Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1891-01-23
C0UNTERFEITERS.
Their Capture Is an Extremely
Difficult Matter.
They Work in Gangs and are
Ruled by a Chief.

close as the name Of the bureau would
imply. Outside of the office itself
there is probably not any one who
knows how many men arc employed
IN running down those who make aud
sell the base coin or counterfeit the
bills. This kind Of detective work is
one of the most difficult, as the counter
feiter is usually a man who is intelli-
gent and careful to keep his track well
concealed. The days when he manu-.
factured his coin or worked over the
bit of paper to make a note in some
country recess are over. The large
cities are now found to be the most
secure spots for the making of
counterfeit money, and there he is
less liable to be discovered.
At the least suspicion he is enabled
to pack mp and move away on half an
hours notice. The maker Of the
money never passes it. lie would not
bend to such low work. He is the
skilled artisan who only makes and
sells at wholesale. There is also a
mddleman who buys the stuff and
makes profit in selling it in small
quantities to the men who do the pass
ing. So the detectives, who find little
difficulty in securing the poor ignorant
fellows who go around to small stores
and buy cheap article and then offer
bad dollar, procuring good change,
meet with obstacles at every step in
trying to get their clutches on the
principals. Often month elapses,
during which the detectives are kept
busy following up clews, before they
get near the man, and then are baiilcd
by his suddenly changing his usual
hauEts and retreats.
To get the evidence is also very
difficult matter and the law is strict,
requiring that the arrested man had
the intent to pass and knew it was
counterfeit money, while in the case
of the manufacturer &he evidence must
connect him with the making of the
coin. If a quantity of tools are found
in house which are clearly used in
making bad coin the defense will be
set up that the plant was left by a
bOarder or some other person and the
arrested party will claim he was not
aware of their nature, and cloud of
reasonable doubt will be raised by the
lawyer defending him. So the de-
tectives always try to catch the maker
i'll the act of making
The detective must use great care
not TO throw out the least word that
coud d be taken suspiciously by the man
against whom be is collecting evidence.
Once in a while passer, when ar
rested, will disclose the maker, but
that is rare, and for the most part they
remain mule while going through the
process of law, and never give hint as
to where they procured the stuff OF
course the old cOunterfeiters, on com
ing out of prison, are watched, but
not much useful information is gained
in this manner. There are several
gangs of counterfeiters that the Secret
Service men would Ike to get hold of.
The two-1oiar crowd are turaing out
lots of bad bills. The silver dollar
men are evidently very active, while
there seems to be as many bad quar-
ters out as ever. The makers Of the
latter class in this city have a large or
ganization which works in apparent
harmony.
For instance, there is a chief who
cules the gang. If he is captured his
mantle ftlls upon another member of
the company, usually time of service
being the qualification of promotion.
The money is distributed among the
passers, who go out in pairs, one TO do
the ''shoving," coin at time, while
the other carries the bag and watches
for danger The Italians are the men
who do most of the passing. Many
use fruit stands to work off bad coins
in change. 1t is not unlikely that a
good deal of the small counterfeit
money is made in Italy and sent over
here
10 get these petty passers the de-
tevtiyes haunt the saloons, get ac-
quainted with the men, and ingratiate
themselves until they are trusted sufli-
ciently to be sold the bad coin. Hav-
ing once purchased lot, the detective
pIctends that he has passed it, gets
some more, and is introduced to Others
of the gang, and finally, when a good
~ number have been placed, a raid is
made aud the men are gathered in.
Many bankers bring bills to the bu-
reau for inspection, and an agent from
the department at Washington travels
through the country, visiting banks
and financial houses. picking up bad
bills. A fine specimen was shown in
this city lately of a pen-and-ink-mado
twenty y-dollar bill. 1t had been made
by monomaniac, and was not for
business purposes. = New York
| Times.
There isn't much deception about
dre-smakers. They are generally busy
when they seam-sew.