Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-04-01
PUZZLED OFFICIALS
Treasury Experts Annoyed By ths
Latest Counterfeit.
UNABLE 10 DEFECT THE INVITATION
The Es<as T~s-Doiiar silver Csrsiaesss
Proves - Re ksaaarkAbis foe IEs RI
esi1sat wsrk ana 4ship aaa Alasst
Passes Critical Examination.

WAsHISGTOs, March 3I-The officers
OF the secret service are at their wits
sHsiz ever the recent discoveries OF
counterfeit silver certificates Aside
from the dangerous character Of
these particular counterfelt- the
fat has been brought oct
that no one knows how much eoun-
t<srfeit macy u aroat There may DC
O. 800. oo0 and there NAV be $40, 800. CO.,
Bills which aEe circulating from hand
- hand and from bank 70 bank may
be eountsFfeiss. As one OF the secret
service officers said, the pertee-
ton Of eounterfeiting has been
reached and banks can be de-
eeIysd a. readily as Individuals
There are some peculiar features con-
nseted with the counterfeit two dollar
bills which have Just been brought 20
light They ara the issue Of 1850, bear
ing the face of Gen Hancock. IL was
only BY an accident that one OF the
balls was detected Ia Kansas City. Then
another was found IN the redemption
bureau here. since that time careful
scrutiny has broaghr 10 light about
twenty more of the bills.
Bat she peculiar feature OF the mat
Ter a that this acme OF counterfeits
should be praetlce5 on bills which are
next 10 the lowest ones issued There
are but two paper mills in the
United States which make the
special kind OF paper used in the
printing OF money. Both of these
mills are under close government super
vision and il IS not posi- ole that the
leak should come through them IL
the counterfeiters had their own plant
for furnishing the paper it must have
cost them at least $50, 600 according 70
The statement Of seeret-servicc Off
Ger. This has led 20 the conclusion
that the eounterfeits must be
sent here from abroad. The Off
GERS say that IL would hardly be likely
for men 10 go to the expense OF $3.50, 200
In producing paper and then turn out
balls which were next 10 the smallest
ones issued. The question was asked
of one OF the officers il there were any
means of preventing the issue OF many
millions OF counterfeit money by mar
keting 10 quickly in various parts
of the country. He replied that
there was none.
Counterfeiters now have at their dis
posal every facility which The govern
nent has. Their engravers are as skill
ful as the government engrayers- The
only defense has been in the use Of spe-
cial paper containing hair lines, bat now
this defense has gone, for the special
paper used by the countcrfeiters ia the
bills Just brought 20 light is a. good as
that turned out by the two mills in
Massachusetts under government con
troll. The counterfeit has the same deli
cate thread running lengthwise. which is
disccrnible only BY the aid Of the micro
scope. Secretary Foster viii retire the
two dollar bills which have been coun-
tcrfeited as soon as new plates can be
made for another issue. Instead of the
head of Hancock the new bills viii have
that of the late Secretary Window.
In the counterfeit the yignette Of
Hancock Is as fine as the original. and
the lettering and lathcwork is an exact
copy OF the treasury note. In fact, the
only difference - too minute TO be
visible 10 the naked eye. In the
upper left-hand and lower right
hand corner of the genuine note is a
figure -" and on its face is en-
graved. In characters 40 minute that
thew are not lsgible except un-;er a
maguifying glass, the word two" re-
peated three times. In the counterfeit
the word two" Is similarly engraved
the same number Of times. but in two
cases the eounterfeiter has made the
letters read Govt" But, as animated
this mistake is no. visible without the
use az a glass