The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-06-02
CHECK RAISERS.
DEVICES USED FOR REMOVING INK AND
FOR C0NCEALING FoRGERIEs.

DEVICES USED FOR REMOVING INK AND
FOR CoNCEALING FoReERIEs.
n. I. Sun: "Chock raising is getting
to be one Of the lost arts" said an old
detective, ''and as checks are prepared
nowadays they are pretty safe. There
are some of the crooked men, however,
who know oil the tricks of removing ink,
was once curious enough to learn how
it was that they could so successfully al
ter check. Different forgers used diff
ferent methods. One successful stock
forger used equal quantities of lapis CAL
0naif1dris, common salt, and rock alum,
which he boiled for half an hour in white
wine in new pipkin, or he used fine
sponge shaped like pencil, which he
dipped in equal quantities of nitre and
vitriol distilled. As he passed this point
over the ink it came right out. 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 a
little ball that now and then was found
in the possession of prisoner. This
turned out to be made of alkali and sui
phur and was used for removing ink,
It is hard to find an ink that Will not dis
TIn6ar yolon 0f tr1o
another. [ knew check raiser who had
small laboratory. He kept bottles of
acids OF all sorts and q case of camel's-
hair brushes. With small quantity of
oxalic or muriatic acid, somewhat dilut-
ed, and camel's-hair pencil he could
paint out any number of ink spots. One
or two applications, followed by the use
of blotting pad, would restore the pa
per to primitive purity. 1t requires skill
and an accurate knowledge of chemicals
to use any of these plans SO as not to in
jure the texture of the paper or discolor
it. II the paper is injured it is not SO
easy to write upon It again, but by the
use OF finely powdered pounce, rubbed
i'll lightly with the finger and FURNISHED
with an ivor folder, the paper can be re-
paired Common writing ink, however,
is best removed by the use of oxygenat-
ed muriatic acid.
''But the new styles Of check, with the
amount cut through the paper with die,
are hard to alter. Here is a check with
revenue stamp in old gold color in the
center, and broad lines of red ink are
drawn close up to the amount written in.
There is another broad line of red ink af-
ter the name of the payee. Up in the
left-hand corner, where the amount is in
as6 cd R gRFoEEgh Eh ssffe ssfe that bsbdr the n6 56s Zee
verse side of the check, just over these
figures, is pasted a pink strip which
brings the cut figures out III such relief
that they cannot be altered without de-
lection. The only way to alter that check
is to take out the first written word in
the amount in the body OF the check and
the amount in the corner, and, after re-
placing them with the raised sum, to in
lay piece Of check paper in the place of
the cut figures. This inlaying process
requires great care, and only one or two
men in this country are able to do it.
The cut figures must be carefully cut out
by sharp, razor-like tool, and cut in
such way that the edges of the opening
will be beveled. Then q fresh bit of
check paper must be shaped to the size
of the opening and fitted in, with it's
edges also beveled. The edges must be
held together with a paste made of flour
and strained resin, and carefully pressed.
Some pounce rubbed over the lines will
conceal the patch, unless there is strong
light, and then, with the same die that
the bankers use, raised figures can be in
sorted. The work is delicate, and is not
often attempted, as it involves the risk
which it is good. BY the way, the cut
ting of figures into the check had curl
GUS origin. After big forgery caused
by raised check, some one wrote q let
ter to the Sun, suggesting that the
amount for which checks are drawn
should be cut through the paper. The
suggestion was at once adopted by man
who, we understand, made a fortune
from it."