The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-04-08
THE MYSTERIOUS DUTCHMAN.

Soon after the National currency be-
gan to be issued, and before the inven-
ton and adoption of the peculiar quail
ty of bank-note paper, the manufacture
of which the Government has endeav-
ored to monoplize and control, very
large quantity of spurious money, pur-
porting to be made by the new National
Banks, was thrown upon the public.
Counterfeiting, up to that time, had
furnished employment to a very large
number of persons, and the business
had in many cases been carried on with
but little risk of detection or punish
ment False oaths, alibis, jury disagree
ments, and an endless diversity of legal
tricks, were ready to come to the rescue
of any scoundref of that sort whom his
'confederates in crime believed to be
worth saving. Many of the most ex-
pert and dangerous counterfeiters were
intimately connected with men of
wealth and apparent responsibility, and
sometimes they were those men them
selves.
After the currency came under the
immediate control of the general Gov
eminent, more efficient and thorough
measures were adopted for eradicating
that terrible evil. 1t was, however, too
firmly and deeply rooted to be easily
removed. Many of the old veterans in
that business had followed it until they
were apparently unable to turn their
attention to anything else. To fluid
these men, and bring them out from
their parlors and dens, was the only way
to stop their infamous work.
To the leading officers of the detective
no L,
time that an Exchange Office" as we
called it, was located in or near a small
inland city; one or more persons living
there being engaged in receiving, for
warding and distributing, if not also
making, counterfeit bills in large guam
titles; but no evidence that justified
even a suspicion as to who those per-
sons were, had thus far been obtained.
"We have another job for you, Mr..
Rulison," was the announcement that
greeted, and in fact, delighted me, i'm
mediately after closed my report of a
successful raid upon gang engaged in
that line of business. $50 and find the
persons who run that distributing office.
Pursue any course that seems best to
you. Our information shows plainly
that the leader in the mischief lives
there, and is well acquainted with his
business"
| was soon in that little city, and for
the first two weeks was quietly " swing
ing around the CIRCLE" but without let
ting any one know who 1 was or why ]
was there.
A dozen times or more within that
fortnight heard illusions to person
known as "the mysterious Dutchman,"
and made a good many casual inquiries
in regard to that individual. Twice
within those two weeks l saw him. The
first time he was pointed out to me by
a man who had at that moment been
endeavoring to describe him to me. He
was some distance from me, however;
but the next day l observed him APP
preaching, and about to meet and pass
me. AS he did so he turned upon me q
searching glance, which enabled me
also to mark and measure him.
ave have met, old fellow, and shall
be likely to meet again." | said, as
watched his receding movements, and
observed that when about thirty PAGES
from me he threw back stealthy glance
that seemed to ask:
who are you, and what do you wan
of meP"
To the eye of any one but practiceC
detective that man would have passed
for quiet. honest old German " Herr, >