The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-06-03
BLOOMSBURG, PA, FRIDAY. JUNE 3 1881 %%
The Secrets of Check Raisers.

"Check raising is getting TO he one OF
the lost arts said an old New York de
tectiye, "and rs checks are prepared
nowadays they are pretty safe. There
are some of the crooked men, however
who know all the tricks Of removing ink
| was once curious enough to learn how
it was that they could so successfully
alter check. Different forgers use diff
ferent methods. One successful stock
forgcr used equal quantities OF tdpi'
hoi10innrjjS, common salt and rock alum
which he boiled for half an hour in white
wine in a new pipkin, or he used fine
sponge shaped like pencil, which he
dipped in equal quantities of nitre and
vitriol distilled. As hepassed this point
oyer the ink it came right out Some
times equal quantities of Sulphur and
powdered satpctrc, both distilled, were
used. For n long time the police did not
understand what use was made of little
ball that now and then was found III the
possession of prisoner This turned
out TO be made of alkali and sulphur,
and was used for removing ink. 1t i,
hard to find an ink that will not diSap
pear under one plan of treatment OF an
other ] knew check raiser who had a
small laboratory. He kept bottles OF
acids of all sorts and case of camel'S
hair brushes. With u small quantity OF
oXalic or muriatic acid, somewhat di
lutcd, and camels hair pencil he could
paint out any number of ink spots. One
or two applications, followed by the usC
of n blotting pad would restore the
paper TO primitive purity. 1t requires
skill and accurate knowledge of chem
icals to use any of these plans so as moi
to injure the texture of the paper or dis
color it. IL the paper is injured it is not
so easy to write upon it again, but by
the use of finely powdered pounce, rub
bed in lightly with the finger and bur
nishcd with an Ivory folder, the paper
can be repaired. Common writing ink
however, is best removed by the use OF
oxygenated muliltic acid.
"But the new style of checks, with
the amount cut through the paper with
die, are hard to alter Here is a check
with revenue stamp in old gold coloI
in the centre, and broad lines of red ink
are drawn close up to the amount writer
in There is another broad line of red ink
after the name of the payee. Up in the
left hand corner, where the amount is il
figures, you will see that the figures ar,
also cut in between two stars, which are
likewise cut through the paper. On the
reverse side of the check Just over these
cut figures is pasted Il pink strip whcl
brings the cut figures out in such relic
that they cannot be altered without de
lection. The only way to alter the checl
is to take out the first written word il
the amount in the body of the check anC
the amount in the corner, and, after re
placing them with the raised sum- tC
inlay piece of check paper in the place
of the cut figures. This inlaying pro
cess requires great care and only one o
two men in this country are able to do it
| The cut figures must be carefully cut on
by u sharp, razorlikc tool, and cut il
such away that the edges of the openin:
will be beveled. Then fresh bit o
check paper must be shaped to the siz
of the opening and fitted i'll with it
edges also beveled The edges must b
held together with paste made of tlou
and strained resin,and carefully pressed
Some pounce rubbed over the lines vii
conceal the patch unless there is a stron!
light, and then with the same dye tina
bankers use raised figures can be il
serted. The work is delicate and is no
often attempted, as it involves the ris
of running the check for the amount fo
which it is good. BY the way, the cut
ting of figures INTO the check had a CT
rious origin. After big forgery cause
by raised check some one wrote n ie
ter suggesting the amount for whic
checks are drawn should he cut throug
the paper The suggestion was at one
adopted by Il man who, understan
made fortune from it.