The daily gazette., 1879-01-27

CoUNTsRFEIT MoNEY.-It is S ated
that there are sixty millions of spurious
bank notes in circulation. While we
cannot credit this statement, as to the
enormous sum named, yet we have no
doubt that there is very large amount
of counterfeit notes out. The record of
the counterfeit plates seized and destroy
ed by the Secret Service police show
great variety of the fractional currency
issues were put in circulation. IL was
far in excess Of spurious fractional coins.
Almost as soon as the new 30 cent note
was issued the counterfeit appeared by
its side. The inetliciency of the costly
Bureau of Engraving and Printing had
much to do with this. The work was
coarse and easily counterteiied and in
some cases, dangerous counterfeits have
been traced to the dishonesty of Treas
ury officials. Thus. an engraver in the
bureau was detected engraving 1910
coupon for jerry Cowsden the notorious
counterfeiter. Two of the printers' i'll
the bureau furnished copies Of the origi-
nal compound interest Treasury note
plate TO the celebrated counte:friter
Hall, and also an impression of the origi-
nal plate of the $50 legal tender note.
This of course was the IN ost dangerous
method of producing bad morey, as,
when successfully issued, it was, in most
respects, identified with the good.
One of the most skillful and extensive
counteffeiters was Ben Boyd now serv-
ing aterm of imprisonment. Among his
dangerous productions was a counterfeit
of the $50 legal-tender compound interest
notes, one of the so legal-tendcr, one of
the 500 legal-tender, and the famous
counterfeit on the Traders National
Bank of Chicago. After The maike; had
been flooded with the last named, Boyd
changed the plate to the First National
Bank of Canton, the First National
Bank of Aurora, and the First National
Bank of Paxton, all in Illinois.
Another successful couutertctcr was
Ulrich who engraved the 500 national
currency plate used to counterfeit the
notes of the Ohio National Bank, and
afterwards changed it to the + irst Ma
| tional Bank of Boston and the Central
| Y al Ha,,ls Of \,nE N.,t.
Some Of the work ON these notes was ex-
cellent, particulnry the vignette Of the
signing of the Declaration Of lndcpcn-
deuce. Uhich also engraved counter
felt back Of the 500 note of The national
currency. which was captured from him.
1t is supposed that the face plate wa,
never finished.
Tom Ballard was another dangerous
, countcriciter. He was caught in the act
of countcrtciting the 81 note of the Brit
ish Bank of North America.
| Irwin White was another skilful work
man, and one Of the most dangerous
| counierfeis Cn the 81 national CURRENCY
notes is credited to him. He made one
plate do forthe Ilampden National Bank
Highland Bank Of Newbutg, First Ma
tioLal Bank of Northampton, Mass.
Merchants National Bank Of New Bed
ford, Castleton National Bank of New
York, and Third National Bank of Pro
vidence, X. /. His arrangements fo
doing this were most ingenious.
4 Miles Oele, who was captured in 1877
. made counterfeit Of the SO nationa
currency, and made it answer for tn,
Richmond National Bank of Indiana
and Lafayette National Bank of Indiana
lie made far counterfeit of the jO-cen
fractional currency note. Ogle was il
: Pittsburg Jail two years, but vas let GU
} on bail for surrendering some counterfeit
= plates That the Government thought dan
r gerous.
S This release of counterteiters for tn
e surrender OF plates has not been uncom
i mon. Ira Johnson procured the releas
y Of his father, brother and sister by SUI
n rendering a counterfeit so legal-tende
plate. The well-known counterfeite
Mccartney procured the release fror
N prison Of +. w, Pierce, Mrs. Trout an
Eliza Munroe by surrendering to the 5,
. cret Service Department counterte
$50 legal-tendcr note plate engraved /
"a Ben Boyd, and considered very dange
n Gus. a set Of plates for printing 5O-ceI
4 fractional currency counterfeits was lik
1t wise surrendered By Mrs. Spike to secu
" the release Of her husband.
IyI Among the successful countcrfeite
cl appears the name Of T.. II. Rising. a &C
H. orcd engraver, who made an eXcelle
e, imitation Of the 50-cen. fractional cl
to rency note which was captured from 4
IL kins at Mount Vernon in 1869.