The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-28
BOGUS MONEY OF PURE SILVER
Hawkins Believed to BE One of a Gang
of toslnferfeifer@.

Hawkins Believed to BE One of Gang
of Counterfeiters.
NJ Hawkins. the old man who was ar
rested last Thursday on a charge of coun-
terfeiting and passing counterfeit dollars.
was given a hearing before United States
Commissioner Emery. yesterday afternoon.
and was held in s3olo bonds for hearing
before Judge Hanford in the United States
court some time next month. There Is an
air of mystery about the arrest. and ali
the facts in the case did not come out, IL
being evident that the government officers
have held back a good deal OF what they
have found out II is believed that there
are others interested in the counterfeit
ing and that the officers are hot on the
trail and that other arrests are likely TO
follow.
IL will be remembered that some time
since several persons in this city complain
ed that they had come in possession of
counterfeit silver dollars, and 4hat they
were at a loss to know where the coins
came from. At some of the banks the
coins were tested with acids and found to
be the pure metal. and then they were
weighed and were found little light. but
their bright, new and smooth appearance
gave out the impression that they had
been ''sweated" Sweating coin is prac-
ticed by Cinnamon, and consists of rub
bing the money or swinging IL win other
coins in a sack until the metal is reduced
and portions Of 1t are worn of In the shape
OF dust which is melted up and sold But
IL was ascertained that there was a gang
OF counterfeiters in the city. and that
they were making American silver dollars
from Mexican dollars. which are worth
about so cents each; thus there was a clear
profit of 80 cents on each coin passed.
Warrants were issued by Commissioner
Emery month ago, but the first was not
served until last Thursday.
At the hearing yesterday the prisoner
did not offer any testimony, and his at
torneys confined their defense to cross
examining the witnesses for the prosecu-
ton. The evidence brought out the fact
that Hawkins has lived in this city for
several years and has been making liv-
ing for some time by selling flowers for
the florist who has a place on Second
street. corner OF University. He was ar
rested by Deputy Marshal Quilter. and on
his person was found counterfeit dollar
which he is said 10 have enaeavored 10
conceal, and in his valise was found die
for making the spurious money. Several
witnesses testified that the prisoner had
passed the bad money off on them. One
OF the officers testified that among the
prisoners effects We're found correspond
ence and letters showing that he had been
in correspondence WITH a firm in San
Francisco known as the Mexican dollar
exchange.
From the testimony the case looked
pretty black for the old man. but whether
he is made the stool pigeon for clever
gang of operators could not be ascertain
ed. for he would not ten his story, ana
nothing could be ascertained from the Off
GERS.
The arrest of the old man and the story
that he has been making money from Mex
lean dollars recalls the incident of the
creation OF the American trade dollar by
this country about fifteen years ago. 1t
is a well-known fact that Mexican dollars
are good in China. and are in general cir
culation there on basis of value recog-
niZed as standard in trade circles. and no
questions are asked while American dol
lars are not wanted and are accepted only
at a discount. Every year large amount
of Mexican dollars and other moneys are
sent out from Japan to the Orient. About
fifteen years ago this government coined
several millions of the tabooed trade dol
lars and made them heavier than the Mex
lean dollars for the purpose of capturing
some of the Oriental trade in the money.
But the Chinese would not accept the
money: they were afraid of it, and some
time afterward the government bought up
the trade dollars and melted them over
into other coin.