The evening times., 1896-08-15
SECRET SERVICE At WORK
Alleged Minting Of Silver Dol
lars in Guatemala.
STORY IS NOT BELIEVED.
Acting cllief McwiIliams Ridlcule.
tilestatenrents- Fraud OF That Char.
acter Would Soon he Detected by
the Numerous Coin Experts In This
Country Treaties in Question.

Acting Chief McwiIliams of the United
States Secret Service was questioned to-
day concerning the alleged minting OF
silver dollars by two Young Americans in
Guatemala.
1T is all nonsense, . said he, Ito suppose
that $2,oO0,oOO worth of United States
silver dollars, mfnted In one OF the Gem
tral- American states, have been fraudu-
lentiy circulated in this country without
investigation, believe the whole story to
be fake pure and simple.
The first time one OF these coins made
its appearance in bank or counting house
1t would be promptly thrown out as a
counterfeit, no matter how well it WAS
executed or what the value of silver CON-
tained in it. We have too many experts
for fraud Of that character to pass even
the incipient Stages
All the information obtainable at the
Treasury Department is contained in the
copy OF an English journal printed In the
City of Mexico and forwarded to Secretary
Carlisle by Minister Ransom.
According To- the, story, native silver
dollars were purcIased-at tie current
priceof about 30 cents each, and then coined
into standard silver dollars, the amount of
coinage up to this time being estimated at
fully 2,50o.0O0.
The letter aud paper We're turned over to
the secret service officials for inyestiga-
tion, but no steps have as yet been taken
in The matter.
DETECTION is CERTAIN.
Acting Chief McwiIlIams says that il
would be practically impossible for silver
dollars OF the nature suggested TO be cir
culated without almost immediate detection.
II would make no difference IL they con-
tained as much or more silver than those
coined at the United States mints, there
would he u oissimilarity easily recognizable
by experts.
IL would be utterly impossible to manu-
factnre a duplicate die which might give
the same impression as that now in use
No matter how perfectly it was construct
ed there would be discrepancy somewhere
sufficient 10 attract instant attention.
There are now experts in every bank and
large ercaDtile establishments. Pro-
fessional instructors have for years gone
through the couHtry, and for ,maIl fee
taught the art of detecting counterfeits
49, t't't ho1siihE itbts III ttHSiGtT-
able sums have been thoroughly educated.
and could not be imposed upon even with
genuine silver dollar coined else where than
at a government mint. :
IF any or these alleged dollars had heen
put in circulation any where in the United
States some bank or counting house expert
would have discovered its unofficial char
acter." said Mr.. McWilliams, and have
promptly Forwarded il TO this bureau to
be branded as a dangerous counterfeit.
"A circular would have been carefully
prepared here, setting forth all the distiu-
gushing discrepancies as compared with
the genuine silver dollar, and sent out
to our agents everywhere as a warning.
The fact that 1t contained the requi-
site quantity and quality OF silver woBh
not make 1t legal 1t must have the mint
stamp OF the government TO render 1t
genuine. All Others are counterfeit and
cannot be made to so closely resemble
legitimate coins as to prevent prompt de-
lection by experts.
DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
IF this Illegal coinage, which con.
sider highly Improbable, We're really going
On, 1t Would be the duty OF the government
DA'fbe ldiiobihtOu Tue Was
committed to punish the offenders II citi-
zens or the United States counterfeit the
money OF great Britain in this country it
would be our duty to arrest and convict
the makers of the spurious money.
The treaties in force between the United
states and other nations provide for the
mutual protection OF each others cur
rency, The act OF February 10, 1891, pro-
yides that every person who within the
United States shah counterfeit the gen.
uine coin of any foreign government shell
be subject to punishment by fine of
$1,000 or less and not more than five
years imprisonment or both
The penalty for counterfeiting our own
money is a fine of not more than $4,000
and imprisonment not to exceed ten years
or both. But the law goes further and
makes 1t Illegal to circulate any likeness
or similitude, as TO design, color, or the In
scrption thereon, of any OF the coins OF
the United States or OF any foreign gov
ernment that have been or hereafter may
be issued as money under the authority OF
the United States or under the authority of
any foreign government. This would pre-
vent the counterfeiting of any coin, no mat
ter how DID,
When asked concerning the report that
the department was going totake steps look
ing 10 the prohibition Of the introduction
of Mexican dollars into the United States.
on the ground that they were being. passed
TO the unsuspecting for the full face value
or the American silver dollar, Mr.. Nc
Williams said there was no truth in the state
ment, for the reason that the legal coin of
any foreign government could not be re-
fused admittancc, and that those taking
such coin for more than its real value did