The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-10-12
CHECE RhISERS.
Devices Used for Removing Ink and
Sor C0ucCnIiug Forgeries.

[From tic New York SUM-
CHECK raising is getting to be one OF
the lost arts" said an old detective,
land us checks are prepared nowadays
they are pretty safe. There are some OF
the crooked men, however, who know
all the tricks OF removing ink. l was
once curious enough to learn how it was
that they could SO successfully alter a
check. Difltaan fofgers used different
methods. One successful stock forger
used equal quantities of l0pts cata'ni-
aoits, common salt. and rock alum,
Which he boiled for half an hour in white
Wine IN - new pipkin, or he used tine
sponge shaped like Il pencil, which he
dipped III equal quantities OF nitro and
vltriOl distilled. AS he passed this point
over the ink it came right ont. Some
times equal quantities OF sulphur and
powdered saltpeter, both distilled, were
used. For long time the police did not
understand what use was made OF u lit
tie ball that now aud theT. MAS found in
the pO,su ssiun OF prisoner. This turned
out to bo made Vi alkali aud sulphur und
was used Tor removing ink. 1t is hard
to lind IN ink that viii not disappear
under one plan Of Treatment: or another.
| knew check raiser who had small
laboratory lie kept bottles Of acids OF
all sorts and a case OF cam Ps-hair
brushes. With small quantity of OK
aic or muriatic ucid, somewhat diluted,
and cumel's-hnir Q ci he could paint
out any number ot INK spots. One or
two applications, followed by the use of
il bOtung pad, would rcstoie the paper
IL primitive purity. II requires sKill
and IN accurate knowledge OF chemicals
to use amy OF these plans to as not to III
lure the texture Of the paper or dlscOlor
II. Ii the paper IL injured 1t is not SO
easy to write upon it again, but by the
Use OF hn,ly-powdercd pounce, rubbed
IN lightly with the finger and FURNISHED
with an ivory folder. the paper can he
repaired. Common writing ink, how
ever, is best removed by tho Use Of o1y-
geuated muriuuc acid.
"But the new styles OF check, with
the amount cut through the paper with
{. die, are hard to alter. Here IL check
with = revenue stamp IN old gold color
in the center, and broad lines of red ink
are drawn close up to the amount writ
ten IL. There is another broad line Of
rcd ink alter the name Of the payee. Up
ia the lett-hand corner, where the
amount Is III figures, You will see that
the figures are also cut through the pa
per. On the reverse side OF the check,
Just over these figures, " pasted pink
sulp winch brings the cut figures out
III such relief that they cannot be al
t3IeI without detection. The only way
to alter that check lis % take out the
first written word III the amount in he
body ot the check and the amount i'll the
corner, and, after replacing them with
the raised sum, to inlay piece Of check
piper III the place OF the cut figures.
Tins lnlaying process requires great
care, and only one or two men i'll this
country are able to do 1t. The cut tig-
!lrcs must he carefully cut out by IL
sharp. razoI-lke tool, and cut in such q
way that the edges If the opening will
be beycled. Then a fresh bit Oi check
paper must be shaped 10 the bic OF the
opening and fitted in, with It's edges
also btycled. The edges must Ike held
together with n pas 10 made Of -four aud
strained RESIN, aud carefully pressed.
Some pounce rubbed over the lines will
conceal the patch. unless there is q
strong light, and then, with the same
die That the bankers nsc, raised figures
can be inserted. The work is dchcate,
and is not often attempted, Ms it involves
the risk Of running the check for the
amount for which it ls god. BY tho
way, the cuttingo figures INTO the check
hud u curious origin. After big forgery
caused by a raised check, some one
wrote a letter 10 the san, suggesting
that the amount for winch cheeks are
drawn shou,o! lie cut through The paper.
The suggestion las ut once adopted by
u man who, We understand, made fort
une from it.