The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-10-10
Clever Counterfeiters.

The recent arrest Of Brockaway,
one of the Oldest and most expert
enced counterfeiters in the country,
has called public attention afresh to
that branch of the government SER
vice which is organized for the pur-
pose OF protecting Uncle Sans mon
ey. Those who have visited the Of
flee OF the secret service in the Treas
ury building in Washington will no
doubt recall the features of Brocka-
way, who occupies place Of honor
in the gallery, which has been aptly
termed the "rogue's gallery" Here
may be found the faces of men who
for years past have attempted to
make and pass counterfeit bills and
pieces of money.
IL is one of tho most interes sting
places in the Nations Capital, and it
is perhaps due to the fact that, as
the bulk Of the community lead hon.
est and industrious lives, and CO.
reers OF those who pursue the oppo-
site course or of moro or less inter-
est. At any rate. whatever the mo-
tive, it is well known that every
thing that relates to crime and crimi-
nails possesses fascinating inter-
est for the average man and woman.
To crafty this tendency or weak
ness Of human nature, as well as to
furnish practical object lesson OF
what Uncle Sam has done in the
past and what he is likely to do in
the future if he finds anybody at
tempting to usurp his right to coin
money, there is always on exhibition
o collection of pictures of noted
counterfeiters, and also Of the tools
which they use.
Whenever an officer of the govern
lnent seizes counterfeiter, he con-
tiscates all the spurious money which
he is able to find and the best speci-
mems of the skill of these men are
framed and hung up for the inspec-
tion of visitors. The collection
shows some crude work, as well as
some exceedingly skillfull work. 1t
is very evident, however. even to the
casual visitor who inspects this ex-
hibit of the skillful dishonesty of the
country, that Uncle Sam has intro
duced SO many improvements in the
manufacture of this paper money,
that it is practically impossible to
counterfeit it with any success.
Even Brockaway, who is admitted
to be the cleverest engraver that ev-
or engaged in the business, was un.
able to reproduce the paper itself,
and the result was that the notes he
turned out were rather easy to de-
tect. In the production of silver
coins, however, the counterfeiters
have more opportunity, but still
such ragid watch is maintained
that it is rather difficult to pass the
coins after they are made.
In the Treasury exhibit are found
the molds and plates and dies which
have been used by those who rob
Uncle Sam. 1t is not supposed that
the display of these tools, and the
product Of perverted talents, has
the bad effect of suggesting the idea
of going into the business. The out
look is not very encouraging one,
as the records show that all of those
who have adopted this calling, and
who have earned their place in this
National Rogue's Gallery, have paid
the penalty by terms of varying
lengths in the penitentiary. What
ever fascination the business might
have, it is not likely to be increased
by looking over this collection which
represents the wrong-doing of men
and women who are made to suffer
the penalties OF their crimes.
Some OF the pictures of the men
and women who have been arrested
for counterfeiting show shat they
are not of the ordinary criminal
type, but are evidently plain people
living in the country, who have per-
haps ignorantly yielded to tempta-
tion and adopted their business as
an easy way of making money. 1t
is certainly not as hard as digging
potatoes or hoeing corn, that is, in
the amount of physical effort put
forth, and then it is usually repre-
sented that the returns are very
large and the risks small.
Experience generally proves that
both Of these latter representations
'are false, but then it is too late to be