The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-03-24
MAKERSOF BOGUS MONEY
Some Curious Facts Given by an
h-6ecret Service Chief

Italians PreAominate Among the For
sasners In This Country Who
Are Engaged In Coun-
tsrfeiting.
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 di-
vision during the last year has not
been less active within it's province and
has accomplished results no less de-
cided, important and valuable for the
government than in previous years. 1t
is among the particular functions OF
the United States secret service to
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, 494 arrests for
manufacturing possessing and passing
counterfeit money. 1t appears that
this species of crime is indulged in by
the native Americans to a greater ex-
tent than oil the foreign-born popula-
ton, as 252 of the 494 persons arrested
claimed the United States as the place
of their nativity. Among the foreign
born counterfeiters the Italians were
by far the most numerous. The Chi
nese contributed but one arrest.
One of the curious features of the re-
port is the statement that fractional
paper currency, representing the value
Of S4O2, was counterfeited during the
year. Little spurious copper coin was
made; its amount was less than S64.
The greater difficulty in successfully
Stimulating coinage is indicated by
the fact that &S,591 of counterfeit
gold, silver and copper coins was made
against S22, ,1OS counterfeit paper
money. Among the contrnband prop
erty seized were 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 ex-chief ex-
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.. Dru1nmond 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 IS in payment OF debts. The
amendment recommended prohibits
the ;ssuing of said notes containing
the words "pay in trade" lin goods"
Or sin merchandise" or any other ex-
preston intended to convey the mean
ing that the value will be furnished
the holder in lieu of the lawful money
Of the United States. The penalty is
liked at $500, or six months imprison-
ment, or both. This bill was read
twice in the last congress and referred
to the judiciary committee. The cur
rency stringency last sumner and au-
tumn brought into use considerable
quantity of such tokens, many OF which
were prohibited under the law as 1T
now stands. The proposed amendment
extends the scope of the statute.
The ex-chief makes another impor'
tant recommendation-th the statute
of limitations which now bars the pros
ecution of national bank officers after
the lapse of three years from the time
of alleged offenses committed oe ex-
tended to FIVE years. The present three
years limitation, his investigation has
disclosed, is too short period, as in
number of instances frauds on national
banks were found to have been COM
mitted many years before discovery.
Mr.. Drummond sagaciously observes
that the longer the period the statute
of limitations has to run the more diff
cult will it be for bank Official to con-
ceal his crime.
The present congress is also asked to
amend the law requiring national bank
officers to stamp all counterfeit notes
rs such. There is law requiring this,
but as no penalty is named for the
failure to carry out its provision it is
not enforceable, although partially OBJ
served. This amendment makes the
failure to brand such notes punishable
by a fine of $500. The retiring chief
also repeats the recommendation made
often to former congresses-that an
appropriation be made as sanitary
measure. as well as to make counter
feiting more difficult. for retiring from
circulation worn and soiled notes. Mr..
Drummond asserts that his twenty-five
years experience in hunting counter
feiters has taught him that anything
which gives q note soiled or worn ap-
pearance is great and effective help
to the counterfeiter.