The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-10-12
TALK ABOUT COUNEERFEITERS

- - S
TALK ABOUT COUNrERFEITERS
The Chief of the United States Secre,
Service Talks About the Makers OF
Spurious Money
Washington Star.
a counterfeit of the So United States
silver certificate, series of 1896, has
been forwarded TO the secret service
bureau at tho treasury department
from Chicago. IT is the first that has
been received since last January, and
experts declare it clever piece OF
work which would not be detected as
a counterfeit except under close scru-
| tiny. 1t has u number of points about
| 1t which stamp 1t as being spurious,
| but which would not be noticed by the
laity.
had been expecting this note to
| turn up for u long time" said Chief
Hazen of the secret service bureau to
Star reporter today, as he showed
the counterfeit note across the table to
be examined by the reporter. :" am
rather surprised that we have not se-
cured it before.
1t comes from Chicago, and from
certain carmarks which | can detect
about it, it is the work of noted
ccunterfeiter by the name OF John AL
fred L'KOog. L'KOog is a Swede, about
80 years of age, and rather clever as q
note maker. He escaped from Joliet
prison, illinois, last March, where he
had been sent from Chicago for coup-
terfeiting, with two other men. They
were coin makers, named Jacob John
son and James Foley. They were re-
captured and returned to the prison,
but so far L'Koog has eluded watchful-
ness of the officers.
Ever since his escape we have been
looking out for some OF his work. aud
it just turned up. When a man has
started In the business he never quits
it, unless by force Of circumstances.
1t is only reasonable to suppose that
L'koog would return to his old haunts
and occupation in Chicago, and the
supposition proved correct.
The last counterfeit note we re-
ceived was from Chicago also 1t was
a $40 Manning head certificate, and
turned up Jan IL. The Windy City is
a center for counterfeiters. as the
workers have often been captured
there"
The chief sat in his private Office in
the treasury building, about which
clings an air Of mystery connected
with everything pertaining to the Sc
cret service. On the walls were pic
OF 1.-THE queer" More were held in
cabinets and records, which if re
vealed would cause sensations through
out the United States, were hidden in
boxes and carefully filed away.
"Counterfeiters might be termed the
aristocracy of crooks. They are gen
orally quiet, not often immoral or con-
vivial, and are naturally very reserved.
1t is to their interest to he reticent. 1t
is paradox, but there are never
thieves among them. What mean is,
while they follow counterfeiting, which
is one OF the worst crimes imaginable,
they would not rob or burglarize.
Many Of them have been known to be
be said If they are successful they can
easily afford to be so. They are a
milder class than that of any other
criminals. They never cause trouble
in any community wherever they may
happen to be outside of the counter
feiting.
There is not so many women in the
business as formerly; why, cannot lust
be explained. There are few females
in 1T now, and those who are engaged
in the business cooperate with their
husbands. The man generally make
the money and the woman passes it,
AS she does not find so much trouble in
doing SO.
There is more coming of the queer
in the West and Southwest sections of
the country than in the others. 1t
probably. started there and has con-
tinued. 1t is transmitted from father
to son, just like any other trade, and
hourisheS in much the same manner as
does illicit distilling.
1t Is q mistaken idea to suppose
that counterfeiters, as has been stated,
buy silver and make it into coin, there
| by gaining the profit which the stamp
| is supposed to add to it. Not by any
means. A cOunterfeiter will not pay
60 or 81 cents an ounce for silver when
he can got the same results differently.
He buys antimony, tin, plaster of paris
costing about $l.50, and with these he
can get out coin to the face value OF
5000 or $500. They wish to make as
much as possible out of as little as pos.
possible.
" We recognize the work OF individ.
ual coin counterfeiters by the manner
In which the coins are finished, as tC
the milling on the edges, and other
dc tails 1t is very seldom that we are
mistaken In this respect. Every one
has his own mark.
80 The biggest capture we ever made
was that of the Brockway Brad fords
gang in Hoboken, N. j., in 1895. There
were six members of the gang, in
cluding the notorious Mrs. Abbi>
Smith, who Is low serving four year
sentence Ia the New Jersey peniten
tiary at Snake Hill. The woman made
the notes. She was cousin to DR.
Bradford, one OF ths prime movers O
the gang.
We swooped down upon them il
Hoboken before they had chance t,
put any Of their bills In circulation
We captured notes of all denomina
tions on United States and Canadi iai
banks, figuring up to the value of $3.50,
600. Many OF the bills were in partl,
finished state, but the work was ex
ceedipgly clover, and would have passe,
inspection almost anywhere.
Tine last case we had was MAJ
and woman arrested recently for coun
terfeiting dimes In Brooklyn"
The chief opened one of the cabinet
fixed so that leaves In which photo
graphs were fixed of noted counterfeit
ers easily swung outward. There wer
more than 1900 photos in this cabine
alone OF the queer people. They wer
OF all ages, GalUrs, classes and appear
y anceS. SOr of them were wOme