Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-02-24
A Ccunterfeiter's Kit.


the Police Bureau at Washington, will
give an insight into the possibilities of the
science of counterfelting. The arrival here
of the ingenious outfit of the recently ar
rested gang OF counterfelters presents a
subject for the student of human nature
ana lover of the curious. Brockway's con-
fession furnished the foregoing number of
the notes printed by him and his associates
on the different banks. He has now sur
rendered of each kind the following: Pitts
field National bank, las; National Revere,
rs; Second National Bank of Wilkesbarre,
3S; National Exchange of Baltimore, 82.
None of those counterfeited on the Pitts
burg National Bank of Commerce are here.
They were printed on the new localized
fibre paper in use by the government, and
this issue passed as readily among mer-
chants and bankers as the purest genuine.
They have exhausted that entire edition,
and those notes are now outstanding in the
hands of innocent holders. There was an
edltIOn or U1U HuuuIUu asr,,s~- -irs-y y---------E
preparation, but they had not yet fixed up
on the name of the bank ii was, however,
going to be another one in Maryland. They
had remedied the defects OF all previous
issues as nearly as possible, and they there
fore contemplated a successful haul. Ii
would necessarily be more dangerous than
the last, and would doubtless have run
through several other larger editions. Be-
fore the last contemplated issue was struck
off the offenders w.re apprehended.
Ninety.t two notes were seized, bearing the
first carbon impression on localized fibre
paper, inserting the name of the bank and
its officers, the red seal and numbers and
the green-tinted and black border. 1t is
said that not more than three or four coun-
terfeits on the National Exchange bank of
Baltimore were fioated, not over twelve of
the Second National bank of Wllkesbarre.
but it is yet difficult to tell exactly the fate
of each issue. A remarkable fact connect
ed with the floating of all the foregoing
counterfeits is that from their first issue to
the present day the national bank redemp-
tion bureau of the treasury department has
discovered but % of these counterfelts.
The plates for notes are four In number.
One is engraved and :he other three are
electrotyped by Brockway, who is very
skilled workman in that line 1t is perfect
plate except the panel which contains the
state coat-of-arms, which is found on the
lght-hand back of a note of the 800 de-
nomination. This space is always left
blank by counterfeiterS until they decide on
what state and which bank they will issue
their next lot OF ''queeT." Hence, on the
four plates alluded to, one has separate
coat OF arms for each state upon wich they
have made an issue. The vIgnette entitled
"SignIngthe Declaration of independence, T"
also common to all notes of this denomina-
tion, Is a plate of polished steel, and en-
graved with the most faultless precision.
1t is the object of admiration by all men
skilled in the higher branches of that deli
cate handicraft There are also three cop
per plates, one engraved and two electro
typed. These represent all the characters
and designs on the face OF the note, except
ing the name and location of the bank and
the signatures of its officers. These omis.
sions, in the vernacular of the counterfeiter,
are called skeletons. The plates which
supply these omissions are called ''titles."
Two only have been surrendered-one on
steel for the Pittsburg bank, and the other
copper for the bank of WIlkesbarre The
others have probably been destroyed at the
moment Of some scare or Immediately after
use, as means of covering up their tracks
in case of discovery. The little red seal
was thrown overheard by Brockway from
a ferry-boat while crossing East river some
five or six months ago, he correctly think
ing at the time that he was being followed
by government detectives.
The production of fac-similies of United
States bond plates is equal, if not superior,
to the note. When the "shover" Doyle
was arrested in Chicago with $207, 900 in
his carpet bag, upon showing them to the
brokers and bankers, they expressed them
selves willing to buy the whole lot, and for
long time public opinion was unanimous
in pronouncing the act of arrest one of mis-
take, and a cruelty and persecution if
persisted in. The difference is easily
seen when the discrepancies are mi
nutely pointed out in comparing the or
iglnal and genuine, assisted by the glass.
The first things that attracted the eye upon
investigating this whole exhibition of ME
chanlcal ingenuity and patient labor are
two small engrossed dies in copper. They
will measure one and a quarter by three
quarter inches, and are complete figures of
cycloid engravings. 1t is from these small
dies that matrices were made by Brockway,