The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-04
IL You Have, 1t May Be Bogus, for
There Is n Dangerous Counter
felt in Circulation.
EXPERTS HAVE BEEN MlSLED
EVEN UNCLE SANS MONEY CHANG
ERS HAVE BEEN CAUGHT.
So Much Like the Genuine that Secre-
tary Gage Has Called in All Bills
of that Denomination.
special to the 1naianapoIlg journal.

| Special 10 the Indianapolis journal
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.-The most dam
gerous, because mechanically the most per-
| feet specimen of a counterfeit note, is afioat
| to the extent Of possibly millions of dollars.
1t is a silver certificate of the denomina-
ton of S1GO, and is SO nearly in exact simiii-
tude of the genuine as to deceive the best
experts in the country. The first 500 silver
| certificate was put into circulation between
May and June, 1878, and there are to-day
| in circulation in round numbers SIG, COO 900
! worth of these genuine notes of this denOm-
| nation, or, in other words, 260 300 genuine
| bills Since 1888 the Treasury Department
| has taken no account of the serial numbers
| of these particular certificates, end it is i'm
possible to ascertain exactly just how many
| of the particular serial number correspond
| ing with the counterfeit outstanding.
| The counterfeit which turned up to-day
| bears the check letter d, face plate No.
and back plate No. 2. The face of this
| certificate bears the portrait of Monroe.
| There has been no change in the plate of the
| 500 silver certificates since the first note
was printed in 1878 The officials of the
| Treasury Department are naturally greatly
alarmed that such perfect specimen of the
counterfeters skill should be afioat and
there is no telling to what extent the spu-
rious bill has been showed" Orders will
be at once issued to cease paying out 500
silver certificates, and all certificates of that
denomination now in the various subtreas-
uries of the United States will be called in.
During the next few days there will be
general overhauling of silver certificates of
the 500 denomination in every bank and
counting house in the country. At present
there are only six of these counterfeits
,,f1fo ic
cleverly executed that the officials are re-
luctantly forced to admit that they would
not be surprised should thousands of them
be discovered scattered about the country.
The very fact that these notes are so nearly
like the genuine as to deceive experts in the
subtreasuries, in large banks and in custom
houses, forces the fear that persons having
such a good thing would naturally rush it
| before chance should apprise the govern
ment of it's existence. This is the first bill
or certificate OF a denomination as high as
500 which has been counterfeted for sew
eral years. In fact, since long before the
Smith Brockway outfit was broken up in 1895
through death and Imprisonment, the gov
eminent has been free from dangerous coun-
terfeits of large denominations. This gang
counterfeited legal-tender $500 bill and 500
greenback in 1869, and later a $1,000 green
back and a $500 gold certificate. So far as
known very few of these bogus bills got into
circulation and they were not as finely ex-
ecuted as the counterfeit which now engages
the attention of the treasury officials.
An Associated Press dispatch says on
same subject: One of the most danger
Gus counterfeits ever discovered has
made its appearance. Mr.. John Cramer, of
the subtreasury at Philadelphia to-day
70 bo five
terfet silver certificates, head of President
Monroe Their general appearance is ex-
cellent and after close examination the Off
| Gals of the treasury cashroom were unde-
cided as to their genuineness and only after
| the notes had been soaked in hot water,
when the two pieces forming the front and
| back of the note came apart, were they
| convinced of the fraud. On examination of
| the DAYS treasury cash another of the
| spurious notes was discovered. The notes
| brought over by Mr.. Cramer had been
| turned into the subtreasury by two leading
banks and the Philadelphia custom house,
| which had received them genuine Agents
| Of the secret service everywhere have been
| wired description of the notes with in
| structions to be the lookout for persons
attempting to pass them. Inquiries have
| also been sent to all the leading cities as
| to whether any of the notes have appeared
| other than in Philadelphia and Washington
| and the best man in the service Will be put
| Following is the description of the note
| as furnished by the secret service: The note
| IL Of the series of 1891; check letter ID; face
| plate /: Tilman register; Morgan treasurer;
| portrait, James Monroe. All numbers so far
seen began with 345. The most marked diff
! ference between this note and the genuine,
| however, are found in the seal and num-
boring the former being. a shade lighter
| than the genuine and the latter slightly diff
ferent in formation. Especially is this true
| of the 3 and 4. In the figure the lower
loop does not extend W. as far toward the
| center of the figure as in the genuine and
| in the figure the space between the Dase
| and the center cross line is narrower than
| in the genuine. One of the principal points
counterfeit is lis of an inch or less shorter
| than the genuine.
! craving pronounced the counterfeit a very
| dangerous production. It was engraved on
steel and printed on two pieces , e ct paper
| been distributed between them. The work.
he said. was that of a careful and excellent
| engraver, and while there was no apparent
| difference between the genuine and the
counterfeit note to the casual observer, UNI
der a glass many slight differences were
| discovered. These, however, were extremely
! difficult of description.
| In view of the dangerous character of the
| counterfeit, Secretary Gage to-day decided
| to stop issuing and to cali in all 500 silver
| certificates, of which there are about $16.-
| 100000 outstanding. These will be exchanged
! for silver certificates of smaller denomina-
/ lions and the plates destroyed. AS soon as
new plates can be engraved a new series
| will be issued. Assistant treasurers at all
| the sub-treasury cities will be requested to
! send to the treasury at Washington all 500
| silver certificates in their possession and to
request all banks, trust companies and other
moneyed institutions to do the same. Sec
rotary Gage desired the statement made that
/ in his judgment ii was unsafe for business
men or others to accept silver certificates of
/ this denomination, and in case any were
now on hand they should be sent to the
| banks for transmission to Washington.
|
SUPREME COURT DECISIONS.