Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-08-31
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WASHINGTON. August i5.-Tna s.crss
sofSice uivisiou nf sno Treasury Depart.
thcut - In constant re,eiD. of .ettsrs
ieom prrsons Who profess to be able 10
give information regarding counterfeit
ers. Va Investigation these of r. ara
round 10 Come alTnns. invariably from
pr les who have received what are
kno sn - booG4e" circulars. A print
Cd letter has been pre1ared. which IA
DOW oeing sent to each voQid be- in
FORMER. InIs states that the persons
advertising csu1terfeit money for sale
never actually deaf in it, but make a
pretense OF DOUG 80 in order to inyeipie
dishonest persons, who would buy coon-
terfeit money if they could, to part With
tasir good money in the hope Of receiv-
ing counterfeit. The crime of which
the boodier il guilty, when SUCCESS
TAI, 10 obtaining money under false pre-
lenses, All offense of which only State
Statutes take cogniz incss These swim
Oilers are usually located in large cities
but New York contains by far the great
est number. They send circulars In i'm
itation of letters by thousands over the
country. inviting their correspondents
20 visit the city they date from, naming
the hotel at which they should stop, and
onering great inducements 10 purchase.
Another practice, related in the secret
service circular, IL for the svindiers to
lead their victims on by sending a gem
uins 81 or ~ bill, or parts of the same,
and representing them to be specimens
OF the counterfeit notes they have for
SALE The officials say that those VINO
nave counterfeit notes for sale do not
write letters TO strangers Offering it.
Even after the introduction Of a new
man by one counterfeiter TO another, it
takes long time to establish s1ch
friendly relations as would induce a
coHnterfeiter to trust a new conner. Yet
thousands Of criminally foolish people
believe they Can purchase counterfeit
money as they could butter or cheese,
ana. IN their attempts to obtain it, are
swindled.
Chief Brooks gives graphic history
OF recent case reported to hia. A
countryman received one of these circu-
lars and proceeded to New York with all
his available ready money. The letter
had expressed great friendship for him
and a desire to deal squsrely face to
face; no express package of worthless
material to be sent q. o. D., etc. He
was conducted into an office where sew
eral clerks were apparently busy writing.
The money, genuine United States notes,
was counted out to him, and he was in
vited to make it up into q convenient
package, which he was recommended to
send home in advance by express as
measure OF safety. A black bag was
provided for him to send il in, and he
placed the neat parcel there with his
own hands. Just as the dupe and SWIM
der were about to start to the express
Office q policeman was seen by one of
the gang to be Watching the building.
The dupe became alarmed, and readily
assented to the proposition of his cOun
terfeiting friend to take the risk Of car
rying the bag past the office. They
started for the door, but Just as the
swindler opened it and was partly
through, some one in the room called
them back.
The dupe looked around for an in
slant, and then the two proceeded on
their way. The package was transferred
to the countryman's own hands as soon
as the officer Was safely left behind, and
duly deposited with the express CON-
pany. On arriving home and opening
his bag, he found package greatly re-
sembling the one he had deposited, but
containing only waste paper. Inc eX-
PLANTATION given Of this trick was that,
while the countryman was preparing his
parcel, another was being made just like
il and placed in a similar black bag.
When the swindler had himself called
back at the door, the exchange was
made by confederate artist. The dupe
wrote to the swindlers. relating his dis
oovery, and received consolatOry letter
blaming an employee of the express
company, and Offering to make the loss
good by giving double measure the next
time. Again the oountryman bit. He
received the money, which he was this
time permitted to place in his pocket.
On his way to the depot, however, he
was arrested by two stalwart detectives,
who took him before Judge" where
he was searched and the counterfeit mo-
ney taken from him. After q hearing
he was sent in charge of one of the con-
federates TO the Tombs, but allowed to
escape on the way, for consideration.
This, Chief Brooks added, is a common
everyday case, and thousands Of dollars
are taken in the same way in New York
and other large cities every week.