Morris tribune., 1880-09-09
circulation the counterfeit as we'll as THE

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1t has been for some time advocated
by persons who have interested them
selves in observing the extent to which
counterfeitlng is carried on .gsin this
country, that the government will be
forced to take some steps soon that will
insure the suppression of the business
not temporarily, but permanently
Some months ago, proposition was
made by Tom Ballard, the 'skillful and
notorious counterfeiter. now serving a
term of thirty years in the prison at
Albany, N. Y, to impart to the govern
ment process by which money cav be
made that could not be c@unterfeited,
provided in return the government would,
after satisfying itself as to the genuiness
and success OF his plan, set him at lIb-
erty. The offer was made In good faith,
and some effort was put forth by the
publishers of several papers devoted to
the subject of counterfeit detecting to
have the proposal taken up. An inter-
view was arranged to come off between
George w. CASTELAR,, the head of the bu-
reau of engraving and printing at Wash
ingron, and Ballard, in the Albany peni-
| Tertiary, but Trough some hitch or 9TH
er it was never carried out. Ballard has
several times since that renewed his prop
osition but without success. Despairing
of everything after this he made two at
tempts to commit suicide, out failed in
both. He asserted positively and per.
sis'ently since his Imprisonment that
there is way by which money can be
made that no man living can counter
felt. As Ballard is known to be one of
the finest, most sklllful, most ingenious
engravers of the country, in prison or out
of prison, there are many persons who
think the government would do we'll to
give him hearing. Again, it has been
suggested that the government should
offer reward of liberal proportions
for design for banknntes which it would
be impossible to counterfeit. There are
plenty ideas in the heads of engravers, it
is claimed, by which such design could
be produced, but nobody wishes to give
away that idea without a recompense. At
the treasury department, it is understood,
there is belief that there is too much
engraving on the government notes. In
stead of so much of this kind of work, il
is supposed to substitute system OF
scroll work tor either the back or face Of
the bill. The more intricate this work,
the more assurance of the inability to
make a perfect counterfeit.
Some counterfeits are executed with
such mastery skill, and such faithfulness
TO the smallest details of the original
with such perfection in every line and
feature that they stand out as marvels Of
initiative genius. To produce such work
the highest orders of artistic skill is re-
quisite. The business of counterfeitins
monopolizes some of the most finished
talent to be found in the engraver's pro
fession. Whether it is the incentive
found in the prospect of large though
unlawful gains, or fascination held OF
by business ever attended by danger
the counterfeiter seems, as soon as h'
gets launched into the work, to be favor
ed by some special genius which quick.
ems his skill and sharpens his precep
tons to an extent that Is almost m1racul
: Gus. On the wall of the Counterfeit De
tector's Office, there hangs splendid pic
ture of the late Governor Allen, of OHIO
a grand face, with curves and wrinkles
exactly the type of face seen in the ole
Roman cuts where Brutus and Casa
sand as models-with every point of thu
grand old head, with Its close cut white
hair and dark eyes standing out in bolG
relief. Directly underneath is the IN
, scription: