The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1894-03-05
uNoLE SANS sacaer ssRNcE.
How It Deals with counterfeiters' Prod
uct. and Mutiiated Celns.

uCtn anu NAnNhAAc0 G1AuHs
Tho secret service is bureau In the
treasury department, whose head Is an ok
pert detective ANA whose suhordinatea ara
unknown to tho outside world. But tho
ramincations OF this service rvach out TO
tho different cities OF tho Union and ex-
plore tho secluded haunts in quiet country
towns.
Up In ore Of the numerous rooms Of the
treasury department we find small cham
Der which Is museum in which are col.
leoted the tools, pictures and work of tho
counterfeiterE On one side Is case Of
ugly pistols; on the other, frame full OF
photos OF famous "shovers Of tho queer, -
while behind glass are numberleas apeci-
mems OF counterfeit or bad money in bills
and coins.
To those whose curiosity Is excited by
the queer exhibit tho polite chief clerk is
always ready to give Information
"rhcro arc many little things of interest
in tho service outside of dry statistics.
For instance, Il is not generally known
that e IL against tho law TO print, photo
graph, cngrave or paint facsimile of
United States note or coin, but such is the
case. We have there, he continued. point
ing 60 a large placard bearing an eneruv-
ing representing a 81 bill,"a picture which
was placed in a window TO advertise some
Sc shoes. This drawing was seized by tho
officers. A photographers had as an advcr-
tisoment approximation OF a IS note, and
this also was contsoatod,
This photograph OF a man seated In
chair aud held by two others IL the pic
ture Of n famous countcrfeiter lie WAS
determined we should not catch his face,
30, you see, he has wrinklod it mp so as To
he almost unreCognizablo
zone Of tho easiest ways of counterfeit
ing Is TO change bill from ono deuomina-
tiop 20 auothcr-say a $40 hill to $500
note, or Si0o TO 5000. but, as rule, large
bills are not those most often counterfeit.
cd, for tho reason that IL ia much easier 10
pass 81 note uudetcctod than it is ono
for 81 900. A small motto passes unuoticed
where a large one would he challenged.
"Of course tho oountorieitors are fine
cngravors, and their work is simply Won
dcrful Still, they never get of ns good a
specimen ms that put out 10y The govern
meut. Tho lines in the portraits are not
near 80 fine.
"Whcn a follow has made false money
his first object il TO give il an old look, 50
Il can more easily escape detection, Some
do this by rubbing new note In the sweat
FROM an ovcrheated horse, ms This gives y
soiled, oily look, and others use coffee or
tea to effect n stain.
"Wo have in the department here Indy
who is remarkably gifted with such n del
icato sense of touch that It ia simply inn
possible 90 pass counterfeit on her. Ono
bad note which had passed tho subtrens-
ury in New York WAS detected and thrown
out while passing through her hands.
"MutiRting coin ia n foolish habit with
some people, and they do not seem 20 re-
nliao that they are practically withdraw
ing it from circulation. For instance the
10 cent pieces used by ladies for bangles,
or on which initials are cut, can only no
redeemed as bullion-thoy are money no
longer, as they no longer represent tho
coin OF the realm. Washington Cor.
Philadelphia Times,