The sun., 1897-06-04
GOOD SILVER, BUT BAD COINS.
Three a1iliisn Counterreit Half Dollars In Cir
culatton IN the Woat-

Three aaillisn Counterrelt Half Dollars In Cir
culation IN the Wcat.
ST. LOUIS, June 3.-United States secret ser
vice agents In st. Louis. Kansas City, Omaha,
Denver. Salt Lake City. and San Francisco are
working on a problem which has caused them
much worry and anxiety. It is tho discovery
which the Director Of the Mint refers to at
length. the flooding Of the West with
counterfeit half dollars made Of coin silver.
The circulation Of these counterfeits is on tho
increase. and Chief Hazen has taken the matter
up. The work on the case between this city and
the Rocky Mountains is being conducted from
the st. Louis bureau, and San Francisco men
are attending to the work west Of the mountains.
The counterfeits closely resemble genuine
fifty-cent pieces, and the result is that they
having wide circulation. Many Of them have
reached the Eastern Statos. The SubTreasuries
of the West are constantly taking them up.
Being OF silver, they have the genuine ring.
The slippery feeling noticeable in spurious
coins is absent, and to any other than a trained
eye they appear to be genuine. Banks receive
them without question. and in many instances
pass them out again.
Two years have passed since the authorities
first learned of this criminal scheme. They had
found 1t a comparatively easy task to bring to
justice counterfeiters who turned out imita-
tions in cheap metals. The spurious coin was
always quickly detected. But hero con-
spiracy in the silver-producing belt Of the coun-
try that very difficult to trace to its source
During these two years the secret service
agents have labored indefatigably to run down
the gang but have met with little success
eas assS s I'D hss
but she tip . proved OF 40 avail.
saf aosr. ut ns s
600, and the profits OF the counterfeiters must
be tremendous. These coins are spurious only
ment: They have been assayed and found % difer
The counterfeiters' profit is In, the price
OF bullion. For "a cents he can purchase enough
in the open market Al to make s. halt dollar The
dollars because It Is more profitable to operate
with the 5O-cent issue. In the regular dollar
there are are in SSf dosf The
profit In issuing the latter is at least 100 per
eeP Sn clefE ssfE c6sFes iS G. Richter Of the St. ou.
SubTreasury said to-day: The Director Of the
Mint has given much attention t & to this M perfect
how the same fraud was carried on sue
sesSfus IN IPd tbes6 for soaI,
the issue certainly is masterwork. This is
one Of the most exaspe5ating s schemes we have
coins S IS SO dcat to dstect that they
pass from hand to hand daily and the result 70
that when we gSit hold 20 OF them we VEL nId It tab aS-
sources. 1t is only when they fall into the Sub
Treasury that VIC have an opportunity to put
them out Of circulation. But only small per-
centage ever reaches the Sub-Treasuries."
OMAHA, Neb.. June 3.-Secret Service officials
here have been on tho alert for several weeks
looking for band OF counterfeiters. large
lars have been in circulation.
Last week about 900 spurious pieces. includ.
ing dollars and halves, were discovered and
purchased the stuff from unknown mon. The
United States authorities are still looking for
the counterfeiters.