Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-11

from &NS AUSNCfte Il HteFtcLb.
Detective Bauer, chief Of the Southern
branch Of the national detective service,
was seen in the city yesterday. His bust
ness was kept quiet, but an american re-
porter, learning that he nad paid visit
at the jail to the two counterfeiters who
were arrested on the race course by Chief
OF Detectives Porter and detectives Turner
and Casteen. sought him out and attempt
/ ed TO interview him. Mr.. Bauer was slow
to reveal the object of his mission,
but 1t was gathered that he suspected
that the men in jail were members of
notorious band of counterfeiteTs and was
endeavOring to obtain proof. The detec-
tive went so far as to say that he wanted
the photographs of the men, and would
| certainly have them before he left the city
II added that he was confident that they
were professionals of high type, for they
carried money which appeared to come
from the most perfect $40 bill plate now
in existence In the United States. The
owner OF it was traced in 1881 to the ST.
Francis river, but there all trace was
lost. He was travelling in tWO-hOrse
wagon in the guise OF a cOuntrymau aud
one night lodged with an old woman. He
drove his team into the stable yard
and producing a small covered box car
ried it into the stable. The morning
he arose early, and eating a hasty break
fast, hitched his team and was in the act
of driving of when the old woman put in
her appearance. Her curiosity was
aroused, and she asked what the box con-
tanned. The alleged country man opened
it and disclosed TO her untut0red gaze
set Of dies which the government had for
four years been straining every nerve 10
capture. She did not understand its ma
ture, and the traveller without COM
ment, dropped the lid and drove
of. That was the last ever
seen Of him or his plates. Several de-
tectiVes were on his trail. and 20 them the
woman related what she had seen, but
their utmost endeavors to overtake him
were futile. II was supposed that after
crossing the river he changed his disguise
and worked his way North. The govern
Inent succeeded in capturing all of the
first class plates of the Sl0-bill denOmina-
ton save his, and the bill was rapidly
drawn out Of circulation. The money
which was found in the baggage Of the
two crooks arrested here was new and
bore a remarkable resemblance to that
which was made by the missing plates.
Mr.. Bauer added that since 1878 almost
all OF the counterfeit paper money in cir
culation in the South was the SO treasu-
ry note, and all now in circulation, with
but few exceptions, is old.
Miles Ogle, the notorious cOunterfeiter,
arrested ut Memphis, made the only new
money which has for eight years been
seen south Of Mason ana Dixon'5 line,
with tae exception of that which was
found on the race track. Mr.. Bauer had
one OF thesn bills in his pocket and point
cd out its eXcellences and defects to the
reporter.
A photographer named Fox, of Hender-
son, KY, made a poor imitation of the bill
several years since, was detected and
sentenced to Imprisonment in Albany.
When near his prison walls he escaped
from his guards and has since never been
heard from. Immediately after the war,
when ''wld-cat' money was flooding the
country and Confederate bills were as
common as dirt, MIR. Bauer added, cOun-
terteiters sprang up in all sections. Some
OF them were expert, and even The ''dutf-r''
was able to produce bill capable of de-
CeiYing the unwary public. The govern
ment promptly took the matter in hand,
and by enlargin and improving its de-
tective force succeeded in wedding nearly
all of these bills out of circulation.
IF we could only capture the st. Fran
els river plate we would have the matter
under our thumbs" added the skilled
chief. Mr.. Bauer remarked that Chief
Porter had performed a very deXtrOus
piece Of work in detecting the operations
of the crooks at the race track. He had
always entertained a hgh opinion Of Mr..
Porter and considered him one of the best
detectives in the South.
''lS there much counterfeit coin in the
SouthY WAS asked.
every little. Almost every piece YOU
see was made by crude machinery. Uu-
skillful mOuntaineers and residents of re-
mote localities do nearly all this class of
work, and it is easily detected. Occa-
siOnally "a crack from the North or West
seeks some hidden spot and gets out an
excellent piece of money, but he can't e
it ~ circulation as easily as he could in
the North, aud is, consequently, more
easily caught. The greater danger of ar
rest deters the more skilllul shower Of the
queer from this sectionV
But let me say one thing. II the
bankers would take a bold stand about
counterfeit money it could be weeded out
with very little difficulty. You see. bill
IS passed oil on merchant; he takes it t.
the bank, together with other bills for
deposit. He does not know it is counter
felt, but the skilled bank man does. He
dislikes very much to say to a customer,
you have offered me counterfeit money. so
quietly accepts the bad bill and sends il
ont for circulation at another time. His
motive is good and some bankers will do
this. II, however, tie banker would de-
clare the note counterfeit when be sees it
and refuse to accept it, why it could be
killed of at once.