Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-15
BEATING UNCLE SAM.
A SkiIlful COunterfeiter, Who is Evi-
IDENTIFY a MOnOmaniac.
TRICK WITH A BAD $1,000 BILL.
HoW the Treasury Night be Robbed, But
1t Wouldn't Pay.
THE BAN ON ALL ADVERTISING MONEY

markable counterfeiter at present living has
been keeping the United States Secret Serv-
ice in such condition of evaporation for a
long time past that no trouble or expense
would be considered excessive for the ac-
cOmplishment of his capture. And this,
although he produces on an average not
more than two bogus notes in year. The
remarkable thing about these limitations is
that they are executed entirely with pen.
Once in six months almost as regularly as
clockwork one of them turns up at the
Treasury here, to the disgust of the Govern
ment detectives, whose utmost efforts cannot
discover so much as a clue to follow.
The strangest point about the matter is
that the work OF producing the bills in this
fashion, merely considered as a question of
labor remunerative or otherwise, cannot pos
sibly pay. They are always either ifties or
twenties, and to make one must require
pretty constant toll for quite half q year.
The last one, which was received only few
davs ago. was double X. Funnily enough,
thev come each time from a different city,
and the supposition is that the forger leaves
town for another locality immediately upon
passing one. He gets rid of the note he has
Just completed, which may remain in circu-
lation tor some time before reaching bank,
and departs long before the police agents
have q chance to arrive upon the scene.
PROBABLY MoNoMANIAC.
The most plausible theory seems to be
that he is q monomaniac of means, who
gratifes morbid taste in this astonishing
way. His imitation bills are so perfectly
done that no one short of a professional ex-
pert would hesitate to take them for good
money. From the vignettes to the sigma
lures, the work is performed with an ac-
curacy that bears scrutiny with a powerful
magnifying glass. In all likelihood the
reason why the notes are not made of larger
denominations is that they would be proper
tionately more difficult to pass.
The secret service is also considerably
annoyed Just at present regarding a new
counterfeit 81, 900 bill, which is so admira-
bly, executed that half a dozen specimens
have actually been passed on one bank. 1t
turned up for the first time only the other
day in Boston, where a woman went into the
shop of Jordan, Marsh & Co. and purchased
valuable shawl, rendering in payment
United States Treasury note for s., 900.
The clerk took the bill and kept the Gus
toner waiting several minutes for her
change. When be returned with il she ex-
pressed.her anger and demanded to know
what the matter had been. The clerk owned
that he had stepped over to a bank near by
10 have the bill tested, whereat the woman
declared that she would not take the shawl
and founced out.
TESTED THE WRONG BILL.
Subsequently she came back, said she had
thought better of it, took the shawl, paid for
it with 81, 900 note, and went away with
her purchase and her change. All this was
a very clever performance, for, as a matter
of tact, the first bill offered was a perfectly
good one, while the note actually given in
payment on the second occasion was not the
same at all, as the clerk was intended to
suppose, but forged imitation of like issue.
The Secret Service is only acquainted
9TH one fact about the matter, and that is
that the plates were executed by that most
remarkable of forgers, Charles H. Smith.
This is the man who is the author of the
celebrated United States bond forgery ten
years ago. He was at that time employed
as an eugraver for New York bank, which
had contracted to furnish the Treasury with
the design and plate FOR certain new bonds
to be issued by the Government of 81 900
each. Smith worked on the bondplate at
the bank in the daytime, and each night
he duplicated his days task on a plate of
his own at home, so that the real plate and
the imitation grew together and, when fin
ished, were precisely alike. The Govern
ment received the real plate and issued
bonds printed from it. Smith printed from
his duplicate plate 2OS of the bogus bonds,
just like the real and representing S20S, 900.
PICKED UP BY ACCIDENT.
These he handed over to the well-known |
forger Doyle, who was to act as con ederate, |
and Doyle started with them in his yaIlse |
for Chicago. Now it so happened that the /
Secret Service detectives had an eve on
Doyle at the time, suspecting him of being
concerned in the forgery of a very artistic
500 note that had appeared six months be-
lore, in 1879. At Chicago they arrested
him and, upon searching his yaiise. found
to their astonishment S2OS, 900 in United
States bonds. Subsequently Smith and the
celebrated counterieiter Brockway, who was
also in the gang, were captured. They con-
tessed and gave up the plate of the bond,
which was buried on Long Island in return
for full pardon; Doyle got II years in
prison.
Nevertheless it would not appear that
counterfeiting pays. Once in a while forger
makes good strike without being detected
or punished, and retires to life of tenn
porary honesty; when his money >js gone he
returns to the business and its dangers. The
highly-skilled eounterfeiters of the world
always spend the best part of their lives in
jail for long terms. One of the most curious
forgeries ever committed in this country, by
the way, was 500 gold compound-interest
note OF the issue of 1865, the impression for
the back of which was stolen by man
named Lankton and his son by running
sheet of wax through the press, and subse-
Quently making an electrotype from it.
'RoBBING THE TREASURY.
While counterfeiting certainly does not
paw, it is very doubtful whether it would
prove remunerative to rob the United
States Treasury of actual money, supposing
such thing practicable. According to a
statement Of high Treasury official, made
to your correspondent the other day, vast
sum might be stolen by such a robber in
Just one way.
1t would merely be necessary for him to
suborn the guard OF the vault for the first
step. OF course he would not choose the
silver or gold vaults, for 81 600, 900 in gold
weighs little over two tons, and he would
find difficulty in getting away with load
like that, even il he had q wagon outside on
Fifteenth street. The vault containing
bank notes is on the first floor, much more ]
convenient than the gold and silver in the
cellar any way. Overhead is a reserve
vault, containing $15o,OOO. 900 in green
backs mostly; but it may be assumed that
the thief would not want to be hog and
that be would content himself with leave to
grab in the first story treasure-chamber,
which always has at least SIS, ,000, 900 in it
Having bribed the guard preliminarily,
he would hide himself during the day in
the building somewhere, which would not
be difficult. 1t is never known in advance
! L :. Il