Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-07-12
Broekwsy, The Counterfeiter.

The history of William Brockway,
alias BILLY Spencer, alias Long Bill, "
who has figured in the Doyle case.
like that of many OF the coney men,
abounds In singular instances, and Is
replete with suggestive thoughts. 1t is
remarkable that the fascination which
attaches to the business never, or
rarely ever, leaves those who are en-
gagged in it. The case of Brockway is a
striking illustration of this. He has
shown remarkable adaptability to this
kind of work ever since he did his first
job in New Haven, Con-, in 1850. He
was apprentice to printer who did the
printing for the New Haven bank,
whose institution thought itself to be
secure against limitations. Two Of the
directors of the bank would take plate
from tine vaults, carry it 10 the printer,
and stand by him while ne made the
impressions. Then they took the bills
to the bank, where they were signed by
the president and cashier. Brockway
was sent to Yale college, where ne be
came proficient In the art OF electro
chemistry as taught by Prof. Silliman,
the printer paying his expenses. On
his return he was able and willing to
impart much valuable information TO
his benefactor, and it was his sIgges-
ton which brought about the following
bit of clever work. The directors had
come over with a five dollar plate,
which was placed on the press. The
printer called them aside to examine
the quality of the paper which was to
be used, alleging that it was inferior to
that which was previously used. The
examination required but moment,
but during that time Brockway secured a
cory Of the plate in soft metal, which
was perfect, and slipped it under his
apron. He afterwards electrotyped 1t,
copied it with second transfer, elec
trotyped this, and fine copper-faced
plate which worked to perfection was
the result. By degrees the paper was
obtained, and 10000 impressions
800, 000-were worked of. Brockway
WAS an expert penman, and the bills
were signed. So we'll executed were
these biils that they were taken 10y
New haven banks in large numbers
before it WAS ascertained that they were
SPURIOUS. The baHk was unable to
fathom the secret, and began 10 redeem
the Lotes and do its own printing.
BrOckway got possession of the plate
and printed spurious VS. on the North
River bank. and 2's on the New York
state bank. On these his troubles
began. He was run out of New York,
captured in the woods, gave up the
plates and was sent TO state prison for SIX
years. He was released before his time
expired, but his imprisonment had only
made him the more determined. His
next exploit was in issuing spurious
notes of the 7-30 bonds. This work
was so artistic that $50, 600 of the issue
got back into the United States treasury
before anything wrong was suspected
The question of the falslty of the notes
was contseted to jay Cooke, but while
the government obtained a verdict,
there were still many who doubted that
goI1 Tho Saryias
undertook to unlock the mystery con.
nected with the issuing of the notes. Ii
was ascertained that BrOckway was the
only man known who had perfected this
art of transferring the face of a plate by
the electrotype process. He was again
in the tolls, but was cleared. 1t has
been a conjecture ever since how this
was brought about. He gave bail IL
the sum of $40, 900, and his wife backed
his bundsmen with forty 500 United
States bonds. He was afterward ar
rested IN New Jersey, and when the
decision was given III the case of Jay
Cooke, BrOckway was arrested for that
work. He gave bail, and when the trial
came off no testimony was adduced
that would convict him, and he again
went free. On several subsequent
occasions he was arrested, because, as
he alleges. he would not give up hush
money, but III every instance be escaped
conviction. One of the salient points
in Brockway's character is said to be
that of holding ms tongue. He has
been regarded 10y the secret service men
as the most polished scoundrel in the
business. He made enough out of the
first venture he had to keep him indie
pendent for life