The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-10
A FLOOD OF BOGUS STAMPS.
THE COUNTERFEITERS SELL THEM
THROUGH RETAILERS.

Buyers Found by Advertising S115
Worth of Stamps for SIOO-POst-
Office Inspectors at Chicago Seize
Packages Containing as.75O of the Bo-
gus Issue-The Extent to which
the COunterfeits Have Been Float
ed Not known Yet.
Washington, April "a Chicago paper
printed this morning an account of the
discovery by United States secret service
operatives Of an extensive unterfeiting
of the pink two-cent postage stamp. 1t
was stated that a package containing TO-
900 of these counterfeit stamps had been
discovered in the Chicago office of the
Wells Fargo Express Company. The
names of the shipper and consignee were
withheld.
Third Assistant Postmaster General
Kerr Craig, who has supervision of the
postage stamps, said to-day that about a
month ago he received from postmaster
in the west a counterfeit two-cent stamp.
and upon examination with a magnifying
glass, he easily detected that it was spuri-
Gus, All the lines of a genuine stamp, he
said, were even and regular, but the coun-
tertelt was ragged, blurred and the color
ing defective. An expert, he said. could
easily tell the good one from the bad
Upon receipt of the stamp. inspectors were
put to work, but whether the present dis
covery was the outcome of that investiga-
ton, he would not state, but 1t is probable
that the counterfeit was one of the many
thousands sent out from Chicago. Gen.
Craig said he thought the story somewhat
magnifed, but in any event 1t would not
necessitate the recalling of the issue of
two-cent samps, as postmasters through
out the country would be warned of the
COnnteTfatTG directed Keen "A
close watch for the spurious article. The
postoffice inspectors in the field will be
instructed TO use every effort in ferreting
out the counterfeiters, and the sercet ser
vice detectives will act in conjunction with
them.
Chicago, April "a package Of coun-
terfeit stamps, which was seized yester-
day by government officials, was ad-
in the rotunda Of the chamber of com
merce. They were shipped by express
from Buffalo, by the Canadian Novelty
and Supply Company of Hamilton, Ont.
When a messenger brought the package
Mr. Herzog examined 1t, and finding the
stamps were counterfeited, refused to re-
ceive them. He then telephoned the
United States marshal and Postoffice In
spsctor Stuart. -Four packages, similar to
the one Herzog refused to receive, were
delivered by the express messenger, the
people to whom they were addressed pay
ing for them without raising any objec-
tions.
Mr., Herzog said to-day in explaining his
innocent connection with the scheme: II
dispose of about 800 worth of stamps
daily, my customers being the tenants of
the chamber of commerce. l buy the
stamps from wholesale dealers and firms
who do mail business. They get sur
plus of stamps and buy them at a small
discount. saw an advertisement in a
Chicago newspaper a week ago last Sun
day, reading as follows: We have S115
United States 2-cent stamps, which we
cannot use here. VIII send them by ex-
press, 9. q. D., privilege of examination,
for $l00 Canadian Novelty and Supply
vertisement, writing that / would take all
the stamps they had at that figure. In
reply received letter, saying they could
not let me have more than $500 worth a
month. They added that they would make
the first shipment Friday via Buffalo, so
as TO save expense of sending the stamps
across the line.
IAN express messenger brought in the
package yesterday. on examining the
stamps found the color light and l sus-
pected from the general appearance that
they were not genuine and / told the ex-
press messenger of my belief. The mes
senger replied that / need not be afraid.
as he had delivered four similar packages
within an hour and had received nav
without hesitation. As the Hamilton con-
Germ had said only $500 worth could be
supplied each month, l knew then the
stamps We're counterfeit and notified the
postal officials, who obtained possession
of the package"
Capt. Porter of the secret service has
$3.50 of the bogus stamps in his possess
sion, the packages secured by the other
four Chicagoans having been secured.
Capt. Porter refuses to disclose the names
Of the. other consignees, as all are inno-
cent of wrong doing. Although the secret
service agents at Buffalo and in Canada
had been notified last night he believed
the premature publication of the facts
would result in the escape of the gang.
Postoffice Inspector Stuart said this was
the first time he had heard of counter
feiting stamps in his thirty years expert
ence as a postal in. pectar. He declared
that the government would have to with
draw the issue.
Hamilton, Ont, April s-The Canadian
Novelty Supply Company, refer
red to in a Washington ID.
c. dispatch as suspected of counter
feiting United States postage stamps, was
located this evening In the rear of o.
store occupied by r. Dunn, painter and
glazier at % King Williams street.
The place is only half a block from po-
lice headquarters, but the names of those
who compose the Novelty Supply Com
pany cannot be learned tonight The po-
lice are working on the clue, but decline
TO furnish any information.