The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-14
THE COINERS.

evil at last became so great that the United
States authorities requested sBillful de-
tective might be sent TO ferret oat the nest
of coiners. was fixed upon to perform
that duty.
/ had nothing to guide me. The fact,
however, that Chicago was the city where
the counterfeit coin was the most abun-
dant led me to suspect that the Eanufac-
tory might be somewhere within it's lin
its. 1t Us therefore to the capital of the
west that first proceeded. l spent five
weeks in that beautiful city, but without
gaining the slightest clew Of the counter
feiters.
began to grow discouraged, and really
thought I should be obliged TO return
home without having achieved any result
One day received letter from my wife
requesting that 1 would send her home
some money, as she was ont Of funds.
wentinto bank and ashed for draft, at
the same time handing asum of money to
pay for it, in which there were several half
dollars. The clerk pushed three of the half
dollars back to me-
Counterfeit" said be.
what" said /, edo you mean to tell me
those half dollars are counterfeit"
81 do"
Are you certain?"
Perfectly certain. They are remarkably
well executed, but they are deficient in
weight. See for yourself"
And he placed one of them in the scales
against genuine half dollar on the other
side. The latter weighed down the former
'That Is the best executed counterfeit
coin / ever saw in my life," l exclaimed
examining them very closely. is all the
counterfeit money in circulation here Of
the same character as this2"
"Oh, dear, no." replied the clerk, sit is
not nearly so well done. These are the
work of Ned Willett, the famous New York
counterfeiter. / know them we'll, for
have handled great deal of it in my time
Here is someof the money that is IN circu-
lation here" he added, taking several half
dollars from drawer. "You see the mill
ing is not nearly as perfect as Ned Viii
let's, although it is pretty well done, too. !"
I compared the two together and found
that he was right. I supplied the place Of
the three counterfeit half dollars with
good coin and returned the former to my
pocket again.
A few days after this I received informa-
ton which caused me to take a journey to
a village situated about thirty miles from
Chicago l arrived there at night and took
up my quarters at the only tavern in the
place. 1t was a wretched dwelling and
kept by an old man and woman, the
surlest couple think it hes ever been my
lot to meet. In answer to my inquiry as
to whether could have lodging there for
the night noticed that the host gave a
peculiar look at his wife, and after some
whispering was informed in the most IN
gracious manner possible that L could
have bed.
l have frequently in the course Of my
life been obliged to put up with wretched
accommodation, so 1 did not allow my
equaninity of temper to be destroyed by
the miserable fare set before me- and the
still more miserable sleeping apartment
into which l was ushered after | had con-
cluded my repast.
The chamber was small in sizes and was
certainly we'll ventilated, for 1 could see
the stars peeping through the roof. The
bed was simply bag of straw thrown into
one corner of the room, without sheets or
covering of any kind. This last fact, how
ever, was NOT of much consequence, rs it
was summer time and oppresivefy hot
stood for moret than an hour gazing out
of the openingwhichs served for q window.
Before me was spread an immenselprairie,
the limits of which I could not tsee. The
tavern in which had ta4Sen uPIny abode
appeared to be isolated from all other
dwellings, and save the croak of the tree
frog and the hum of the locust not sound
reached my ears. TWAS a beautiful moon
light night, and so bright that l could ses
to read the smallest print.
AT last l began to grow weary, and
throwing myself on my pallet l vas soon
plunged into a deep lumber. How long
slept know not, but l was awakeDed by a
dull sound, which resenbied some one
hammering in the distance. l suppose il
was the popularity of the sound which
woke me, for it wes by no means boud, but
conveyed 80 me the idea of some oaetstrik-
ing iron with a muflled hammer. I rose
up from my bed and went to the window.
The moon was low In the western horizon,
by which fact I knew that it must be near
morning The sound / have referred to
reached me more distinctly than when in
the back part of the chamber. Ii appeared
to come from some outhouses which were
situated about hundred yards from the
house.
Now I am naturally of an inquiring
mind, and this sound. occurring as 1t did in
the middle of the night, in such, remote,
out of the way place, piqued my Curiosity
and felt an irresistible desire 20 so out
and discover the cause OF It. This desire,
as the sound continued, grew upon me
with such intensity that l resolved to grs-
tify it at any price
l put on my boots, the only articles OF
attire l had discarded, and cautiously
opening the door of my chamber noisesess-
" descended the rickety staircesSa \ few
steps brought me into the lower apart
ment, which / found entirely DESCRIBED. /
crept quietly to the deer, and unfhstening
it without making the slightest Ttoise was
soon IN the moonlight.
Net soul was visible, but the sound
still continued and grew more distinct as
approached the place from whs$R ii pro
cee6ed. At last I found myself before
long low building, through the or vices Of
which l could perceive frrid glare issu
ing. stopped down and peered through
the Ecrhois. snd 70 nv extreme sunrise
saw half dozen strong hooking noan- with
their coats of and sleeves turned ND, per
forming a variety of strange occupations.
Some were working at forge, Others were
experimenting the castinSof U1nAds, and
some were engaged u the process Of mill
ing coin. In moment the whole truth
burst upon ms. Here vas the gang CT
counterfeiters was % seaEch oE and the
landlord and bis wife observation-disclosures
TO the same band. for in oae corner per
oeived them employed. the nran podshine
of some scmehab dotsrpisoes tuss turned
from the mnl6s, while the woman was
packing tbs finished coins into rolls
/ had seen enough and was aboatl % re-