The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-08
C~0UNTERFE|7EO COIN.
A Safe Full OF the Bogus Money
Was Opened by United
States 0ficers.
It Was Found at Gray Off Last
Sunday and Shipped to
Helena.
John Yank Wins Ills Horse Case In the
District Court--NeaI Estate and
New Interpretations.

United States Marshal Furay sat at his
desk in the court house yesterday afternoon
patiently waiting for the arrival OF the safe
from Gray Cliff containing the counterfeit
money which was discovered near tho
pumping station At that point on last Sun.
day by the section foreman. The marshal's
office is on the second floor OF the big STONE
court house and he did not want to put
Uncie Sam TO tho expense Of engaging the
services Of Bloody Knife with his block and
tackle to hoist the iron box up on the out
side and slide 1t In through the Office win
dow. He finally concluded to have the safe
placed in the basement OF the building
where there 10 plenty Of room for such
bulky articles.
The telegram from the section foreman
ut Gray Cliff announcing the shipment
stated that the safe had a combination
lock, but the foreman did not send the
numbers by which the lock could be opened.
Probably a safe expert would have to be
employed or the strong box blown open,
thought Furay. He went over to consult
with Clerk George W. Sproule of the United
States court. which is next door to the mar,
open the safe all right; he Wal an expert on
combination locks. About half past four
an expressman announced the arrival of
tho safe.
where is it?" asked Furay.
Here IL is,"' said the e1pressman, hand
as large Us .Webster's unabridged diction-
airy, covered with brown wrapping paper
sealed with green wax. Furay shook the
package and heard something clink.
'That's the mon," he said. "What are the
charges?" "Ono dollar" said the express
1890 A~.-~1n ,-n~ AuI147 sr 1rI sn AIn
presence Of the three and another man az
witness. the package was undone. The pape,
was removed, showing a pine box with g
sliding cover. Furay was impatient and
would not wait for a hatahet. He broke the
top Of the box in, pulling out small wads Of
e exc nH~sGape "rhore i sG H." s ssS q Geo erae' an az
he grabbed a small iron box from one cor
ner. II was a toy safe with a little brasf
combination lock and a slit in the top fol
the reception of coins. On the little iror
door were the words, Security Savings De-
posit." Under the skilled fingers Of George
the combination was discovered in two turn
Of the brass knob. The safe was turned
over on the desk and out rolled a handful
of counterfeit dollars ard halves the colo
Of common lead pipr. They were evidentl,
in an unfinished state, the milling on SOM
Of the pieces being very crude. On each Of
them was the letter IS" indicating the sal
Francisco mint. There were eight of tn,
dollar pieces dated 1856 and thirty-thre'
h~alf-dollar pieces dated 1876, making alto
gether $24.bO in bad money. The pine boz
also contained some oil colors in tubes
most of which were marked ''silver white
A tin box of citrate of iron was also in 1t
drug house. All these articles were pu
back again, including a bottle of citrate o
magnesia. The pine box was sealed vi
again and deposited in a vault, where II will
remain until the United States grand jur!
meets next May.