The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-05
NINGER THE PENMAN
AN ARTIST IN HIS LINE OF COUNTER
FETTING TREASURY NOTES.
His Arrest Recalls the Case of nm In
pert with PEN and Ink.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. Aprn 4-The arrest in
New York Of Emanuel Ninger of Flagtown,
N. j., the expert counterfeiter who pre-
pared all his false notes with pen and ink,
recalls the curious work of another expert,
some ten or fifteen years ago, whose only
tools were a pen and an inkpot The man
was an inmate of the insane asylum at
Indianapolis, and the question that has al
ways puzzled the secret-service men was
how he could do his work under the pre-
sumably vigilant eyes OF his keepers. At
tention was first drawn to him by the dis
covery OF two ten-dollar notes, both of
which were much worn from continued
handling, indicating that they had readily
passed without question. The general effect
of the counterfeits was fairly good, though
the work, on close examination, proved to
be crude. But the most remarkable feature
of these bank notes was the design. The
author Of the notes ,ould hardly be styled
a counterfeiter, since the notes he drew
with his pen were not counterfeits of any
bank note in existence. He made no effort
to initiate any bill, but on the contrary,
drew q combination OF designs, vignettes,
portraits and anything that appeared to
suggest itself to his facile pen. Thus one
note resembled on one side national bank
note and on the other treasury note. On
the reverse of another note he had drawn,
instead OF the conventional scene represent
ing the signing OF the Declaration OF Inde-
pendence, fanciful picture of the cruci-
fixion OF Jesus Christ. On another bank
note was q representation OF Christ and
his APOSTLES. full OF curious conceits. Thus
Christ carried in his right hand a deadly
spear, while one of the apostles brandished
an aggressive-looklng dagger. The amazing
part of it was that such notes were never
questioned, but from their appearance indi-
Gated the sublime faith which the people
in this country seem to repose in piece OF
dirty. green paper of the size and general
raggedness OF the average bank note. The
money was cleverly traced hack to the
asg brss ape Sresh tss ssmpes Of
his skill were discovered.
Visitors to the Treasury Department have
had their attention invariably directed oy
with a pen. This has always been one OF
the show sights Of the guides tour and has
never failed to excite the awe or the OBJ
server and his admiration for the genius of
the man who has initiated the skilled en-
gravers OF the government. The secret
counterfeit is one OF the productions of
Ninger. the man just arrested. He has
made a confession. according to the secret
service men. but they do not make 1t pub
Nineer's case IS regarded as perhaps the
most curious that has ever come under the
notice of the secret service For nearly
twenty years he has been drawing these
notes-tens. twenties. ffties and, more lat
teriy. hundreds have been his usual de-
nominations He made only five or six
notes q year. He can hardly have spent his
time at counterfeiting for the gain OF 1t,
for the money thus laboriously made would
have been scarcely enough to keep himself
alive and his work. genius and industry de-
vefed 70 any other end would have repeid