The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-06-24
NOW HERE is REFORM.
ooUNTERERIr COIN MADE
In the Ohio PsuitsntiAry Uudsr the Nose Of
Governor HOadly's Superintendent OF
the Prison-HoW the Corrupt Guards
stood IN With the COnViutS,

@tNNNAtN AANeNNd = aNFNtAANNNNNAN ~
the PriSOn-HoW the Corrupt GuArdS
stood IN with the COnViOtS,
CoLUMBus, o., June 2S.-During the
two years in which Isaac G. Poetry acted
as warden Of the Ohio Psnitentiary the
mismsnagemsnt Of the institution was
several times referred to. The inability
Of the warden and his assistants to prop,
erly manage the public trust committed
to their care, was commented upon, and
their lack Of executive ability plainly
shown. Evidence has lately been deysl-
oped tending to establish the fact that the
tally sheet forgeFies were committed
within the prison walls, the details Of
which were printed Monday morning.
But the greatest outrage, perpetrated by
prisoners, under the nose OF the Demo-
cratic managers, ia yet to be- told. On
Saturday, night Q boy was arrested for
passing counterfeit money, and when.
taken TO the station house told the police
that the spurious coin was made In the
penitentiary, and 1t seems that he was
telling the truth, The Stale Journal this
morning publishes an interview with a
prisoner who Is In possession OF all the
faCs. The prisoner ls intelligent, having
ut one time been on the stat OF the Cni-
Cago Tribune, and at another time on the
New YOrK 4HaseS, and seems to be well
posted oa prison CroOkedness,
coUNTERTRlTING.
The story ofthe counterielting and gen.
eral dishonesty and mismanagement OF
the Penitentiary Is best told in the inter.
view, He said there was no truth in the
claim that the spurious coin had been
made by wholesale, but VI have known az
much, possibly, as $40 or $l5 to be made
IN an afternoon by one man. BY this time
his mold-generally a small plaster affair
would be worn out, and several days
would be required to make another. BE-
sides that, tue amount spoken Of would
last him u month or two, as he would not
dispose of all at one time"
"What are ese moulds made ot?n
swell u very good mold eau bo made
for ~ half dollar or smaller piece out OF
large sized tin ,blaCking box. Each hall
VI the box is filled with luely prepared
plaster Of Paris. A genuine new coin ID
then pressed between the two halves while
damp, when good impression !s obtain.
cd. The edges are 'mIlled' with small
iron made for the purpose, while the coin
ls in vice between Two small blocks Ol
soft wood to prevent any abrasion Of the
figure"
"0l what metal Is theco mAds2"
now THE COIN WAS MADE.
ut generally contains nothing more
than what is called "tin," the same as is
used by timers for soldering purposes;
but after leaving the prison there is a
powdered substance called whiting rubbed
over thesurtace, which gives 1t the appear
auCe OF silver"
"Why don't they use some harder metal
that would give the coin riDg"
"slmply because 1t would then be i'm.
possible TO make 1t In the prison."
"Why2" was asked In asLonishment.
at would require coke fire and a cruel.
bic to melt or reduce 1t, and this could not
oe done without the contractors or fore.
men detecting II; and not only that, but
The molds used are not strong enough to
hold such metal"
Glow, then, do they melt tho tin2"
"1n hand.ladle; 1t seldom holds over
= pint, and is melted over a blacksmith's
fire."
"rhen the coin is not nodded in
foundry"
at is not" answered the convict.
hWhara In the nnin mada 7n |
"ln one of the hnishing.rooms adjoining |
the foundry"
''ln what part Of the prison Is 1t gener.
ally made 2"
1.-THE most Of 1t Is made on Patton's con-
tract in the enamel department or grind
ing.room. 1t is Patton's tin that ID used,
40 matter what part Of the prison 1t Is |
made in-whether his shops or else
where"
"ls there a guard In these shops2'
"rhere is q guard In every shop"
Cant he see what is going on 2"
"He often has an iron In the fire him
"What do you mean by that2"
"He gets rake out Of IT,"
DEPENDED ON THE GUARD.
"Do you mean to say that any guard |
would know Of counterfeit coin being
made and not inform on the convict found |
making It in his shop2"
"That depends on who the guard is.
You see we live In an age OF reform. The |
time has been when one convict In this
place could not look CroSs-eyed at another
without being reported for 1t. But since
Peetry took charge there has been no dis.
Cpline at all-only for the 'blokes'-a
'Chump didn't stand any show at all with
Peetry's management; but square man
Rho could keep his mouth shut was solid |
l tell you we had got things down fine
when the Republicans came IN and upset
everything A fellow seliom gets smell
OF booze now; but before the old guards
left fellow could often get drink out OF
the guards private bottle when his own
was empty. oh, they'll get back again,
and don't you forget itl"
"You don't mean 10 say that prisoners
were allowed 10 drink whisky7"
"No matter about the being allowed
part Of 1t, the guards knew prisoners 10
have whisky, saw them drink II, and
brought It In 10 them In exchange for coin |
and other articles"
"on whom were these spurious coins
passed?"