The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-04-21
COUNTERFEITING COINS
TROUBLE CAUSED BY MAkEP~
OF FALSE MONEY.
A Business That Flourishes- = -Mintins
Counterfeit Silver in Bed Rooms
Sweating Gold Pieces.


end, the coming of false silver and
gold-more especially the former-is
a more hourishing industry now than
ever before. The imitation of gold
pieces is done chiefly on the Pacific
slope, where the yellow metal is com.
monty handled as currency. In the
East there is comparatively little of
it in circulation, and for that reason
such Of il as passes from hand to
hand is closely scrutinized. No really
first-rate counterfeit of gold coin is
at present extant, says Chief Drum
mond of the Secret Service.
The game practiced by gang cap
tured in Chicago the other day was
wholly new. They made money by
clipping double eagles in manner as
ingenious as il was novel. The pro-
cess consisted in slicing off a rim
from each $40 gold piece, as tire
might be removed from wheel. The
corrugated edge called the 'reeding, 4"
being removed incidentally, the mu-
tilated coin was then re-reeded i'm a
machine. Thus its appearance was
perfectly restored, only the diameter
being altered. Nothing wrong with
it was discoverable by the casual OBJ
server. OF course, the faces were
unaltered.
Tue persons engaged in this re-
munerative enterprise, for the sake
OF prudence, contented themselves
with moderate profits. They took
care not to rob any single coin of
more than 81 OF its intrinsic value.
Nevertheless they were caught after
having treated and restored TO circu-
lation 600 double eagles, represent
ing $l2, 900.
In their aim for modest gains these
people initiated sweaters of gold coin,
who are usually satisfied with steal
ing about % cents worth Of metal
from each $50 piece. Employing the
electric battery, this process removes
a thin coat from the entire surface of
the double eagle, which to the aver
age individual, has as good an ap-
pearance as before it underwent the
operation. 1t is only the trained eye
that takes note of a suspicious bright
irregularities seem to be smoothed
down. A method preferred by other
criminals is to cut hole in the edge
of the coin, through which a part of
the metal from the interior is taken
out by boring. The cavity is then
filled with lead and the place where
the opening was is concealed with a
coating Of gold. This is sort of
drift mining on very small scale,
but yielding sure results, the ore be-
ing 80 per cent pure.
While the counterfeiting Of gold is
not conducted on an extensive scale,
the business of making false silver
coins is going on continually all over
the United States. The attractive
ness of the industry consists largely
in its simplicity. 1t requires little
skill and no apparatus worth men
tioning. Anybody can make plas-
ter-of-paris mold from cartwheel
dollar, and thus turn out likenesses
Of the coin, using mixture of base
metals as raw material. Recipes for
mixtures suitable for the purpose are
passed about in penitentiaries and
other penal institutions. In fact
petty counterfeiters are mostly edu-
Gated in prisons. Having learned the
trade while in durance vile, new APP
prentices start in for themselves as
soon as they are set at liberty. In
this way chiefly has knowledge OF
the art been spread.
The immigrants whom Uncle Sam
so Hospitality welcomes to these
shores are very frequently criminals
in esse or in posse. Many of them
find congenial employment in imita-
ting the national currency. This ap-
plies particularly to Italians. Two
thirds of the foreign counterfeiters in
this country are Of that nationality.
They do the work largely in their
bedrooms, melting the metallic COM
position in pot on the stove and
filling the molds with pewter ladle.
The stuff is showed to a great ex-
tent by venders of peanuts and fruit.
They enjoy exceptional facilities for
getting rid Of bogus dimes and quar-
ters. In dealing with these peddlers
one does we'll to scrutinize ones
change closely. Recently a number
|of such peripatetic merchants were
brought TO justice in Chicago. The
district attorney there procured some
|of his evidence by handing a dollar
to banana man in payment for
|ten-cent purchase. The entire lot OF
|silver returned to him was counter
felt.
A safer method, commonly adopted
by the Italians for passing bad silver
il that in which the Doodle carrier
figures. His title sufficiently de-
scribes the part he takes in the per-
|formance. Following along behind
the man who acts as shower" he
keeps the latter supplied with sim
gle coin at a time. The shower"
having got rid Of one, meets his con-
|federate at the next corner and re-
|ceives another. IL caught, he has no
|other counterfeit money in his pos
session and can plead ignorance.
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