The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-03-27
OLD JACOB AND NANCY
WE'RE NOTED COUNTERFEITERs In
NORTHWESTERN KENTUCKY.
The Sprinkle Dollar Had n Higher
bullion Value Than the Genu-
inc Dollar Itself.

The sending of Dan Wyatt McLease to
the penitentiary by the United States dis
trict court Tor counrerrelting has started
the tongue OF "Reminiscences to relating
particulars of the most noted counterfeit
Ing case known to the penal annals of
northwestern Kentucky, namely, that of
Jacob and Nancy Sprinkle, who were in
dicted jointly at the October term Of the
Lewis circuit court in 1910. This case at
tracted sensational interest at the time
as there were thousands of the Sprinkle
dollars" in circulation. which, though
known to be counterfeit, nevertheless
were received without question or protest
In facilitating exchanges throughout a
broad territory, says the Cincinnati Com
mercial-Tribune
The Sprinkle dollar" occupies a unique
position in the history of counterfeiting.
as 1t was, perhaps, the only illegal dollar
ever minted that was too good" The
Sprinkle dollar had a larger portion
OF silver in it in relation to it's alloy than
the dollar that came through Uncle Sans
fingers. The we'll known fact that
the Sprinkle dollar" had high
er bullion value than the genuine -ollar
possessed helped to retain 1t unuuestioned
In the circulation of this and adjoining
counties. This fact was also potent in
screening Jacob Sprinkle from the legal
consequences of his acts. Hundreds open
ly sympathized with him, and the most
exacting for a long while winked at his
transgressions.
Many people believed that as long as the
Sprinkle dollar contained the same or a
greater portion of silver than did the
coin from the government mint they were
doing no wrongful act, either in law or
morals. They believed that counterfeit
Ing consists in deceiving and cheating
with base metal resembling silver.
Jacob Sprinkle believed this himself for
long while, and was dillusioned only
after grand jury had indicted him. So
numerous did these dollars become finally
that man, when receiving money from
another, would always examine 1t to see
how much of 1t consisted Of Sprinkle dol
lars. If 1t should all consist of Sprinkle
money 1t would call forth only some jocu-
lar remark as the receiver pocketed the
jtngling coin. To show how far the fame
Of the Sprinkle dollars spread the follow
ing anecdote may suhice:
Major Henry Mcdowell in 1910 took pas
sage on a steamer at Cincinnati for st.
Louis. When purchasing his ticket he
pulled out the amout of the fare and
handed 1t to the clerk. The clerk ex-
amined the money a second, and then,
with a laugh, exclaimed
Sprinkle money!
TITS all right, isn't it," queried the
major.
II wish had a million dollars like
EN-"
On the day the grand jury returned in
dictments against Sprinkle and his wife,
Judge Walker Reed, who then presided
as judge, pulled a handful of the money
from his pocket and said:
II defy the United States to produce
from their mints dollars as good as these
I hold in my hand"
Sprinkle lived in a cabin on a small
tributary of the Kinniconick five miles
southeast Of Vanceburg. There he work
ed, month in and month out, coming his
money, which soon found it's way into
local commerce.
Now, where did he get the bullion out
of which his coins were made? Could
the writer answer this question he would
reveal a secret that hundreds have tried
to fathom. Hundreds of picks have risen
and fallen among the hills Of Kinniconick
in a futile endeavor to crack the hull of
this secret. That his ore came from some
place in the Lewis county hills Sprinkle
did not hesitate to confess, but the exact
location is a secret that died with him.
He frequently made the statement he
would at some time tell where his treas
ure was located, but after he was indicted
he got angry and vowed that an migrate
full public should never prosecute him and
then enjoy the benefits Of his discovery.
When the sheriff, Larkin Lyles, and
party went out to arrest Sprinkle, after
he was indicted, they found that his home
consisted of two log cabins, situated
few yards from each other. They search
ed diligently through each house to dis
cover the dies and other instruments nee
essary in his work, but found nothing.
Rambling about in the open space be-
tween the two houses the ground sud-
denly gave way and the men dropped into
subterranean chamber 10 feet below the
surface. There, after removing much
debris, the utensils used in the trade were
discovered
Sprinkle and his wife, Nancy, were TAX
en- to the county seat, but at once were
admitted to bail. They had the sym
pathy of the judge, and the popular SEN
timent in their favor was all but univer-
sal.
At the next term of court, when the
case was called, a death certificate from
doctor was offered showing that
Sprinkle had gone to his long home. 1t
was untrue. Of course He died in Cali
fornia in 1860, and with him the secret
that so many have toiled to fathom.
SOME LATE NEW THINGS.