Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-03-17
"FI.ASH" MONEY.
1T BOTHERS TIE TREASURY
MORE THAN CoUNTERFEITS
One Hundred Millions Worth Issued
In Eight Years-"Scrip" Notes
aud "rrade Checks Used for
Advertising Purposes.

II meant limitations OF United
States currency for advertis'
z ing purposes, gives more
trouble TO the Treasury, according to
Rene Bache in the Boston Transcript,
than counteIfeiting. The latter has been
thoroughly suppressed in this country,
but the comparatively ''innocent" evil
of fash money seems to be increasing,
notwithstanding the utmost efforts of
the Secret Service to put it down. How
extensive it is may be judged from the
fact that within eight years, from 1881
to 1889, no less than Sl28, 900, 900
worth of such stuff was captured and
destroyed by the Government.
One of the newest fsncies in this line
is an imitation wallet, with IS aud a
$40 bill sticking out at both ends. Any
one who saw it on the sidewalk would
stoop and pick it up, thinking that he
had found prize. On unfolding it he
would discover that it was a single piece
of thick paper, the inside of it bearing
an advertisement. The tips of suppos-
titious bank notes shown by this ingeni-
Gus device make it an infringement OF
law, because they reproduce portions OF
the designs on National currency. A
thing similar, though not legally forbid
den, is fake bank book made in the
same fashion, with the ends of checks
showing.
OF course, neither of these articles
could be palmed off as real money. The
objection to flash currency generally is
that it is apt to be passed as legal tender.
Those who suffer are mostly the poor
and ignorant. Much of this stuff, how
ever, Is so artisticaly made that 1t might
well deceive anybody. A while ago the
Treasury received 500 note which
had been so long in circulation as to be
nearly worn out. Both face and back
we're excellent limitations of real 500
bill, the usual blank spaces on he re-
verse containing advertisements of an
Egyptian hair tonic.
There exists widespread and ire.
pressible mania for mutilating the silver
and gold coins of the United States by
turning them into lockets, charms, bowls
for spoons and other articles of orna-
ment and personal adornment. Happily
the fashion of attaching them to bruce.
lets as bangles is gone out. The demand
for bangles few years ago brought into
existence all over the country, as if by
magic, gilt and gold pieces in imitation
of the gold dollar. These found ready
sale, aud in some instances became cur.
rent as genuine money. A vigorous
crusade against the manufacturers in
duced them to alter their designs.
Clusters of coins for paper weights aud
for the tops of candy boxes, to make
them look as if they were OVERLOOKING
with money, are always popular. OF the
latter the Secret Service captured and
confcated several thousand during the
last year. The couuterfeiter has found
4 use of his own for these clusters. When
caught in the act Of making false coins
be is provided with number of clusters
alread. put together. He points to them
as evidence that he is simply engaged in
making clusters of coins for ornamental
purposes.
Among the limitations OF United States
money captured during the last year
were harness rosettes in the likeness OF
;he diverse of the standard silver dollar,
Tin labels reproducing the reverse of the
standard dollar, hat sweat bands bearing
notes and coins and pocketbook clasps of
similar patterns. In New York a large
business is done in the manufacture of
cad disks for use in cheating nickel-in-
the.slot machines. Some of these used to
bear an impression somewhat resembling
the diverse of a fivecent piece, but the
authorities quickly put stop to this
method of ornamentation. SO the leaden
pieces are now made plain, and they have
caused great loss to the proprietors of
the machines, which few bits OF worth
less metal will empty of several dollars
worth of merchandise.
Quite recently the Treasury detectives
grabbed picture of two.dollar note
IN newark. lt was reproduction on
large scale of the face of a silver certifi-
cate, being two feet long and executed
with brush and india ink by Philadel.
ohia artist. A bootmaker had it on ex-
nibition with sign which read, "$2
buys any shoe in this window" Photo.
graphed down to the proper size it
would have been very good imitation
Of real bill. A short time previously
there was captured an oil painting of
'ilve- certificate for 81. The copying of
The designs of Uncle Sans currency
seems to be most fascinating employ
nent, and no amount of effort on the
part of the Government avails to put
'top to it. OF flash money there was
,onfscated during the last fiscal year
" QS7 900, while of criminal counter
ieits only S25, 900 was seized. Men
'ravel about the country with engraved
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