River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-04-02
BOGUS BILLS.
The Treasury Department sorely Puzzled
Over Dangerous Issue of the Hancock
Brand of Two-DoIlar silver Certificates
The Country Flooded with Them.

The Treasury Department soreIy Puzzled
Over Dangerous Issue of the Hancock
Brand Of Two-DoIlar silver Certificates
The Country Flooded with Them.
WASHINGTON. March 31.-The officers
of the secret service are at their wits
ends over the recent discoveries of
counterfeit silver certificates. Aside
from the dangerous character of
these particular counterfeits the
fact has been brought out
that no one knows how much conn
terfeit money is afioat. There may be
$1,000, 900 and there may be $40, Oo0, 600
Bills which are circulating from hand
10 hand and from bank To bank may
be counterfeits. As one of the secret
service officers said, the perfec-
tion OF counterfeiting has been
reached and banks can be de-
ceived as readily as individuals
There are some peculiar features con-
nected with the counterfeit two dollar
bills which have just been brought to
light. They are the issue of 1856. bear
ing the face of Gen. Hancock. 1t was
only by an accident that one of the
bills was detected in Kansas City. Then
another was found in the redemption
bureau here. Since that time careful
scrutiny has brought TO light about
twenty more of the bills.
But the peculiar feature of the mat
ter is that this acme of counterfeits
should be practiced on bills which are
next TO 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 it is not possible that the
leak should come through them. II
the counterfeiters had their own plant
for furnishing the paper it must have
cost them at least $3.50. 900 according to
the statement of a secret-service Off
Ger This has led to the conclusion
that the eounterfeits must be
sent here from abroad The Off
GERS say that it would hardly be likely
for men to go to the expense of $3.50, 900
in producing paper and then turn out
bills which were next to the smallest
ones issued. The question was asked
of one of the officers if there were any
means of preventing the issue of many
millions of counterfeit money by mar
keting it 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
ment has. Their engravers are as skill
full as the government engravers. The
only defense has been in the use of spe-
cial paper containing hair lines, but now
this defense has gone, for the special
paper used by the counterfeiters in the
bills just brought to light Is as 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
discernible only by the aid of the micro
scope. Secretary Foster will retire the
two dollar bills which have been coun-
terfeited as soon as new plates can be
made for another issue. Instead of the
head of Hancock the new bills will have
that of the late Secretary Window.