Nebraska advertiser., 1879-04-10
A DETECTIVES STORY.

During the year 1913, the West was
flooded with counterfeit coin. 1t was
so we'll manufactured that it passed
readily. The evil at last became go
great that the United States authori-
ties requested that a skillful detective
might be sent to ferret out the nest of
coiners. was fixed upon to perform
the duty.
had nothing to guide me. The
fact, however, that Chicago was the
city where the counterfeit coin was
most abundant, led me to suspect that
the mandatory might be somewhere
within its limits. 1t was, therefore,
to the capital of the West that first
proceeded. spent five weeks in that
beautiful city, but without obtaining
the slightest clew to the counterfeit
ers.
L began to grow discouraged, and
really thought I should be obliged to
return home without having achieved
any result. One day | received let
ter from my wife, requesting that l
should send her home some money, as
she was without funds. I went into
a bank and asked for a draft, at the
time handing some money TO pay for
it. in which there were several half
dollars. The clerk pushed three of
the half dollars back to me.
Counterfeit, !" said ne.
"What?" said 1, "do you mean to
tell me those half-dollars are counter
felt ?U
Il do"
'Are you certain ?"
Perfectly certain. They are re-
markably well executed. but they are
deficient in weight. See foryourself."
And he placed one of them in the
scales against a genuine haIf-dollar
on the other side. The latter weighed
down the former.
"That is the best executed counter
felt coin ever saw in my life !" I ex-
claimed, examining them very close
ly. us all the counterfeit money il |
here of the same character
as this7"
20, dear, no." replied the clerk, "it |!
is not nearly so well done. These are
the work of Ned Willett, the famous
New York counterfeiter. I 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, although it is pretty well
done"
L compared the two together, and
found that he was right. [ supplied |
the place of the three counterfeit half
dollars with good coin, and returned
the former TO my pocket again.
A few days after this, received In
formation:whichc caused me to. take
journey to a village thirty miles from
Chicago. 1 arrived there at night,
and took up my quarters at the only |
tavern in the place. 1t was wretch
ed dwelling. and kept by an old man
and woman, the surliest couple, / |
think, it has ever been my lot to
meet. In answer to my inquiry as TO
whether / could have lodging there
for the night, 1 noticed that the host
gave a peculiar look at his wife, and
after some whispering, was inform
ed, in the most ungraoious manner
possible, that conld have bed.
The chamber was small in size, and
was certainly well ventilated, for /
could see the stars peeping through
he roof. The bed was simply bag
Of straw thrown into one corner of
he room, without sheets or covering
IF any kind.
I stood for more than an hour
gazing out of the opening which serv-
ID as window. Before me was spread
IN immense prairie, the limits of
which [ could not see. The tavern
n which L had taken up my abode.
to be isolated from all other
dwellings,, and, save the croak of the
ree-frog and the hum of the locust.
lot sound reached my ears. It was :
! beautiful moonlight night, and so ,,
Fright could see to read the smallest /.
Print.
At last began to grow weary. and
hroWing myself on my pallet, I was