wink as he fob
bed the watch, he remarked that Blower
would know where to come next time
when he wanted to raise the wind"
\ few weeks afterwards Bower again
approached Quincy, this time with a fine
diamond bosom-pin, minus the fastening.
1t looked for all the world as though it
might have been 'rippered" from the
swelled front of some unlucky "bloke. >"
As Gurney's eyes rested on the spark
ling diamond he made the remark, "Old
boy, you are good 'un; ever handle any
of the queer" ell?
"Oh, once in Il while, when / can get
it straight" replied b.
Quincy modestly produced a $50 note
on the National Shoe and Leather Bank,
which he swore was good enough to de-
ceive the disciples with An exchange
was made. Bill took the pin. and Bower
waltzed off gracefully with $500 in
queer" 20 dAllar bills.
When Bower reported to me and handed
me the counterfeit money obtained from
Quincy l told him to go no further with
the case for the time, and soon after
wards sent him on a mission west
About month afterwards sent Il note
to Quincy requesting private interview.
He came at once to my office. He was
a tall, heavily built man, with hard lin
eaments and sinister expression of coun-
tsnance. His looks betOkened the subtle
ScOundrel in feature and form. He would
readily pass, where not known, for an ex-
traordinary parsonage. His fashionable
clothes, his easy address, his widespread
acquaintance with all the "cross" men
of the country, served him to good ac-
count in his unholy calling He was
looked upon among men of his kind as
II regular autocrat in the queer bust
ness, and was said to be too sharp for the
smartest fly cop in the country He
entered my Office alone and introduced
himself, remark;ng at the same time that
he presumed that / had heard something
against him.
In reply said, MIR. Quincy, of my
own knowledge | know nothing about
you, but have been informed that you
are one Of the best posted men in regard
to counterfeiting, in the city, and thai
while you never really handle the stuff
yourself you could, were you so minded
give the government valuable informal
ton that would, in the end, crush out
counterfeiting."
My simple and earnest manner of adj
dressing this ingenious rogue partially
threw him Off his guard. He no doubt
thought me to be as green as looked
and talked, and that l was in fact APP
pealing to him for assistance
Taking the ground that the nearer he
stood to Il kicking horse the better for
his own safety, he put on mysterious
locking face and spoke systematically of
the probable existence of counterfeit
plates that could be reached for big mon
} ey. As for himself, not dollar would
be accepted for his services. He had
many years before been foolish enough
to handle the stuff, but had long since
washed his hands of all connection with
the nefarious business. He also essayed
to blarney me little by telling me that
+ he had heard that | was a shrewd man
and that my sending for him and treat
ing him confdentially had convinced
him of the fact.
When Quincy left my office he up
questionably stepped out with the inn
preston on his mind that l had gulped
down for truth what he said, barney and
all. Quincy came frequently tony office
and toyed with inc much as cat would
toy with mouse, by giving me false in
formation and pretending to congratu
late me on a success which had not vet
} made. l thought best to let him play
with the hook for time, fearing thai
, my taking him out of the murlxy water
might operate as a scare on the numer
Gus minnows that surrounded him
Matters novel along in this way fol
nearly a year Quincy was always or
. the point of giving me a good thing in
e the way of information, and kidding
me along to his hiking, while was, sui
rosa, working the ruin of himself and
$ Others of the principal counterfeiters o
: the city.
After time, Bower turned up sud
| denly at his friend C,Irnax-,s Ha bod .