The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-07
BOGUS BILLS ABROAD.
Factory Believed to Exist Some
where ON the Sound.
TWO OFFERED AT ONE TIME.
Eugene Way Discovers Two Clever
Counterfeits-Defects Which Be-
trayed Them.
For some months past the weste-n part Of the

For some months past the western part of the
state has been flooded with counterfeit niekels,
dimes, half-dollars and dollars, and the police
nave succeeded in landing behind the bars a
haii-dozen 'shovsrs OF the queer" The latest
ana most dangerous counterfeits which have
come TO notice are SD and s. notes The SO
counterfeit Is an excellent piece OF WORK, and
no one but an expert CO Id detect the few flaws
which exist u It.
Eugene Way took in a $40 counterfeit note
saturday evening which the average man would
accept as genuine currency, and the fact
thst me note is much worn is evidence that it
has been in circulation for some time. The note
has rather soepy feeling, which attracted The
attention Of Nj. Way, who is an expert at de-
teetlng counterfeits- He examined it closely
ana found that one OF the principal defects was
tho poor interlining rule work which is not
symmetrical; then the line at the top edge of
the note, which reads illegal tender for ten dol
lars, betrayed its spurious nature, inasmuch
as there is no space between the words sten"
and dollars" good many other similar de-
fleets were noticed by Mr.. Way. but in the gen.
eral appearance of the note there is nothing
that would suggest counterfeit.
MI way placed the note in his pocket after he
got through making critical examination and
last evening, with dozen or more acquaint-
ances, went into Agsssiz & McConnell's saloon,
on Front street. Mr. WAY ordered "lemonades
with sticks in them" for the crowd and gave the
bartender the $40 counterfeit note in payment
The barten er looked at it second, put it in the
money drawer and gave back the change.
"fou don't want that, said Mr.. Way.
whats wrong with it?"
counterfeit"
The note was examined aud returned, and i'm
mediately those in the place crowded around
and wanted to examine the note. While this
was going on, a tall, wel-dressed man,
slightly under the influence of liquor,
accompanied by two well-dressed COM
panions, came into the saloon and ordered
drinks. The well-dTessed stranger threw a IS
bill down on the bar. The bartender, who, after
his experience with the $40 bill was inclined to
be critical, looked at the note aud then tossed it
over to Mr.. Way, saying:
"How's this one?'
The note was plainly a bogus one, and a very
poor one st that In general appearance it had
"queer" look, and was q far less ingenious
counterfeit than the $40 bill Mr.. Way passed il
back with:
That's horrible; worst ever saw"
the bartender gave he bill back to the
stranger, who ell the while was deeply inter
ested in the examination his note was going
through.
isn't good, ?' he finally asked.
"Well, l should say it wasn't said the bar
tender.
"Then here she goes" and the stranger held
ZIG AotS up ny one CORNER duu llgntAHg matcn
to the lower corner waved it about until it was
entirely consumed.
The $40 counterfeit must have been manu-
featured by men who are thoroughly familiar
with the making of notes. Mr.. Way is conf
dent that it was made from die and, if this be
the case, 1t is very reasonable to presume that
many more were made from the same die and
are now in circulation. All who examined the
note said it was the most dangerous counterfeit
they ever saw.