Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-01-29

mems of the counterfeiter's art when
new, but a little wear discloses the
base metal of which they are made.
The pieces are not lead, but of some
harder composition into which dross
largely enters. The pieces are thin
ly silver washed and have the genu-
inc ring by reason of the introduction
of powdered glass into their compo-
sition. Business men in nearly all
the frontier towns in Vermont have
for several years been victimized to
a greater or less extent by having
counterfeit coins of this character
passed into their tills. Treasury Of
ficers have for some time been on the
alert to discover the utterers of this
counterfeit coin, and have become
satisfied that the bogus money is
is made in Canada, and are on the
track to the counterfeiters' den. which
is bul few miles from the border.
The eXistance of a well-organized
band Of counterfeiters in one of the
small Canadian settlements has been
known to the State authorities for
some years, but the Canadian autho-
rites have not seen fit to take cog
nizance of the gang, which makes a
speciality of coming bogus United
States money and disposing of the
same to Uncle Sans subjects. 1t is
supposed that these counterfeit half
dollars are sold to regular customers
on this side of the line at a certain
rate per cent, and kindly passed
around by the purchasers in the Or
binary course of trade. Further de-
velopments will be awaited with
much interest.
BURLINGTON, VT, Jan. 26. S. M.
Fields of Newport, who is charged
with having in his possession and
passing counterfeit United States
half dollars was brought before Uni
ted States Commissioner w. l.. Bur-
nap in this city this morning for
examination, and after brief hear
ing was bound over to appear at the
next term of the court under $4,000
bail. The respondent, with Hon.
L. Baker of Richford, recognized in
this amount. The Government was
represented by District Attorney
Kittredge Haskins and j. P. McIlrath,
the secret service agent of the Treas
ury Department for the New England
district, who arrested Fields. Hon.
John L. Edwards and A. G.. Stafford,
Esq, appeared for Fields. An en-
ploye of the Memphremagog House
at Newport named Linsley testified
to Fields passing six counterfeit half
dollar coins at various times as a
patron of the hotel since January 1.
The spurious nature of these 50-cent
pieces was discovered shortly after
receiving them and subsequently
marked for Identification by Linsley.
After the witness became cognizant
that the first half dollar handed him
by Fields was counterfeit he was on
the watch for bogus coin, and shortly
afterward he received five counterfeit
half dollars from Fields, which he
marked and gave to Mr.. Mclaughlin,
the hotel manager. These were put
in the safe and given to Special
Treasury Agent McIlrath. Linsley
identified these counterfeit coins be-
fore the Commissioner. Agent Nc
Ilrath testified to finding Fields in
the Memphremagog House, and find
ing in his hip pocket four counterfeit
half dollars wrapped up in paper.
These pieces were similar to those
identified by Linsley as passed by
Fields at the hotel. When Fields
first went to a room in the hotel with
the United States officer he made an
attempt to throw a handful of the
coin done up in paper into the stove
but was frustrated by the officers.
Fields had previously, at the request
of the officer, disclosed all the genu-
inc money in his possession and had
positively asserted several times that
he had nothing else in his pocket.
When Agent McIlrath discovered the
counterfeit money about Field
clothes and accused him of passing
, bogus coin he turned deadly pale and
became much excited. He begged
to be let off, and offered to redeem
all the counterfeit coin which he had
passed and fix things up. The case
was submitted without further evil
. dence and without argument, and the
Commissioner decided to bind the
respondent over for trial before the
) United States Circuit Court, which
r meets here Feb. ~. This afternoon
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