Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-26

| to Star reporter, there has never been a
| case in this office of man originally in
the Cover nment service who became a
| counterfeiter. 1t is probably an interesting
| fact that an engraver in the government
| service would be a poor hand at making a
plate for government counterfeit. Why?
| Because no engraver in the service ever
| does more than part of a note. vignette
or portrait engraver has no skill at letter
| ing. Each MN in the government service
| is a specialist. He does not do the whole
| Of the front of note or of the back part
| 1t is the same way with the printers. No
| one man ever prints all of a note. When
| a government engraver gets out of work
he could not make counterfeit plate If
| he desired, no more than a jeweler could
make a pair of shoes.
| 1.-The nearest approach to scoundrel
! who has done this kind of work was
| Charlie Smith, the companion of the famous
| old man, Brockway. Smith had worked
years ago for a bank note company and
was the cleverest man who ever made
| counterfeit plate. He is serving time with
| Brockway."
The Next Step.
| If a man shows inclination to deal
with the swindler and sends him a telegram
| the would-be victim soon receives another
| letter. Enclosed in the second letter is
| sample of the supposed counterfeit 1t is
generally 81 bill, and is as good as any
money, as it has been turned out by the
government. The would-be victim looks at
the money, asks a few questions on the SLY
of bank man, and concludes that he has
| a snap He then telegraphs the green
goods man that he is satisfied and is ready
| to go to New York to do business on
larger scale. A third letter is then received.
1t contains minute directions how to reach
| the alleged counterfeiter. With this third
| letter is often inclosed an alleged clipping
from newspaper telling about a discovery
| by the Treasury Department that certain
government notes are being counterfefted
in such a way that it is next to impossible
| to detect them. This is to make the victim
all the more certain that he has a good
thing. The printed slip is in exact imita-
ton of a clipping from a daily paper. A
big headline over the clipping tells how
much the authorities are excited over the
discovery of the counterfeits.
With the third letter is also a circular
giving instructions how to detect counter.
feits. The swindler frequently sends an
other bill or, a part of one along with the
third letter. He tells the man that when
he reaches New York he may have the
other part of the bill.
The instructions to the would-be victim
are solemn and impressive. In a poorly
spelled, scrawling. disguised hand is writ
ten the following:
'Go to the Port Jarvis Hotel. Fort Jarvis, New
York, there is Where Wee VIII Meet
when you Leave Home Bay your ticket to
a p Gordon. Wesehe s Depot. Weschester
New York When you are about half Way Tele-
the sample enclosed is Just the Same all the
rest your Pass Word WIN be GRAIN 1874. So n YOU
mean Business follow these Instructions Write
no letters Without my Permission. YOU know
His Special Instructions.
What the swindler calls special instruc-
tions" are as follows:
The day you start from home go to the post
office and see If there is any further word from
home, and simply, say AN right and sign. your
password and number. and also the initials of your
name TO your telegram.
sn to 20 fss
mentioned on the slip above, and stop at the hotel
na me-, o on tbs the slip .,ou. hal. ,o.o :,
order to save time and simplify matters telegraph
to me again and say when I may expect to see
yoI-tlat is, name the day and time y,ocnr train
will arrive. For instance, something like this:
VIII arrive e.. Wednesday morning O'clock 11f
knew exactly when to meet you myself send my
confidential AID trustworthy messenger, who will
await your arrival and bring you safely to me- Ny
messenger will prove himself as genuine by hand
ing y scaled d. ef f %t Won h on
blank which will be written your name, also
the name Of your town, your county and state. and
to be plain in framing these instructions for you.
and warn you for your own protection to closely
you don't You will certainly never see me.
name and state only the register: never the
town. This done. 90 to your room and stay there
till my messenger calls you, which will not
he long. Never wander around the town or hotel,
It only attracts attention.
Fifth. II N1Sh any information how To reach
the hotel speak to some hoy the street after
get away from the depot. Do rot do this. how
It certainly is best ask unnecessary ques-
tons: indeed the least said the better; try and
self-possesse1. Now, my friend, here is something
else that l wish to canton You about. and it is
member. If any stranger wants to shake hands
with you, ask questions or speak to YOU about the
business, while you are the train around the
depot on the street they are certainly imposors
so quickly say to them, 1 do not understand what
you are talking about You go away from me and
attend to your business and l will attend TO
Sixth caution you not to disohey any Of my
orders. You must he guided by my advice and do
exactly as requested; you Will then succeed as
many others are now doing
What Happens in New York.
1t is pretty well known what happens
after the victim reaches the swindler in
New York. He pays $500 or $500 in good
money for roll of what looks like $1,000
or $1,000 of fine counterfeit. The top cover
of the roll is of coed money and the inside
is of green paper.
Texan who went to New York several
years ago caught on to the game while ne
was being swindled and shot the swindler
dead on the spot. He was defended by the
late Col. Fellows and was acquitted.
Nest of the green goods raScalS formerly
had places in Courtlandt street, New York
city, TO do their victims, but they have been
run out of the city, and now go over to
Leng Island City. 1t is impossible to give
| an idea of how many men are swindled.
| The big ajority of them never open their
| mouths when they find out how they have
been sold.
| former chief of the secret service rec
commended that Congress pass a bill max
| ing it crime for man to make the STEM
| ellis from which the circulars are issued
| to write the circular or to have anything to
| do with it. This, it was urged, would make
the business too dangerous. AS an appro-
| priation of $4,000 was asked for Congress
| did not see fit to pass the bill.
Sure Sign of Prosperity.
| From the Chicago Times-Herald
"Queer, isn't it," said the clothes cleaner
| to his customer, but my business indicates