The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-27
POWER OF THE PRESS.
A New Device Which Makes Counterfeiting
Effective and Safe.

Washington Special to New York Herald.
'"This solves the villainous problem of effect
i've and safe counterfeting," said Chief Brooks,
of the secret service, in another chat yesterday.
United States Treasury building and brought
out little steel screw press and some wooden
patterns lying on the floor.
''You might almost call it an internal ma
chine / never saw before counterfeiter's
press so compact, so effective, so ingenious and
so powerful. 1t can be put into market basket,
and yet it wi crush the hardest silver to
ragged film. Moreover, its operation is so easy
and silent that the hand of a child can strike off
coins from planchettes under its dies and no
sound of its movement will be heard two yards
away
''Will You allow me to try my hand?"
Certainly" said the Chief, handing short
wrench to the writer. ''Take turn yourself"
The wrench was fitted to place, and with a
gentle pull upon the handle the dies were forced
against the plates as if driven by hydraulic
press.
you See" Mr. Brooks continued, ''the fellow
who devised this press has combined the princ-
pie of the iackscrew so cleverly with a pivoted
wrist will force the dies into the planchettes.
Don't describe it too infinitely, or you will fatten
swindlers at the expense of honest men. This
inventor might perhaps have been another Watt
if he had devoted the genius here shown to le-
gitimate uses. But he was blind to the true
devil for less than thirty pieces of silver: Doubt
less he was too careless, though, to profit by his
invention as much as more cautious counter
feiter would have done"
what is his name2"
81 will give you our official biography"
Joel Caplin. Essex street. New York, arrest
ed March s, 1885, sentenced in May to q term of
two years and six months in Auburn penlten-
tiary. Conviction obtained on charge OF manu-
featuring and having in possession counterfeit
United States coin. Native of Poland. Five
feet two inches in height Fifty years Old He
is safely lodged and cared for now, but look out
for him when he gets loose"
"Why SOL"
"He is the forerunner of a new race of coun-
terfeiters. He of the future will not need con-
federate. He will want no expensive machinery.
no steam or water power. He will carry his
press in basket to his garrett in the slums of a
great city. He will take his planchettes from
his pocket. insert two between the dies,
move his hand down once. and the
coins will be made. This faculty for working
alone will lessen astonishingly the chances of
detection. The assistance Of confederates in
creases the risks in geometrical proportion to
the numerical increase of the gang. Two are
far more safe from suspicion than three, and
three can work far more securely than FIVE.
Yet the purchase of the expensive plant hereto
fore needed, and its effective operation have
rendered 1t necessary for counterfeiters of
stamped coin to band together in gangs Of four
and five. Caplin has overcome this necessity
and our vigilance must be more than quadrupled
to match his invention. This understood Pole
in a penitentiary has taught US all lesson, sir.
which modern newspapers all enforce-the lesson
of the growing power of the press Mr.. Hoe
might profit from study of this machine. and
the sellers of market baskets may yet find new
outlet for their wares. Beware of the most ordi-
nary looking baskets when Joel gets out of JAIL "