Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-07-16
His Pride in Crime.

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Service, came on from Washington to
New York when Ringer, known for
more than fifteen years to the detec-
tives as "Jim the Penman," because of
his clever pen and ink counterfeits of
Treasury notes, was sentenced to six
years Imprisonment. The maximum
sentence is fifteen years or $1,000 fine,
or both. 1t was expected that in conse-
quence of the dangerous character Of
Ringers work he would get ten or
twelve years at least, especially as he
had been for so many years practising
his art. A reporter asked chief Hazen
why Ringer was let Off so lightly.
II suppose 1t is because he pleaded
guilty." said Mr.. Hazen, land that the
court considered that as there was no
plate work he was not so desperate a
criminal"
Further inquiry showed that the
Chief considered the man to be more
dangerous than the ordinary counter
feiter. Ringer had no confederates,
passed all his own counterfeits and
hence enjoyed immunity from detec-
ton for fifteen or twenty years. THE
plate men," said the Chief, 'never run
longer than two or three years. The
banks, with more or less ease, detect
the counterfeits and then the detectives
are notified, and in comparatively
short time the party is run down."
A good deal has been said about Min
gers cleverness with the pen, and some
doubt was thrown on the ability Of the
Treasury Department detectives to con-
Wet him as the maker of the spurious
notes. This was the very point that
occurred to Chief Hazen after the for
ger had got into the hands of George II.
BOgg, his deputy in this city. He there
fore laid plans accordingly. Ringer
was taken up to the rooms of the Secret
Service Bureau in the Post Office Build
ing and questioned. His professional
pride" was awakened by challenge,
and then taking up pen he literally
dashed off, a portrait of Hamilton ex-
actly as it was on one of the 500 notes.
With equal celebrity and faithfulness he
copied Eit of the drapery in the fe-
uIdlc liz hCh Will Sui Ia iSihS az
curacy he wrote the name Of wv. s.
Rosecrans," Register of the Treasury.
Next he was asked to made the figure
"20' in the border of another note. 1t
was done almost in the twinkling of an
eye. Finally he signed his own name
clumsily, strange to say, under the
work, and then wrote the Chiefs name
in style that could not Ike surpassed
in the most delicate engravings.
When this work was compared with
the original and the counterfeits 1t was
seen to be as perfect as duplicate print
ing. All this was done i'm the presence
Of witnesses, and the chief felt he had
a perfect case. But Ringer confessed
and saved further trouble. He also
told the Chief he would help him in any
way he could; but no help was needed.
Ringer made three 500 bills of the
Farragut portrait, and of these Chief
Hazen has two. 1.-The Chief of the
Bureau of Engraving" said Mr.. Hazen,
told me that the portrait was perfect.
There is only one defect in these notes,
and that Is that the words Bureau Of
Engraving are omitted. / asked Min
ger for the reason of this omission, and
his reply was unique. He said he did
not want people to believe that the
notes were made there, and it would
have been lie. He confessed to max
ing four of the 500 notes with the Lin
coin portrait. We have one Of those.
He passed all his notes here in the East.
One Of the 500 bills, however, came
from the Portsmouth National Bank,
Of Ohio, and was detected in 1894 by
the Chase National Bank. of this city.
In getting Ringer to identify number
Of his notes ran in counterfeit plate
note. He held it closely to his eyes and
threw 1t down with disgust, saying it
was not his work, but a plate counter
felt. Apparently this is mania with
him, apart from any spirit of avarice
that may actuate him. He certainly Is
most remarkable man."