The morning call., 1890-08-17
A DETECTIVES
CLOSE CALL.
Accidentally Tumbling on a Gang
of COunterfeiters.
He Is Made Captive and Is About to Be
Killed, When, to Their Surprise, He
Claims to Be the Boss Counterfsiter.

r.
fSJy flooded with eounterfeit coin. 1t
DS was so well manufactured that it
passed readily. The evil at last became so
great that the United States authorities re-
Quested skillful detective might be sent to
ferret out the nest of coiners. was fixed
upon to perform the duty.
I had nothing to guide me. The fact,
however, that Chicago was the city where
the counterfeit coin was most abundant
led me to suspect that the mandatory
might be somewhere within Its limits. LII
was, 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 counterfeiters.
began to grow discouraged, and really
thought should be obliged to return home
without having achieved any result one
day l received letter from my wife re-
questing that should send her some mon
ey, as she was out of funds. l went into a
bank and asked for a draft, at the same
handing sum of money to pay for 1t, IN
which there were several half-dollars. The
clerk pushed three of the half dollars back
to me.
Counterfeit" said he.
WHAT" said 1, "do you mean to tell me
these half dollars are counterfeit?
II do"
Are you certain?"
Perfectly certain. They are remarka-
bly, 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," exclaimed, ex-
aiming them very closely. us all the
counterfeit money in circulation here OF the
same character as thiS?'
"Oh, Gear, no." replied the clerk, 'it is
not nearly so well done. These are the
work of Ned Willett, the
FAMOUS NEW YORK coUNTERFETTER.
81 know them well, for have handled
great deal of it in my time Here is some
of the money that is in circulation here"
he added, taking several half-dellars from
a drawer. You see the milling is not
nearly as perfect as Ned Willett's, although
it is pretty well done, too"
l compared the two together and found
that he was right l 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 journey to
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 wretched dwelling and kept
by an old man and woman, the surliest
couple | think it has been my lot to meet.
In answer TO my inquiry as TO whether l
could have lodging there for the night, l
noticed that the host gave peculiar look
at his wife, and after some whispering l
was Informed in the most ungracious man
ner possible that | could have bed.
have frequently, in the course of my
life, been obliged to put up with wretched
accommodation, so | did not allow my
equanimity 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 l had con-
cluded my repast
The chamber was small in size, and was
certainly well ventilated, for could see the
stars peeping through the roof; the bed
simply a bag of straw thrown into one cor
per of the room without sheets or covering
of any kind. This last fact, however, was
not of much consequence as it was summer
time and
oPPRESsIvELY HOT
stood for more than an hour gazing out
of the opening which served for window.
Before me was spread an Immense prairie
the limit of which [ could not see. The
tavern in which l had taken my abode ap-
peared to be Isolated from all other dwell
lngs, and save the croak of the tree frog and
the hum OF the locust not sound reached
my ears. 1t was beautiful moonlight
night, and so bright that l could see to read
the smallest print.
AT last began to grow weary, and throw
ing myself on my pallet was soon plunged
into deep slumber. How long / slept
know not, bot | was awakened by a dull
sound, which resembled some one hammer
ing in the distance. suppose 1t was the pc
culiarity Of the sound which awOke ME, for it
was by no means loud. but conveyed to me
the idea Of some one striking iron with
muffied hammer. L 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 L referred to reached me more dis
tinctly than when in the back part of the
chamber. 1t appeared to come from some
0uthouseS which were situated about 100
yards from the house.
Now am naturally of an inQuiring mind,
and this sound, occurring as it did in the
middle of the night in such a remote, out
of-the-way place, piqued my curiosity, and
| felt an irresistible desire to 90 out and
discover the cause of It, This desire, as the
sound continued, grew upon me with such
intensity that l resolved to crafty it at
once.
put on my boots, the only articles of at
tire had discarded, and cautiously opening
the door of my chamber, nOiselessly de-
scended the riekety staircase. A few steps
brought me into the lower apartment, which
l found
ENTIRELY DESERTED.
| erept quietly tn the door, and unfasten-
ing 1t without making the slightest noise,
was soon III the moonlight.
Not soul was visible, but the sound
still continued, and grew more distinct as L