Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-05

Up to the date Of his
final arrest by government detectives he
must have treated in his peculiar and in
genius fashion at least $4,000 worth OF
gold coin. He left a trail Of 1t all the way
from Denver to Baltimore. His recapture
the other day. after having escaped from
the officers who took him in Chicago, was
extremely fortunate.
According to his own account, Wilcox
was able to earn $50 q day at this sort
OF work, with only four or five hours toll
The industry was easy as we'll as lucrative.
He was almost safe from detection, the
clipping being done SO scientifically that
only an expert would suspect it. BY cut
ting rim from around the coin, as a
tire might be removed from a wheel he
took away from each $50 piece an amount
of gold not exceeding twenty-six to twenty
nine grains in weight, or about the value
Of dollar. The subsequent rereeding of
the double eagle. done with machine, rem
dered 1t as perfect as ever to the eye of
the casual observer.
The apparatus employed could be taken
apart and packed in trunk, so that the
criminal operator was able to pull I'D
stakes and decamp from a city as soon as
his work began to excite attention. In
a,
pausing in Chicago during the worlds fair
ana reaping good harvest there. On
reaching fresh locality he was ready to
do business. all that he required being a
quiet room in an obscure street and a sup
ply of gold coin. The latter he obtained
from banks in a very simple manner. He
would deposit a considerable sum of money
and, after awhile he would draw it out in
gold. OF course capital was needed. The
clipped coins were passed by Mrs. Wilcox
at dry goods shops mostly
A Dentist Confederate.
Wilcox had confederate who was os-
tensibly dentist. The latter, being sup
posed to employ that metal in his business
found no difficulty in disposing of the stolen
gold. But, oddly enough. the gang did not
know how to melt the yellow stuff. When
Wilcox found himself in Philadelphia after
his escape from Uncle Sans officers in
Chicago. he thought 1t would be better
plan to reduce the gold to ingots and sell il
as bullion to dealers in that commodity.
So he went to a man who bought and sold
precious metals. taking with him a few
ounces OF gold. He said that he was a den
tai surgeon, and that. being about to depart
for Europe, he wished to dispose of it.
The merchant suspected nothing and
made no objection when the customer ex-
pressed desire to look on while the gold
enough. and Wilcox observed 1t carefully.
After leaving the shop he went and bought
nest OF crucibles and portable bellows.
These he carried with him to Baltimore,
where he made use of them until the detec-
tives ran him down. He could hardly es-
cape for long, because the secret service
was straining every nerve to capture the
criminal who had made such a success Of a
new and improved process for mutilating
the coinage. The apparatus captured and
destroyed must have cost about $1,000.
In old times. a century or more ago, the
clipping Of coins was carried on extensively
in England and elsewhere. Gold pieces
which had lost more OF less Of their SUBJ
stance were common then and passed cur
rent readily enough. But statutory restric-
lions against mutiiation of the coinage have
rendered this business comparatively un-
profitable. However. 1t is still practiced by
criminals of great experiences, who have vari-
Gus methods of reducing the bullion value
of metal currency without altering its APP
pearance. For obvious reasons, gold Is al
most exclusively subjected to such treat
ment. Some of the processes employed are
remarkably ingenious.
One of the most interesting of these con-
sists In saving a double eagle in two
through the edge and gouging out the in
side SO as to remove about SIS worth of
gold. Thus the piece is reduced to hol-
low shell in halves. 1t is then filled with
platinum, which Is nearly as heavy as the
yellow metal and costs-at the present mar
ket rate, though this varies somewhat
less than one-half. Lead is too light for
the purpose. The cut edge of the recon-
structed coin is disguised by rim of gold
solderd on, and a reeding machine renews
the corrugations of the minting. The re-
suit is really a work of art, being a COM
bination of five different metals. Only an
expert can distinguish anything wrong
about it.
One Method Employed.
A method somewhat similar. though less
artistic is to substitute for the interior
portion of a gold piece a core in the shape
of a planchet of silver, the coin being split
for the purpose. as in the other case. This
process is employed almost exclusively by
Chinese. Its most important drawback Is
that the eagle or double eagle thus treated
is noticeably light in weight. A better plan,
though somewhat laborious, is one describ-
ed in previous letter by the writer. 1t
consists in boring into the coin from the
edge so as to remove a considerable part
of its internal substance. In this manner
about 81 worth of gold may be convenient
ly removed from so piece, the hole being
filed with a metal composition and soldered
at the opening with gold.
Numerous counterfeits of eagles and half
eagles are extant. cast in base metal and
gilded. Some of these are of platinum. for
the sake of weight The gliding process
has been ingeniously combined with Sweat
ing" BY suspending In a tank of cyanide
of potash a gold piece at one end of a cop
per wire and a base metal counterfeit at
the other end the criminal operator can
transfer a coating Of gold from the good
coin to the bad one. BY this method the
bad coin obtains the appearance OF a gold
piece while the real gold piece Is rendered
not less negotiable at face value. OF course
this may be practiced with many coins at
once. The apparatus required is inexpen-
sive, consisting of a few chemicals and a
small battery. An electric light current
will serve the purpose.
The discoveries Of chemistry are of great
service to counterfeiters. Comparatively
few false coins are issued nowadays with
out an electro-plating OF gold or silver,
which adds to their deceptive quality. In
this way silver quarters. slightly altered
as to lettering, are made to initiate gold
eagles, while dimes are transformed in like
fashion into half-eagles. Fortunately for
the currency, practically all of the gold in
circulation in the United States passes
every few years through the treasury and
subtreasuries. Every piece received at
those institutions is weighed, and, If found
light in weight, is stamped with a big L..
Such coins are redeemed as bullion They
are sent to the minis. melted and recoin-
ed. The people lose by their deficiency and
not the government.
To Give Age to Counterfeit Notes.
AS for paper money. the shabbiest is apt
to be regarded with the least suspicion. Ac-
cordingly counterfeiters make use Of vari-
Gus artificial processes for giving an APP
pearance of age to their notes. One method
| Is to rub them over the body Of a sweating
Il I.