Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-02
CAPTURING CoUNrERFErrERs.
1t il Extremely Dimcult and Perplexing
Work,

II IL Extremely Dimcult and Perplexing
Work.
The secret service bureau in New York city
is not widely advertised place, says the Times,
and the methods used in detecting the counter
felt money men are kept as 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 are employed in run
ming down those who make and sell the base
coin or counterfeit the bills. This kind
| Of detective work is one Of the most diff
cult as the counterfeiter is usually a man who
is intelligent and careful to keep his track we'll
| concealed. The days when he manufactured
his coin or worked over the bit Of paper to
make note in some country recess are over.
secure spots for the making of counterfeit
money, and there he is less liable to be dis
covered.
At the least suspicion he is enabled to pack
up and move away on half an hours notice.
The maker Of the money never passes it, He
would not bend to such low work. He.is the
skilled artisan who only makes and sells at
wholesale. There is also O middleman who
buys the stuff and makes a profit in selling
in small quantities to the men who
find little difficulty in securing the
poor ignorant fellows who go around to small
stores and buy cheap article and then offer a
bad dollar, procuring good change. meet with
obstacles at every step in trying to get their
clutches on the principals. Often a month
busy following up clues, before they get near
the man, and then are bafled by his suddenly
changing his usual haunts and retreats.
To get the evidence is also a very difficult
matter, and the law is strict, requiring that
the arrested man had the intent to pass and
xrhi in b1
| case OF the manufacturer the evidence
| must connect him with the making of
the coin. II quantity of tools is found
| In house which are clearly used in
making bad coin the defense will be set up
| that the plant was left by boarder or some
other person and the arrested party will claim
he was not aware of their nature and q cloud
| of reasonable doubt will be raised by the law
yer defending him. So the detectives always
| try to catch the maker in the act of making
The detective must use great care not to
| throw out the least word that could be taken
| suspiciously by the man against whom he is
collecting evidence. Once in q while passer,
| when arrested, will disclose the maker, but that
| is rare, and for the most part they remain mute
while going through the process Of law, and
never give hint rs to where they pro-
cured the stuff. OF course the old coun-
terfelters, on coming out OF prison, are
| watched, but not much useful infor-
nation is gained in this manner. There are
oCNcIdl gangs VI COuUttEltlttIe tudt Tue etCTet
| service men would like to get hold of. The 50
crowd are turning out lots of bad bills. The
silver-dollar men are evidently very active,
while there seem to be as many bad quarters
out as ever. The makers Of the latter class in
this city have a large organization which works
in apparent harmony.
For instance, there is a chief who rules the
gang. If he is captured his mantle falls upon
another member Of the company. usually time
Of service being the qualification for promotion.
The money is distributed among the passers,
who 60 out in pairs, one to do the showing"
q coin at a 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 of bad coins in change
1t is not unlikely that good deal of the small
counterfeit money is made in Italy and sent
over here.
To get these petty passers the detectives
haunt the saloons. get acquainted with the men
and ingratiate themselves until they are trusted
| sufficiently to be sold the bad coin. Having
once purchased lot, the detective pretends
that he has passed it, gets some more and is in
troduced to others of the gang, and finally,
when goodly number have been placed, a raid
is made and the men are gathered in.
Many bankers bring bills to the bureau 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 pen-and-ink-made $40 bill. It
had been made by monomaniac and was not
for business purposes.