Willmar tribune., 1898-09-21
The Editors Narrow Escape.

From the New Time Magazine:
Our artistic friends may be
puzzled about the rings which ap-
pear in the design on page 1872.
which serves to adorn Mr.. Nor
rell's poem, .'19 cents.'' And
hereby hangs a tale. When ar
tist Cassidy completed this de-
sign these rings contained more
Or less imperfect pictures of
that familiar coin. the copper
cent. In each of them-as will
be seen on examination-some
part of the lettering was drawn
across the face of the coin. The
cautious electrotyper declined to
deliver the completed cut and
stated that it was violation of
the United States statutes re-
garding counterfeiting. / as
sured him that he was mistaken
and related my experience with
this branch of the government.
as will be told later. He was OBJ
durate and refused to deliver the
cut without the permission of the
secret service bureau in local
charge of such matters. Conf
dent that my position was right,
l called on the officer in charge.
Here is the statute governing
these matters. It was passed in
1891, and there is no doubt as to
what it means:
Section 8. That every person who
makes, or who causes or procures to
| United States from any foreign coun-
try, or who shall have in possession
with intent to sell, give away, or in
any other manner use the same, any
business Or professional card. notice,
l placard, token. device, print or i'm
preston, or any other thing whatso-
ever. in likeness or similitude. as to
design. color, or the inscription there
on, of any of the coins of the United
States or Of any foreign government.
that have been or hereafter may be
issued as money. either nnder the au-
thority of the United States or under
the authority OF any foreign govern
ment, shall, upon conviction thereof. be
punished by a fine not to exceed one
hundred dollars.
| In the Presidential campaign
of 1896 / was connected with the
Democratic National Campaign
Com mittee. The Republican
committee caused to be manu-
factured thousands of tin and
pewter impressions of the silver
dollar. They were made about
twice the size Of the standard
silver dollar, but in other re-
spects were exact limitations of
this coin. Vendors sold them
on the streets as bryan Dollars. -
The more expensive ones were
coated with silver. They were
passed as money on ignorant peo-
pie by sharpers and swindlers.
Ifound were they were manu-
factured and presented the evi.
dence to the department.. The
subordinates shook their heads
and said they could do nothing.
They excused themselves on the
ground that the statute was d
dead letter law The United
| States District Attorney. a gold
standard democrat. was almost
insulting in his refusal to con-
slider this fragrant violation of
the law. And during the cam
.paign these law breakers con.
tinued to make these counter
feits. This was why I was SO
sure it was not crime to print
a crude picture of penny on
paper in title design. It would
be difficult to pass a paper penny.
/ I was informed that if / dared
4 persist in my criminal purpose
the entire edition of The New
Time would be seized and de.
stroyed and its publishers ar.
rested. No explanation would
be listened to. Abashed in the
presence Of these faithful gaur.
dians of the law, I returned te
the engraver and asked that each
Indian face be effaced and the
fateful phrase ..One cent be
erased, It was done, and I have
escaped a felon's doom, and The
New Time is permitted to come
to its readers.
There is no law so sacred thai