The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-12-15
CROOKED COINS.
Criminal Operations In DoctorinQ
Uncle Sans Currency.
How skillfnl M.nipulators Derive Large
Profits from Clipping, Saving,
Gouging. Boring and Gliding
Gold Pieces.

Gold Pieces.
One OF the many unlawful schemes 1
to prostitute the coin Of the nation has 4
recently been suppressed by ex-Chief 4
Drummond. 1t first came to my atsen- I
tion early last year, says New York I
Herald writer. l refer to what was /
known as the ''coin sticlser," which |
made possible the extraction Of, with
out discovery, part Of the silver IN
coin. The inventor Of this coin
ticker" which was an advertisement
printed on paper to be pasted on coins,
sold territorial rights to print and use
it. The '.coin sticker'' cost the govern
ncnt great deal of trouble and ex-
pense to suppress On fifty cent and
one dollar coins was pasted the adver-
tisements with paste OF glue which
almost defied removal, covering the in
scription on the reverse OF the com,
deadening the resonance and of course
enabling the swindlcr to take out part
of the silver and substitute base metal
Spurious coins of very common work
manship also passed readily with the
coin sticlSer on them
There is great increase of late in
the number of slsillful men who are
constantly studying ways and means
of stealing part of the genuine metal
from our coins and substituting base
metal One of the most successful
swindiers in this line was man named
Wilcox, who was recently taken into
custody in Chicago by secret service Of
ficers. He made an average income of
from fifty to one hundred dollars day
by clipping gold coins. BY cutting
rim from around the coin, as tire
might be removed from a wheel, he
/ took away from each twenty-dollar
\ gold piece an amount of gold not cx-
/ ceeding twenty-six or twenty-nine
/ grains IN weight, or the value OF one
/ dollar The subsequent rereeding Of
| the double eagle, done with machine.
I rendered it as perfect as ever to the eye
/ of the casual observer.
The apparatus was small and easily
/ packed, and on reaching fresh locali-
ty all that was required was quiet
room in an obscure street and a supply
of gold coin The latter he secured
from the bank. He would deposit a
considerable sum of money, and after
awhile he would draw 1t out in gold.
The clipped coins We're passed by Mrs.
Wilcox at dry goods shops mostly.
One of the most interesting processes
consists in saving a double eagle in
two through the edge and GoUsins cut
the inside, SO as to remove about iii
teen dollars worth of gold. Thus tbs
piece is reduced TO hollow shell il
halves. 1t is then filed with platinum
which is nearly as heavy as yellow
metal and costs at the present market
rates, though this varies, somewhat
loss than onc-half. Lead is too light
for the purpose. The cut edge of tbs
reconstructed coin is disguised by q
rim of gold soldered on. and reedina
machine renews the corrugations o
the minting. The result is really 6
work of art, being combination o
five different metals. Only an exper
can distinguish anything wrong abou
it.
a method somewhat similar, though
less artistic, is to substitute for the IN
terror portion of gold piece core il
the shape of planchet of silver.
4 better plan, though somewhat labori
Gus. consists in boring into the coli
from the edge so as to remove consid
cradle part of its internal substance
5 In this manner about seven dollars
worth of gold may be conveniently re
: moved from twenty-dollar piece, tn
e hole being filled up with metal CON
c position and soldered at the openin
e with gold.
n Fortunately for the currency. pra'
e tically all the gold in circulation in th
If United States passes every few houl
II through the treasury and subtrea
j. uries- Every piece received at tho:
it institutions is weighed, and, if foun
G. light in weight, is stamped with a bi
,e L." Such coins are redeemed ;
IF bullion. The loss to the Eovernmel
" by wear and tear on silver coin
al circulation is considerable. 1t averag
r three cents on every dollar. Last ye'
at it amounted to SeS9, ,293.
- The people have not all becon
ar familiar with the faces of the ne
u silver coins. The diverse and rever
a of the older coins they have known
re long and intimately that the drap'
if figure of Liberty and the majestic po
at of the eagle are fixed in their mind ar
~ always GcECSnlLcI. pui tAc new NpAil
ID with changed designs, to whic
a puzzling them more, We're added t
in Columbus souvenirs, have not y
es established their identity.
as The manufacturing counterfeitel
We quick to discover and take advanta
st of whatever favors deception, almc
re Immediately followed the government
ch issue of the coins of new design wi
lst their fraudulent issue in likeness
N, them, and reaped rich harvest
IS. carse the originals were known, b
700 net we'll known.
it, The rilaers-counterfeiters, to-
ne s,.w in the new twenty -tive-cent coin
he -ildaa o preSentable, beguiling I,
of dollar piece. and pocketed a full p
nd cantaTe IF profit until discovered. 7
.ys lack OF weight should, of course, 3
iCsss make known the frauduls
character of the gold coin. This la
tGe elders scheme to falsify coin, aS
-. esyu res neither skill nor ezpens
h, ,iant, and promises SO much for
~ iittle, is always seductive one to
anprineipled or weak of will.
TO Nodesn Sadssies:s.
m, Mr.. Carl LuifInaup. the well-Suo'
his Australian agricultural expert, W
hle has been for some months stuoyi
M viticulture and fruit growing rou
oIn about Malaga, gives highly favora
al z..,.,, g e.