The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-10
COUNTERFEIT STAMPS
DISCOVERY OF A NEW SCHEME FOR
SWINDLING UNCLE SAM.
Seven Hundred Dollars Worth of Bo-
gus TwO-Cent Postage Stamps Seized
in a Chicago Express Office.

CHICAGO, April 9.-The Tribune says:
United States secret service opera
tives in Chicago and Washington
have unearthed probably the most
unique and, at the same time, i'm
portant swindles ever perpetrated on any
government. Its magnitude, after two days
investigation, can only be guessed at but
it is believed thousands upon thousands of
dollars have been secured by a gang of
skilled counterfeiters who have reproduced
with wonderful skill and accuracy the pink
cent stamp of commerce. Whether the
counterfeiters have accomplices in dishon-
est postmasters is not known. Last even
ing Captain Stuart, of the postal inspec-
tors department, and Captain Porter, of
the United States Secret Service Bureau,
called at the Wells-Fargo office. They were
taken to the store room and there found
an oblong package, looking like big roll
of music. 1t contained ten thousand of
the counterfeit stamps. 1t was said in
Washington that while the gang has had
it's headquarters in Chicago, is has operated
extensively in ST. Louis, Cincinnati, Buff
falo and as far west as San Francisco.
The counterfeit stamps seized at the
were addressed to Nathan Herz s cigar ssr
dealer, Chamber Of Commerce Building. "A
the following advertisement:
We have Sis United States 2-cent
stamps. which we cannot use here, and will
examination, for 500. Canadian Novelty and
Supply Company, Hamilton, Ont
Il answered the advertisement and said
/ would take all the stamps that they could
furnish me at that discount and requested
them into to send md me the number advertised"
press messenger brought in the package. I
examined the stamps, and the color and
they were counterfeit. I said so to the mes
senger-. He replied that l need have no
ages within an hour and the people had paid
for them. My suspicious were confirmed,
because the firm had said that they could
not furnish more than $500 worth a month.
1 called the officers. They got possession
and found that they were eounterfeits.''
Secret service agents in Buffalo and Can
ada have been wired the facts and postal
authorities are expecting the capture of the
culprit.
Extent of the Fraud Exaggerated.
WASHINGTON, April 9.-Chief Inspector
Wheeler. of the Postoffice Department, re-
fuses to say anything about the stamp
counterfeiting in Chicago although he has
received several kilograms concerning the
affair. 1t was learned from other officials,
however, that the extent of the counterfeit
ing has been oyerestimated. Third As
sistant Postmaster-general Craig says that
counterfeit stamps have carried letters
through the mails and have been Cancelled,
but says that stamp counterfeiting cannot
be carried on to any great extent as the
cost of making stamps and the difficulty
in disposng of them is so great as to
render the counterfeiting of little profit.
Large purchases of stamps are usually
made from responsible and known men.
Unknown persons having stamps to sell.
he added, are under suspicion of having
stolen them and large purchases, therefore,
are not likely to be made from them.
Chief Hazen, of the secret service divi-
SIGN of the Treasury Department received
a telegram to-day from one of his agents
at Chicago stating that he has seized 500
worth of counterfeit cent postage stamps.
They had been shipped from Buffalo and
were discovered in the Wells-Fargo Ex-
press Companys office. The officials have
been on the alert for something of this
kind since last January, when they learned
of man making inquiry under suspicious
circumstances as to the process of print
ing stamps. The officials of the secret serv-
ice are working the case in connection
with the poStoffit inspectors.
1t has been learned at the Postoffice De-
partment that the stamps known to be
counterfeits were made in Hamilton, Ont
That is the information of the detectives
About $3.50 worth have been captured 1t IS
believed at the department that purchasers
of stamps will be very careful to secure
legitimate issues, and that not many OF the
have been disposed of. No
change will be made in the present issue OF
the 2-cent stamps.