Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-07-10
FOLGER KIP LAINS.
A DETAILED STArEMEHT NJ TIE
DOYLE BOND PLATE AFFAIR.
Complete Refutation Of the Claim That
Numbers OF Counterfeit Bonds are now
In Circuiatfon-The Bond Plate Proved
Bogus--Detective Felker's Connection
With the Affair Explained Mys-
teries Cleared mp.

WASHINGTON, July S.-Secretary Folger to-
day furnished for publication the following
statement OF the origin and results of his in
vesfigation concerning the so-called "Doyle
bond plates":
Treasury Department, Office of Secretary,
Washington, D. c., July $50 much has been
said in the public prints about the Doyle bonds
that it is well to make an explicit explanation
IN regard thereto. There are counterfeits OF
United States bonds, known az the per cents
of 1881, and only Of the 81, 600 denomination
Of that issue. OF genuine bonds there were
issued, in all, 500, ESQ. 600, in amounts which
were separately numbered from 110, $50, inclu-
sive. When they were issued a record was
made of all of them in book wherein the
number of each bond was entered in line by
itself and the numbers of all of the genuine
bonds have been redeemed and Cancelled, except
27S,0O0, and interest ceased to run on the %
in 1851. When any one of these bonds has
been noticed for redemption the number it Dor e
has been offered, the record book has been re-
ferred to to see if the bond OF that number
had ever been offered before. 1t has then been
scrutinized in other respects and when accepted
and redeemed an entry has been made upon
tuC UOCk tudG SHOWS that lRc UOuQ Oh tuab
number has been paid Off and Cancelled. 1t is
the fact there has never been offered for re-
demption, duplicate of any bond heretofore
redeemed, that is to say never have two bonds
of the same number been offered. It is also q
fact that there has never been offered for re-
demptiOn bond with a number higher than
or different from the same genuine number
recorded in that book. The significance of
these facts will be seen further on
The existence Of any conn lerfeif bnnds the
Doyle bonds, was notknown to any branch of
this department until October, 1880, when
Doyle way arrested in Chicago and spurious
bonds were found in his possession. 1t af
terward appeared that three of the spurious
bonds had been before that pledged as collat-
then taken from him in all 254 of the
spurious bonds, with one $50 coupon at
tached to each bond and fourteen detached
coupons Of the same kind and denomination,
and three bonds that had been thus pledged
were after that surrendered to the officers of
the secret service force OF the government,
making in all 207 bonds.
1t has been stated in the public prints that
49,, 000, 600, in nominal amounts, of spurious
bonds were struck off by the counterfeiters,
and that many of them have been put in cir
culatiOn. Here is where the significance is to
be felt of the facts above stated. Surely, if
that amount of bonds or a 1.-THE of it, had
been placed in the hands Of innocent holders,
long ago would some of the bonds have been
offered for redemption, for it is not to be
supposed with the whole amount Of genuine
bonds outstanding reduced to $27S, 900, and
with interest no longer running on them, that
there would be innocent holders of the spu-
rious bonds believing them to be genuine, so
wealthy or SO careless as not to bring them for
ward for redemption. Had they been offered, a
comparison of the plumbers on them
with the book OF the record of the
genuine bonds would have disclosed
the fact that duplicate or higher numbers
existed. That fact never having appeared it is
thought to be conclusive that the story is
baseless of the large amount printed and put
in circulation. 1t has also been stated in the
same way that more than 204 of the spurious
bonds were found on Doyle and that by the
act or connivance Of some officer or officers of
the secret service some of the excess over that
numner have been set afoat.
Promising that the-204 found on Doyle and
the three pledged with the Illinois bank and
cupOn attached to them and fourteen detached
cupOns, are now in the custody of officers of
the government and by actual count lately
made as shown to be there, it Is further to be
said that the belief that no more exists than
as above stated rests upon the official report
of the officers of the secret service, made on
official oath, and upon Investigations lately
had when it was stated that more we're cap
tured with Doyle and some rumOrs to the
same effect, having show of truth, come to
tie hearing of this department special agent
of the treasury, and detective from the
assistant treasurer's Office at New York, nei-
ther of them in any wise connected with the
secret service of the government and acting
without the knowledge of that service, were
detailed to ferret out the matter.
They have reported to the department that
nothing has yet been found to give a color of
truth to the rumor. 1t is almost certain that
no more were ever in possession of Doyle than
the POT above spoken of.
Quite as important matter is the statement
that the plate from which the spurious bonds
were struck was either itself genuine or was
reproduced from genuine die and work, and
that the means of doing SO were furnished
from within the department. / am thorough
ly satisfied that these allegations are ent,re,y
unfOunded
1t is well to state with detail how this mat
ter has been presented to me. Doyle was
the second day of May last. Shortly after
that date Samuel M Felker, by calling pri-
vate detective, in that city, came to this de-
partment and declared that he was here in be-
half of Doyle to get for him immunity from
punishment. The consideration which he
offered therefor was the surrender of the plate
from which the spurious bonds were struck
CIV PiOOA tAdt IL W1o ehS SSAoAuV VOihs
from which the real government bonds were
struck, or that it was produced by
the use of that genuine work and
that the genuine work or use was
had by completely of officers or employees of
the government. ] have no reason to sup
pose that Felker was not sincere in his offer
or in his belief of the facts which he assert
ed. This department declined to interfere for
the postponment OF Doyle's trial. In the
meantime Doyle had been tried and convicted.
Felker did put the plate into the possession
OF this department and a promise was given
to him that an effort would be made to get
suspension of sentence upon Doyle and an as
surance of clemency If through his means it
should be proven that the plate from which
the spurious bonds were produced was pro-
cured from officials or subordinate employees
of the United States, or otherwise wrongfully
obtained from within the department. This
was done on the same principle that the law
has long recognized of giving immunity to a
criminal on his turning states evidence
against an accompllce against whom a more
satisfactory kind of testimony was not
to be had. Surely it was better to bring to
light rogues within the department if they
exist trusted by government than to punish
one outside of it and in whom no confidence
was placed. 1t is sufficient to say on one part
of this matter that nothing has been shown
to this department tending to prove that any
official or employe of the government had any
thing to do with the production of the