The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-03-23
MAKERS OF BOGUS MONEY
Some Curious Facts Given by an
Ex-Secret Service Chief
Italians Predominate Among the For
signers In This Country Who
Are Engaged in Coun-
terfeiting.

terfeittng.
A. L. Drummond, late chief OF the
secret service division of the treasury
department, was an efficient officer,
and his report contains a summary OF
operations which show that the dl-
vision during the last year has not
been less active within its province and
has accomplished results no less de
cided. important and valuable for the
government than in previous years II
is among the particular functions OF
the United States secret service 70
trace arrest and secure the CONVICTION
of counterfeiters and those who EN-
bezzle and misapply the funds of ma
tional banks.
According to the statement of Mr..
Drummond, says the Chicago Times,
there were, during 1892, 49i arrests for
manufacturing, possessing and passing
counterfeit money. 1t appears that
this species of crime is indulged IN by
the native Americans To greater eN-
tent than all the foreign-born popula-
tion, as 252 of the f9f persons arrested
claimed the United States as the place
Of their nativity. Among the foreign
born counterfeiters the Italians were
bv far the most numerous. The Chi
nrse contributed but one arrest.
One of the curious features of the re-
mort i the statement that fractional
paper currency, representing the value
Of SlO3. was counterfeited during the
wear. Little spurious copper coin was
made: its amount was less than S6i.
The greater difficulty in successfully
Stimulating coinage is Indicated by
the fact that Ss ,591 OF counterfeit
gold, silver and copper coins was made
against ST., lOs counterfeit paper
money Among the contra band prop
rrty seized We're limitations of the OBJ
legations. securities and coins OF the
United States painted in oil and wa
ter colors, photographed, Autographed,
printed ON paper, and struck and
stamped in metal" The eN-chief eN-
presses the hope that, as the later
amendments To the laws prohibiting
such limitations, for advertising or
other purposes, become more generally
known their issue will cease.
Mr.. Drummond recommends the
present congress To pass an amend
ment To existing laws preventing the
making or issuing of private scrip or
metal tokens in denominations of less
than s. in payment of debts. The
amendment recommended prohibits
the issuing of said notes containing
the words pay in trade IL goods,
or lin merchandise or any other cN-
preston intended To- convey the mean
ing that the value will Toe furnished
the holder in lieu of the lawful money
OF the United States. The penalty Is
Gxed at $500, or six months imprison-
mcnt, or both. This bill was read
twice in the last congress and referred
the judiciary committee. The cur
rency stringency last summer and au
tumn brought into use n considerable
quantity of such tokens, many of whicl
were prohibited under the law as il
now stands. The proposed amendment
extends the scope of the statute.
The ex-chief makes another impor
tant recommendation the statute
of limitations which now bars the pros
ccution of national bank officers after
the lapse of three years from the tim,
of alleged offenSes committed be eN
tended To- five years. The present three
years Limitation, his investigation ha,
disclosed. is too short IL period, as in .
number of instances frauds on nationa
bdnhS were louItl lt nave bttb N'ii
mitted many years before discovery
Mr.. DrummOnd SagaciouSly observe
that the longer the period the statute
of limitations has to run the more ditli
cult will it be for bank official to con
ceal his crime.
The present congress is also asked tt
amend the law requiring national bant
officers To stamp all counterfeit note
as such. There is a law requiring this
but as no penalty is named for thu
failure to carry out its provision IL is
not enforceable, although partially ob
served. This amendment makes tn,
failure To brand such notes punishable
by "a fine of $500. The retiring chic
also repeats the rrcomme ndation made
often To former cOngrcSScS-that N
approximation be made a. a sanitary
measure. as well as To- make counter
friting more difficult for retiring from
circulation worn and soilcd notes. Mr.
Drummond asserts that his Twenty-Five
years experience in hunting counter
fciters has taught him that anything
which gives note soiled or worn ap
pearance is great and effective hell
To the counterfeiter.