The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-10-28


took more pains His imitation OF the N
portrait OF Alexander Hamilton Of the
500 ncte that Ia In the possession OF the y
officials would almost de- y
ceivu an expert. -
when he had finished his pea-and- :
ink work he went over the whole lot !,
with a camel's.hair brush TO put In the J
colors. These colors were wonderful
limitations OF the original. The SIX Z
threads which In the original notes are
worked into the pulp Of the paper !,
Ninger initiated with the pen with red
and blue ink.
Ills greatest triumph however, was
shown In his imitation OF the treasury Z
seal. Every obligation Of the govern /
mcnt Issued a. money bears upon ita
face red imprint OF one Of the most
intricate seals that ingenuity could
oonirlyo. Ringers imitation OF this
could bear the closest scrutiny and yet
deceive the eye.
The color that he employed was not
exactly that used by the treasury on
olals. for the tint Of carmine used on
original notes Is difficult 10 obtain.
But very few people ever notice the
peculiar color OF the true seal. and
Ringer felt perfectly safe In using any
Kind OF red that he could lay his hando
on.
when he had completed the seal he I
crumpied the whole counterfeit IN MS |
hands and carried Il around In his |
pocket several days 10 impari to u. ns |
much az he could. the appearance Of
wear and usage 4 week or go suficed
To give n that greasy. worn look Of an
Old note. and then. Il is safe 20 say
ninety -nlnc ont OF every hundred peo-
ple would have accepted Il as genuine
: money without q moments hesitation.
Nlngcr was an early riser and a.
, ways began his work at Z o'clock. lie
continued at II without interruption
untu noon. when the dlnacr-bel
. would summon him 10 lunch. Before
! going downstairs. however. he would
carefully put his room Ia order hiding
!, an his apparatus and leaving no trace
that might betray the nature OF his
=, work for a chance intruder to stun
!. HE upon. Secret drawers artfully
!, contrivcd and invisible hooks and
l, inches In the wall Afforded ample hid
i, ing places. Then, when he had re-
. moved from his hands and clothes all
ink and color stains. Nlngor, like a re-
speciablc workman and a model paier
\ famllas. would JON his family at din
n. ncr.
=, Al o'clock he would resume hi.
- work. but Of late years he remained al
a only few hours. When his chill
dren returned from school their fathel
.. was always ready for a romp viii
A. them. Almost every afternoon Mn
al ger could be- seen tramping out tate
- the country with his cldeGt daughte
and sometimes the little boy. Tn
Ia, neighhors pointed to him as a good
- wise father. Nor was there anythln
~, In hls appearance 20 Fainsay this rcpu
.er iauon. Ito had norld complexion,
,s. closely cropped sandy beard and
II, mild blue eve that seemed the mirro
ter Of innocence.
t.- Ningcr worked alone. lie had n
ia conlederatCs and no accomalices.
a.. was this secretiy,ness that enable
a, him to carry on his work all tho
ON years without being apprehonded b
orr fore. As a rule. when the secret-so
vice officials learn OF the existence
can counterfeit money they can make
and pretty shrewd guess as TO where
-, came from, and then their efforts a
A.. directed toward locating the gang a.
- getting evidence In the case OF Nj
n. ger they were utterly at sea. lie L
Al, no clew upon which they could begI
- and had Il not been for the me
ia trlning accident he would sim IA
been Al liberty And the manner
-. which he came TO grief was this;
e' lie came to New York few ia
Wv" AGO. with the product OF hi,een weel
or, work In his pocket This consisted
~ ak $50 notes and one $50 note. amoui
len, ing In an TO si70 IN counterfeit mon
,h,, without the slightest difficulty
IL, passed Eve OF the $50 notes One
them was 80 good. in fact, that Il n
. =. accented without hesitation by
hank whore Il was offered for depc
ho,a nv the man who had taken Il n
s,mo Nlnger. The sixth $50 note broul
like him 10 grief
the tie offered this note az a 81 aver
. ont grocery. The clerk accepted Il wi
no,o out question and turned Il over to
rolp. cashier. young woman. She
, ,,d been counting a pile Of paper mo-
\ an. and had been moistening her mus
.enla. on a sponge Her hand was siill da
ndled when she took Up Nlngcr's note. an'
! and her surprise the series number beet
,rn. blurred as she touched Il. She I'm
Il up. dlately wet her finger again.
/, that rubbed Il over the whole number
,laced became blur OF ink. Then she 81
Every tlniaed the bill closely and that
nc 10 the end Of Ninger.
n the She gave him his change, and a.
rtline left the store she sent a clerk TO 70
paper him. The clerk. who was a 70
me OF man Of considerable Intelligence.
lndow lowed him downtown and into a 81
,ercos. At 81 cortlandt street Here NJ
which purchased a drink and rendered
enulne note in payment.
The bartender looked At the
anelv whlslled al llc size, and. never d
80. lon IA nonulnanons counted oul