The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-09-02
CUNNING CoUNTERFEITeRs.



the Southwest.
A counterfeit of the United
States silver certificate, series of
1896, was forwarded a few days ago
10 the secret service bureau a the treas
Try department from Chicago. 1t wa
the first which had been received since"
last January, and experts declared Il
is a clever piece of work, which would
not be detected as a counterfeit except
under close scrutiny. 1t had Mum
Der of points about it which stamp il aS
being spurious, but which would not
be noticed in the least by the laity.
II had been expecting this note to
turn up for long time" said Chief
Hazen. Of the secret service bureau, to
Star reporter the other day, as ne
showed the counterfeit note across The
table to be examined 10y the reporter.
al am rather surprised that we have
not secured it before.
at comes from Chicago, and from
certain ear marks which | can detect
| about il it is the work of a noted c0au-
! 1erfeiter by the name of John Alfred
| Irkoog. L'Koog is a Swede, about 30
wears of age, and rather clever as a
note maker. He escaped from Jolie'
prison. Illinois, last March, where he
| had been sent from Chicago for coun-
| terfciting, 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 the
Watchfulness of the officers.
Ever since his escape we have been
| locking out for some of his work, and it
has Just turned up. When man has
started in the business he never qnits
it, unless by force of circumstances.
1T was only reasonable to suppose
that L'Koog would return to his Old
haunts and occupation in Chicago, and
tie suppostion proved correct.
The last counterfeit note we re
ceived was from Chicago. also. ltwas
| $40 Manning head certificate, and
turned up January IL. The windy city
| is a center for counterfeiting, 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
lures of famous makers and showers Of
| "the queer" more were held in cab
| inets. and records, which if revealed
would cause sensations throughout the
| United States, were hidden in boXesand
carefully filed away.
"Connterfeiting might be termed the
! aristucracy of crooks. They are gen
orally quiet, not often immoral or con
vivial, and are naturally very reserved.
| j is 10 their interest to be reticent. II
| 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
| exceedingly charitable, though it may
| be said if they are successful they can
easily afford to be so. They are mild
el class than that of any other Grimm
| ais. They never cause trouble in any
community wherever they may happen
| to be, outside of the counterfeitng.
There are not so many women in the
| business as formerly; why, cannot
just be explained. There are few fe-
| males in it now, and those who are ell
gagged in the business cooperate with
their husbands. The man generally
makes the money, and the woman
passes ii. as she does not find so Itch
Trouble in doing so.
There is more coming of tie queer
in the west and southwest sections Of
the country than in the others. 1t prob
ably started there and has continued.
1t is transmitted from father to SOL,
just like any other trade, and tlourishes
III much the same manner as does Illicit
distilling.
1T is mistaken idea to suppose that
, counterfeiters, as has been stated. bu-
silver and make it into coin, thereby
gaining the profit which the stamp is
supposed to add to it. Not by any
means. y counterfeiter will not pay
60 cents or so cents an ounce for silver
to use when he can get the same results
differently. He buys anthony, tin.
plaster of paris, and other materials.
the whole outfit costing about $3.50.
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 possible.
I'VE recognize the work of individ-
nal coin counterfeiters by the manner
in which the coins are finished. as t.
the milling on the edges, and other de
tails. 1t is very seldom that we are mis-
taken in this respect. Every one has
his own mark. "-Washington Star.
Trying Again.
Papa" said the ice baron's beauti-
ful daughter, "mamma and want So