The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-09-12
NINGER'S NIMBLE PEN
HOW THE REMARKABLE COUNTER
FEiTER DID HIS WORK.

ties and a Fifty Passed by Him on the
Day OF His Arrest.
The more that is learned about Emar-
uel Ninger, the New jersey pen and ink
rounterfeiter, the less wonderful seems
his work and the more remarkable seems
the man. While Secret Service Agent
Bagg declines to make any statement re-
garding the processes Of the counterfeiter
Y any statement whatever regarding
he man, except that no has incOntrOvert-
ible proof that Ninger is the maker Of
the counterfeit notes, and that they
Vrere made with pen, ink and brush,
without the aid Of plates Ct camera, this
description Of how they are made may
be trusted absolutely, as can also the
statements concerning the cOunterfeiter.
The information comes from the highest
sJurce.
When Ringer started out from Flag
town, n. j., the other day, he had in
his possession six $40 notes and II $50
tote, which, together, We're the product
If about - weeks work. He passed five
If the twenties without any difficulty.
one Of them was so good that it was ac-
opted by L bank when offered for de-
posit by the man who had taken it from
Ringer. It was the sixth $50 note that
},9t him into difficulty quite accidental
X. He offered tn, note at a Third I've
n.ae grocery. The clerk accepted it with
at question. He gave it to the cashier,
/ Young woman Her hand was damp,
lNI in handling the note she touched
-" series number with II damp finger.
ne noticed IA blur and Immediately wet
"'r ringer on . sponge and rubbed it
rross The number. The blur was dis
net. Ninger was going out of the store
with his change at the time, and the
,lshier, who was quick wltted, sent u
Jerk to watch him. The clerk followed
I'm down town and into a saloon at 81
IortlandJ street. Ninger purchased a
rink and rendered a $50 note IL pay
>Aent. The bartender wh;stled ut the
ne OF it, but never suspected it's genu-
:.:Aness, and he got the change and hand
I'd it over. Ninger had succeeded, it is
alleged, in getting rid Of all his notes,
aid he started for the ferry. 1t was then
l.!at the clerk caused his arrest. He was
soon IN the hands Of the United States
~r1iicers.
No United States officials have ad-
united or asserted that NiEger has on
tnS'"d, but every Of them seems to
possess information which he hardly
could POSSESS unless it came from the
prisoner. 1t is known that the mans
wife and children were ignorant Of the
i-:atter. 1t was this secretivensss that
-. .,blcd him 50 long to evade capture.
Ninger is modest and ~u,:assuming i'll
appearance. He has Il !lorld complexion,
Il closely cropped sandy beard, and u
mi}I blue eye that Sex ms the mirror CT
~inuocence. He dressed AZ a farmer
dresses, and he looked the farmer from
head to foot. He would he marn likely
I, be picked up BY Il buuiso sle"rnr ~ Il
e me on than by the secret service MI
e = q the police * al export pe,llln
esuntprfe.ter. The informant gives this
{, Inscription Of Ming rs method Of work:
The operator fest procured bOnj pa
% which i, Cf alo;it the same thick.
IS and tGUghness as the genuine dis
-anctive' paper prescribed by Tie secre-
Ivy of the treasury undcr til" act CT
congress. Of course the bend paper has
np silk fiber-hu5 i tl,is hereafter. The
..rator cut TIE bond paper the exact
."H e Tia genuine note, IND 1t was
j.rn immersed i'll weak solution ct
fee. Th:s baptism impaired t" it the
lplealalre of ayN-hUt not excessive
:~e-ls # The note had passed through
veral hands. 1t scented! soft and mel
-, but ~ worl. ur ragged.
While the bond paper was still wet
4 was placed over Tie fNre Of the genu,
iYe note. The edges being exactly to-
..ethor. The two We're then placed flat
.nAn y paue Of glass and every figure
I'd lester, portrait and vignette, viii
ne signatures II tn" register OF tl'
'-n,>lrv ana Of III" treasurer Of ttl'
~ ted s'tnro$, We're brought out III bCl'
r.i.af, and c0uld be plainly seen through
vac t|ranSoarent bond paper. While thi
..,,S st,ll ialap the operator approached
y ,-:nCuW uHI there placed his pane q
~. IS al ~ angle u about 10 degree
.a-: n,s the window frame. The eight o
.,.r3e S'ione through, rendering the ira
n>cy Of the genuine engraving distinct
J th:s position The operator com
1.rarCl work, first with al eXtremcl
I'D and s,:urp pointed lead pencil
N.:h IL n carefully traced and rcpr,
G,u~ 4 upou the hond paper AL part.
trtu th" NEST minute, "t the genuin
noe.
THE tracing with II" pencil WAS su'
cefaed b. Use Of pen and ink, and til
sA::e gr3lnd was gone over, bat meal