The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-21
CONCERNING couNTERFElTERs. .
The Chief of thesecret Service Talks about
Makers of Spurious Money.

the Treasury Department from Chicago
1t is the first which has been received
since last January, and experts declare it
is clever piece Of work, which would
not be noticed 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 re-
porter today, as he showed the counterfeit
note across the table to be examined by
the reporter. ''I am rather surprised that
w have not secured it before.
u 1t comes from Chicago, and from GER
tain earmarks which 1 can detect about
it, it is the work of noted counterfeiter
by the name of John Alfred L'Koog.
L'Koog is Swede, about IS years of age,
and rather clever as a note maker. He
escaped from Joliet prison, Illinois, last
March. where he had been sen from
| Chicago for counterfeiting, with two
other men. EThey were coin makers,
named Jacob johnson and James Foley
They were recaptured 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 it,
| unless by force of circumstances.
ut is only reasonable to suppose that
L'Koog would re turn to his old haunts
| and occupation in Chicago, and the sup
| position proved correct.
1.-THE last counterfeit note we received
we al
| Manning head certificate, and turned up
Jan. IL. The Windy City is centre 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 secret service. On the
walls were pictures of famous makers and
showers of 1.-THE queer" more were held
in cabinets and records which, if revealed
would cause sensations throughout the
United STATES, were hidden in boxes and
carefully filed away.
"Counterfeiters might be termed the
aristocracy of crooks. They are generally
quiet, not often immoral or convivial,
and are naturally very reserved. 1t is to
their interest to be reticent. 1t is para
dox, but there are never thieves among
them. What mean is, while they follow
counterfeiting, which is one of the worst
burglarize Many Of them have been
known to be exceedingly charitable,
though it may be said if they are success
full they can easily afford to be SO. They
are milder class than that of any other
criminals. They never cause trouble in
any community wherever they may hap
pen to be, outside of the couaterfeiting
There are not SO many women in the
business as formerly, why cannot just
be explained. There are few females in
it now, and those who are engaged in the
business cooperate with their husbands.
The man generally makes the money and
the woman passes it, as she does not find
i SO much trouble in doing SO.
There is more coming of the queer
in the west and southwest sections OF the
| country than in the others. 1t probably
started there and has continued. 1t is
transmitted from father to son, just like
any other trade, and fourishes in much
the same manner as does illicit distilling.
SIT is mistaken idea to suppose that
counterfeiters, as has been stated, buy
silver and make it into coin, thereby gain
ing the profit which the stamp is supposed
| to add to it. Not by any means. A coun-
trerfeiter will not pay 60 or 90 cents an
ounce for silver to use when he can get
the same results differently. He buys
antimony, tin, plaster of paris, and other
mater ais, the whole outfit costing about
sl.5O. With these he can get out coin to
| the face. value Of $500 or $500. They wish
| to make as much as possible out of as lit
tie as possible.
"We recognize the work of individual
coin counterfeiters by the manner in
which the coins are finished, as to the
| 1t Is very seldom that we are mistaken In
| this respect. Every one has his own
mark.
"The biggest capture we ever made
was that of the Brockway -Bradfords
gang in Hoboken, N. j., in 1895. There
| were six members of the gang, including
the notorious Mrs. Abbie Smith. who is
| New Jersey Penitentiary at Snake Hill.
The woman made the notes. She was
cousin to DR.. Bradford, one of the prime
| movers of the gang.
''We swooped down upon them in Ho-
| boken before they had chance to put any
of their bills in circulation. We captured
| notes of all denominations on United
States and Canadian banks, figuring up
| to the value of $3.50, 200. Many of the
bills were in partly finished state, but
the work was exceedingly clever, and
| would have passed inspection almost any
where.
'The last case we had was man and
woman arrested recently for counterfeit
ing dimes in Brooklyn
The chief opened one of the cabinets,
fixed SO that leaves, in which photo
graphs were fixed of noted counterfeiters,
easily swung outward. Thers were more
than 1 600 photos in this cabinet alone of
the queer" people. They were of all
ages, colors, classes, and appearance.
Some of them were women, well dressed,
with, in many cases, refined faces. The
countenances of number of the men
were handsome, the expression pleasing
and intelligent.
Chief Hazen pointed to the picture of
a young man, with an open, smiling face.
THAT fellow is college graduate, 4" he
said, refectively ''He came of an excel.
lent family. He is now serving several
years. sentence in Indiana for raising
notes. When his sterm expires he will
probably return to it"
So he went through large list, telling
of the crimes and deeds of the originals
of the photos.
Il is an album of faces which is a nota-
BILE one, and the chief frequently inspects
them so that they will not fade from his
memory.
A Talented Bath Girl.
Among the passengers on the New