Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-09-28
A National ROEues' Gallery.

The headquarters OF the Secret Dl-
vision of the Treasury Department Is
one of the most interesting places for
sight-seers in Washington. The "rOgues'
gallery" will serve we'll to entertain the
visitor for an hour. On the walls hang
portraits of most of the noted counter
feiters who have been detected, the
collection numbering about 1000. In
one corner of the room stands large
safe in which is stored $500. 900 in spur
ious money. Near the safe is a press
used by Charles Uhlrich, an ingenious
German who thought it easier to make
counterfeit plates, than turn an honesSS
penny, though he was skilled artist
and could command handsome income
almost anywhere.
. A curious article rests upon Uhlrich's
press. 1t is miniature representation
of the old bell and tower of Indepen-
dence Hall, from which was rung out
the decree of liberty in l776. 1t Is
made from redeemed greenbacks after
they have been destroyed and converted
into paper, the structure representing
about million dollars.
Among the pictures displayed is that
of Halleck, who robbed the Treasury
cash room of $4,000. He was employ
ed in the cash room, and by making
false package for the Adams Express
Company he was enabled to extract the
money from the building. Another
picture is that of Bixley, the counter
feiter, who several times succeeded in
evading the law. When captured no
money could be found upon him, but
one of the officers noticed the peculiar
look of a cane the prisoner carried, and
on examining the stick it was found to
be hollow and filled with bad coin.
Other portraits were those Of the Rev.
, DR.. Thomas and his wife, who for a
, time too successfully carried on their
operations Bailey, the only man who
ever made good imitation of the paper
; on which money is printed Brodwell,
, on whom was captured 1000 counter
| feit $50 notes of the Spanish Bank oi
t Cuba Doyle, Brockway, the prince oi
counterfeiters, and Smith, the engraver,
+, the famous trio whose counterfeit 81. .00C
bond is so neatly done that it is almost
impossible to tell it from the original.
Most counterfeit gold pieces are made
of platinum. The value of a $5 piece
1t made of this metal is S4.60, the coun-
: terfeiter only realizing 40 cents for hi
! labor. The manner of making counter
oI plaster paris, affHeqaX gsXr is to take block o
1t cast of the genuine coin in the pass Pllaaske
y and after binding the pieces togethe
" make hole on one side through whicl
q to pour in the metal. When this i
D. finished, thin sheet of silver is presse
G. upon it, and after putting on the serrat
'e ed edge, the work is completed. Mos
> counterfeit silver money is made c
Is brass, which produces good ring, an
counterfeit fifty-cent piece of thi
ID kind weighs nearly the same as genuin
u coin. A specimen of fine work don
a with pen and ink is a twenty-dolla
!, bill, the difference between it and tn
IS genuine note being SO small that non
a. expert could not detect it. Another in
~ terestlng exhibit is some raised money
n The V on a fve-dollar bill has bee
" carefully scraped of, the fifty" STAN
is on cigar box neatly pasted on, and i
Is some way the whole bill changed. Mos
! of this class of work is done by Chimes
IN counterfeiters, and their photograph
te occupy considerable space in the gallery
ii A raised check which hangs upon til
.O wall attracts considerable attention
q The original was a check on the Thir
" National Bank of New York for $451
ID All of the writing except the signatur
r was removed by acids and the amour
a changed to $26. 96S.75 The check wa
, y presented at the bank and paid. Th
le plates, by which any fifty-dolIar bill i
ly issue can be counterfeited, are ais
ne shown.