The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-04-20
A CAN OF BAD MONEY
COunterfeits that Deceived Bank
Officers Found OH Third Street.
Over $500 Unearthed by Small Boys
Premises Formerly Occupied by the
Noted Johnson Family.

The spurious money is now in the hands Of
Major Carter, OF the United States secret
service. The names Of the boys who found
the money Aldrige Jasper, James II.
Lilly and William Franklin. The money
was In halves and quarters, and Of such ex-
cellent quality that it passed the scrutiny
and all tests of the paying teller of the
Indiana National Bank. by whom it was
pronounced genuine after the application
of the usual tests.
The boys were digging in the lot on
Wednesday night when they struck an old
and rusted tin can. When they attempted
TO remove the they found it to be very
heavy. 1t was brought forth and soon
broken open. There before them was a
can full to the brim Of silver coin, appar-
entity money OF the realm. II goes without
saying that the boys were much agitated
and highly elated at their find. When the
money was counted IL was found that there
was $500 Of ii. The boys said nothing about
their find that night, but early yesterday
morning they sailed forth with their
wealth Already a suspicion had crept into
their minds that the money was counter
felt, and they went to Keegan's drug store,
at No. 701 North Tennessee street.
To the druggist they explained the circum-
stances Of how they came into possession Of
the money and asked his opinion TO it's
genulneness. He took one of the half dol
lars in the lot and weighed it with gen.
uine coin from his drawer. He found the
coin received from the boys to be thirty
five grains short in weight, and pronounced
it bad money. The boys were loath to give
up their treasure, and were not entirely
satisfied with the opinion Of the druggist
Departing with the coin, they debated as
al
down town and ask the judgment OF a
banker as to whether the money gen.
ulne They went to the Indiana National
where they asked to have some of the coin
tested. The test was made, and one of the
employees told the boys they had real
treasure. One OF tile lads, upon hearing
this, asked the teller to accept ten of the
halves and give a fve-dollar bill in eX-
change. The teller willingly did So and
passed the bill out to the boys in exchange
for the ten counterfeit coins. Having re-
ceived the judgment Of the bank teller that
the money was good they went forth to
enjoy It. Like honest young men they first
proceeded TO pay several debts with the
money, and spent some of II in various
places about the city. 1t was accepted
without question SO far known.
After the boys had been in the store of
Mr.. Keegan he telephoned Major Carter
and related the facts to him. Major Carter
Immediately. went out to the vicinity, and
was there for several hours searching for
the boys but as they had In the meantime
come down town he failed 10 find them.
While Major Carter was searching for
them, v t. MalOtt president or the In
diana National Bank, got hold of the money
which had been brought into his bank, and
was Of the opinion that it was not genuine.
He at once began search for the boys
that had brought the money into the bank.
He found them, and they agreed to accom-
pany him to the Office OF Commissioner Van
RIr q mmiSgiOnpr X
| planned how they had come in possession of
the money. and 1t appearing. from their
| that there was no criminal intent upon
their part to pass the counterfeit. they
were not held.
All of the money was turned over to Mai.
| stacked up on his desk, and to the un-
| initiated IL really looked like genuine
class quality of counterfeit and would
| READILY pass anywhere If it were Frightened
| up a little. He said he believed il the coin
was frightened and a person was to start
at one end of Massachusetts avenue he
| once questioned. He said the stuff was un-
dopbtedly cast in die as such good imi-
talon could never have been nodded. The
| coins range in date from 1856 TO 1862 and
have probably been buried at the spot
where they were found during all the years
| between the latter date and the present
| time Major Carter thinks there is not
| doubt that the coin is the product of the
on the property where the money was
| found prior to the year 1863. This family,
| all the members OF which were counter
| the most dangerous gang of money manu-
| facturers that 1t ever had to cope with.
Their work not confined to coin alone,
but they made silver certificates and treas
| ury notes of such fine quality as TO battle
many EXPERTS. and i'm one instance to baf-
| he an official. VINO wrongfully confiscated
| a quantity OF genuine money, counterfeitS
| of which had been made by the Johnsons.
IA mil 81 nj =
| l., Elijah. John, David, Elizabeth and
| Joseph Johnson. and the entire family. were
eral experiences with the family and has
sent several of them to the penitentiary
ciY in ss or wS and Sent th rs
| the penitenttary. Afterwards. on Oct. 80,
1869. Thomas !. Johnson was arrested, and
on Jan. 3. 1S7o. was sent to the Michigan
City penitenuary for term OF ten years
for counterfeitng. on Jan. 1S, 1888. Charles
Johnson was arrested for the counterfeiting
| OF the Grant five-dollar-bills. 1t was
work. as was also, the arrest OF Johnson.
The officer had resolved word from Wash
ington that the Grant bills were being
| counterfeted by n dangerous imitation.
| on the same day that he received the in
| formation from Washington he received a
telegram from banker at Goodwin, in
| terfeit bills had been passed in that place
| He went 10 Goodwin and was met by the
| banker. who told him that a number of
| bills had comeS into the place and they were
| undecided as to whether they were genu-
| inc or not. Their suspicion had been
| aroused because many of the bills which
| were Of recent date had found their way
| into the town. Major Carter was handed
| one of the bills, and as II was his first pa
| per- case he was at first undecided as to
| whether the bill was imitation or genuine.
| He questioned the banker and became sat
| iSfied that the town being flooded with
| the counterfeit bills of which he had re-
| ceived notification from Washington. He
| set about the investigation and traced n
| number OF the bills TO the store of Bane
| Brothers, the largest retail dry-goOdS store
| in the place. He talked with the banker
| about the propr1etors OF the place. and was
| told b. the banker that the officers sus-
| picions that Bane Brothers were RESPONSE
| BILE for the presence OF the bills in the
| place were preposterous; that they were
! the wealthiest merchants in the place and
! from the bank Nevertheless after further
| Investigation Major Carter was satisfied
| that he was correct He went to the store
| and placed the younger OF the Bane broth
| ers under arrest and found n roll of bills
| in his pocket. He also got another bundle
| Of them from the safe and n few in the
! possession OF the older brother. James
| also arrested and IL developed that Bane
| and Sapp had purchased 5000 worth Of the
! bogus bills from Charles Johnson. the pur-
| chase having been made I'm Canada
| John Bane was afterward convicted and
! sent TO the penitentisry for one year an
| Sapp died before his case was called for
| trial Through information received from
/ son To Canada BY some clever work John
| son was induced 10 cross the line and come
| over TO Detroit. Mich, where he ar
! rested. He was left In charge or govern