The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-06-14
THE STOLEN PLATES.
Reasons Why the Sentence of Doyle, the
Counterfeiter, was Postponed-The Bond
Plates Genuine.


Reasons Why the Sentence of Doyle, the
Counterfeiter, was Postponed-rhe Bond
Plates Genuine.
CHICAGO, June GA Washington special
this morning reports sensational develop
ments in the Doyle-Brockway bond coun-
terfeit case. In brief the story is that about
May Samuel Felker, who is known here as
a very successful detective, gave hint that
he could surrender an original transfer
plate of the $1,000 per cent. bond of the
issue of 1881, if the case of Doyle, then
pending in the United States Court here,
could be continued Felker went with the
plate. which he had possession of. to
Washington and in company with G. b. Far
well and John G.. New, who had examined
it with experts, they tried to secure an in
terview for Felker with Folger, who, how
ever, refused at first to treat with Felker.
As a result Felker threatened to take the
plate to Tilden, Hewitt Randall and others.
Under Farwell's representations. however,
the detective waited few days and Folger,
whose views had changed during that time
on account of some startling facts that had
come to his ear, received Felker, who dis
PLAYED letters of hearty Endorsement from
Mayor Harrison, Sheriff Mann, Senator Lo-
gan and Others, that gave him a
status at once with the Secretary. The Sec
rotary desired to have the experts OF the
Bureau of Engraving examine the plate,
but Felker objected to that gang" as he
called them, they being under suspicion,
having given false testimony in the case at
Chicago George Jones. President OF the
Columbian Bank Note Company for forty
years, an engraver, then examined it and
pronounced it genuine. Mr.. Neal, of the
Treasury, an expert in engraving, declared
it the genuine transfer. Mr.. Lamb made
the same statement. The Secle' Service Of
ficers meantime declared the Lat counter
felt The experts told Folger only one
man in Washington could say
whether, with geometric lathe, the
work was genuine, and he was
George Tichner. who does all that class of
work. He examined it with his glass, and.
after much hesitation. knowing the import
ance of the decision, declared the work gen.
uine, and that no human hand could have
done il in lifetime. and no hand of an en-
graver could have done it. The officials of
the Bureau of Engraving did not know
whether they had the originals from which
these impressions we're taken, but subSe-
quently said these vignettes and dies were
destroyed in 1869, and in the presence of the
Commissioner. A report was found setting
forth that fact, but the names of the signers
were torn off, an extraordinary explained
of New York, which did the work, had a
Government receipt, dated October, 1864,
showing that the vignette had been returned
to the Government. 1t was between October
1864 and 1870 The lead matrices, or i'm
pressions, must have been made and Secre-
tary Folger has now an acknowledgment
from the Bureau of Engraving that they had
these dies during that period. The entire
statement of Brockway and Felker is that
these plates were purchased from an accom-
Dlice inside the Bureau, who is not named.
1t is said Brockway declared positively there
was en- understanding between the counter
feiters and the officers of the Bureau. The
reports made to FOlger are that very
many more than the 1904 900 bonds found
on Doyle had been altered. That the three
found at Peoria were a part of the 100000
circulated at Pueblo, Col. The statement
that So, 100000 were issued is adhered to,
but the Secretary believes only $204, 600 and
the $4,000 at Peoria were all that were
issued. 1t is believed the Secretary has now
very many secret agents in the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing, and will try to
avoid publicity in the matter. Some of the
persons charged with completely are dead,
some have been removed and some are now
in the service. The Secretary has advised a
suspension of Doyle's sentence in Chicago.