The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-28
CHIEF WILKES REPORT
WORK OF THE SECRET SERVICE d.
VISION IN THE PAST YEAR.
Arrest and Conviction of Counter
feftcrs and other CriminaIs-span-
ish Spies Driven on the Continent.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27-The report of
Chief Wilkie. of the Secret Service is the
first of the bureau offices of the Treasury
Department which has been made this year
to the secretary of the treasury. 1t has
been the policy of Mr.. Gage, as secretary
of the treasury, to get out the annual re-
ports OF the department as soon after the
year to which they relate as possible.
Last year, the annual report of the secre-
tary, or what is known as the financial re-
port, was delivered to Congress at the open
ing of the session, whereas, in former years,
1t was not ready for delivery until several
months after Congress had convened.
Following is a summary Of the Secret
Service work of the last fiscal year: Ar
rests. 705, of which 137 were for counterfeit
ing or altering paper money. 523 for coming
and 45 for miscellaneous offenses; convic-
tons, 1853; awaiting action of courts, 29O;
acquitted, IA; died, /; fugitive on forfeited
bond, l. Missouri led the States with the
largest number Of cases, 60; Pennsylvania,
So; New York and Illinois, IS each; Texas,
30; Ohio, "a; Arkansas. q; Indiana. &c; Ala
bama, 25; Nebraska and Virginia, "A each;
Georgia, %: Michigan, 81, and the other
States less than TO- There were no cases in
Maine, New Hampshire. Vermont, Rhode
lSldnO, New Mexico, the DakotaS, 1ddnO,
Utah nor Wyoming.
The representative value of counterfeit
notes recovered was Sill, 243, and the repre-
sentative value of coin recovered, $10,021,
total Of $127,265 Over $1,000, 900 in flash"
notes-Confederate facsimies, etc.-were
seized and destroyed. There were recovered
old plates for the printing of counterfeit
and flash" notes; 1712 sets of dies for
counterfeiting coin, and 1851 sets of mods
for the same purpose.
The division, acting under the advice of
the law officer of the department, inaugu-
rated a crusade against various advertising
devices printed in imitation of United
States notes and coins and confiscated them
wherever found. 1t supplied details of men
to other departments for special investiga
with satisfactory results. Nineteen new
counterfeits appeared during the year, only
five of which were in any degree danger
Gus The maker of three of them was ar
circulation as to be no general menace
while the fifth, the 500 silver certificate
the most dangerous ever placed in circula-
ton, still threatens the business community
with its makers unknown.
On the outbreak of hostilities between
this country and Spain the division was
called upon by the War Department to in
Vest1gate numerous cases of persons sus-
pected of furnishing information to the en-
envy. The demand for this service was so
great and increased so rapidly that an
emergency force was organized outside of
the regular division and the operatives were
so active and successful in their investiga-
tions that numbers of Spanish agents were
arrested and the principals in the spy sys-
tenn were driven from the neutral territory
in which they had taken refuge. From the
special fund set aside from the national de-
Tense appropriation and made available for
me me- NECESSARY expenses IN connection with
been drawn, at the close of the fiscal year,
$7,779.