Connecticut western news., 1886-08-18
COUNTERFEIT COIN.
How the Spurious Money Is
 Made in New York.
Devices for Passing it Un1eteoted by Itali- ans, Who Are the Principal Offenders.

ans Who Are the Principal Offenders.
 Counterfeiting United States coins and bills is sad to be carried on now as much as formerly, but there have been many changes in it's methods and the manner of getting rid of the ''queer" when made. The days of the hidden nook in the mountain, where, in a hut, the expert maker of base coins carried on his nefarious trade with door care fully barricadel and rifles and revolvers lying about within easy reach, arc over. Now the coin is made mostly in cities, and that too in crowded neigh borhoods.
 In tho making of bad coins in this city the Italians have monopoly, and it is against the Italian workmen that Chief Drummond, of the secret service bureau in this city, is kept busy procur- ing evidence and bringing them to court. Almost without exception, every Italian counterfeiter arrested in this city during the last three years-and there have been many of them captured-has said that he came from Sicily. They are, as a rule, dull looking, ignorant fellows, notwithstanding their skill in furnishing and manufacturing the coins. Most ire quently they havo a little knowledge of the jewelry trade, and apparently they take as naturally to counterfeiting as fish to water. A number of Italians in this city who are not makers of bad coins are always ready to pass those made by oth- CTS, and tho skilled deviser of illegitimate money is to them a hero.
 The workman hires flat in tene- ment, into which he moves his family, reserving one room as workshop. He lays in stock of antimony, plaster of paris, moulds, a lathe and other appli- ances, and is ready for business. Rarely do his neighbors suspect that anything is wrong. He takes good coin for pattern and soon has the room filled with the coins in various stages of construc- tion. Never does the maker attempt to pass the money himself. He either sells it to the passer, or, more frequently, to a middle man. For this reason it is diff cult to get at the makers, and the secret service detectives are always happy when they find workshop -witha.-kit of tools and good supply of stock. The mid dle men sell to the man who does the passing. Bad coin can be bought at the rate of $4 for ten bad dollars, though higher prices are usually charged at first. When the passer gets the coin he lily frequents the side streets, where in small cigar stores and confectionery shops he passes off his spurious dollars, etc., in payment for small articles, thus recciv- ing good money in change.
 The law requires that "intent to dc ceive" must be proven against the of fender, and for this reason the counter felt money-passers go often in pairs. One man carries the coin; he deals it out one coin at a time to his companion, who enters the shop, while the other remains outside. Thus, if the passer is arrested, no other bad coins are found on his per. son, and he can assert that he did not know that the coin he offered in pay ment was bad. Many escape conviction | by this method.
 | The fruit stand Italians are usually interruptions in working off bad money, though they seldom have stock of any thing of larger denomination than dimes and quarters. More than half of the small coin that is bad works its way into circulation through these fellows. Yo, tell the vender that the coin is bad, an6 he will immediately cry out: '.Me nc tell bada money; me just come from Italy," Comparatively few arrests arc made on complaint of the police. Wher bad money is received unwittingly, few hesitate to pass it on. There is cheal | iSoNouiUhe hSOpOA oA o.1O OlSA OAdCudll street who, every few weeks, brings al the bad coins he has taken in down tt the secret service bureau in the post office building. Very few take this trouble.
 There is an erroneous idea abroad thai the government makes good the baG money received. This is mistake. Tn government confiscates all bad coins, anc the only relief of the person imposed upon is civil suit in one of the distric courts against the passer for the value o the money lost.
 The passer of counterfeit money, whel convicted, may receive as heavy sen tencc as ten years in state prison and
 fine of 5000. Apparently there is Q attractiveness about making the coin and when discharged from prison thu manufacturer almost invariably zoe back to the old business. -Neu For
 Commercial.
 | Mnbnrn Prnvorha