Evening journal., 1897-09-04
MAKING FALSE MONEY.
ono Points by the Chic. Of the
Secret service.
clever work ny Chicago Counter
feiters-rhe soathwest Furnishes
the Most Makers of "the
Queer"


Queer"
A counterfeit OF he five-dollar United
States silver certificate. series OF
1876. was forwarded IA few days ago
10 the secret service bureau at the treas.
ury department from Chicago. 1T was
the first which had been received since
last January, and experts declared il
is clever piece of work. which would
not be detected as a counterfeit except /
under close scrutiny. II had num- /
Der of points about II which stamp II as /
being spurious. but which would not /
be noticed in the least by the laity.
Il had been expecting this note TO
turn up for long time said Chief
Eazen, of the secret service bureau, to
. Star reporter the other day. as he
showed the counterfeit note across the
table TO be examined 10y the reporter.
IL am rather surprised that we have
not secured IL before.
1T comes from Chicago, and from
certain ear marks which ! can detect
about il it is the work OF q noted coun-
terfeiter by the name of John Alfred
L'Koog. EKoog is a Swede, about 35
years OF age, anu rather clever as
note maker. He escaped from Joliet
prison, Illinois, last March, where he
! had been sent from Chicago for coun'
terfeiting, with Two other men. They
were coin makers. named Jacob john
sen 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
looking out for some of his work. and it
has Just turned up. When a man has
started in the business he never quits
il. 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
the supposition proved correct.
The last counterfeit note we re-
ceived was from Chicago, also. 1t was
$50 Manning head certificate, ond
turned up January II. The windy city
is 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
e cret service On the walls were pic
- tures of famous makers and showers OF
"the queer" more were held in cab
inets, and records, which If revealed
would cause sensations throughout the
J. United States, were hidden in boxes and
carefully fled away.
"Counterfeiting might be termed the
nristocracy of crooks. They are gen
a erallv ouiet. not often immoral or con
: yiyial. and are naturally very reserved
:. In is TO their interest to be retlcent. II
: is paradox, but there are never thieves
: anonr them. What l mean is, whil'
. they follow counterfeiting, which Il
s one of the worst crimes imaginable
they would not rob or burglarlze
Many of them have been known to b'
exceedingly charitable, though it may
n be said IL they are successful they car
e easily afford 10 be so. They are mild
1t er class than that of any other Grimm
le ais. They never cause trouble in an.
le community wherever they may happe
rt 10 be, outside of the counterfeiting.
"a There are not so many women in tn
~ business as formerly; why, canno
VI iust be explained. There are few f.
males in it now. and those who are er
paged i'm the business cooperate wit
their husbands. The man general
ee makes the money. and the woma
- masses il, as she does not find so muc
n. trouble in doing so.
is There is more coming OF the que'
ed In the west and southwest sections
n the country than in the others. 1t pro
nix ably started there and has continue
Il is transmitted from father 10 so
Just like any other trade, and tlourish'
o. IN much the same manner as does lille
distilling.
1T is a mistaken idea TO suppose th
nv rounterfeiters. as has been stated. b'
ID silver and make it into coin, therei
ng gaining the profit which the stamp
he supposed to add to it. Not by al
rs means. A counterfeiter will not pi
ac- GO cents or CO cents an ounce for silv
10 to use when he can get the same resul
differently. lie buys antimony, Il
plaster of paris, and other materia
an the whole outfit costing about ST.
ast With these he can get out coin to t
old face value of 5000 or $500. They wi
the 70 make as much as possible out Of
.ew little as possible.
md I'VE recognize the work of indiv
all ual coin counterfeiters by the mann
in which the coins are finished, as
the milling on the edges, and other
'' tails. 1t is very seldom that we are m
ers taken in this respect. Every one
aay his own mark."-Washingto Star.
pa
ade Trying Again.
| Is Papa" said the ice baron's beat
lie. ful daughter, mamma and want