The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-04-15
QUEER MONEY DISCOVERED
TREASURY NOTES
IN CIRCULATION.
Evidence That a Daring Gang Has
Made a Raid on the Currency of the
Republic.

The first counterfeits of the llawa-
iian Treasury notes were detected in
circulation this morning.
AS soon as it became known that
counterfeits were in circulation. the
banks -and business houses began
looking through ther cash. The dis
covery was made that considerable of
the bogus stuff must be in circulation,
and that il must have been in circu-
lation for several days. The counter
feits so far discovered are $40 and $50
notes, and a $5 note raised to $50.
The counterfeit was first detected
by employees of Hyman Bros, Queen
street A customer in paying for
some goods rendered ten dollar note
among other money in payment to j.
+. c. Abel, the bookkeeper. His eye
at once caught something faulty i'm
it, and he handed it to NJ. Brasch for
his opinion. Both men were at once
satisfied that it was counterfeit. 1t
was taken over to the police station.
where it was compared with genuine
notes to determine the exact differ
ence. Then Senior Captain Parker
took it and went out to notify bust
ness houses and banks that such Il
counterfeit was in circulation. To
test the question of how redily it
would be detected and how easily
counterfeits might circulate, he ask
ed for silver for it at several places,
and in every instance it was unhesi-
| tatingly accepted. The fact that
| there have never been any counter
felt notes in circulation and people
are not on their guard for them prob
ably accounts for this. All the banks
and the principal business houses have
been notified. Deputy Marshal Hitch
cock afterwards took the note to the
| Treasury Department, where it was
examined.
The ten and twenty dollar counter
feits are undoubtedly made by the
photograph process. BY photograph
ing on appropriate paper prepared as
blue print an imitation of the genuine
not noticeable on casual observation
is readily secured In the $40 note,
the treasury number which in the
genuine is in red ink. is in the coup-
terfeit black. The reverse side of the
counterfeit as compared with the
genuine is also printed upside down,
but this would be noticed only in
comparing it with the genuine. The
counterfeit is also little smaller
than the genuine, probably due to a
shrinking in the photographing or
chemical process.
The $40 counterfeit has the same
characteristics as the so, except that
both sides are printed right side up
The paper used is little thicker
than that of the genuine, and seems
fibreless, tearing easily. This is prob
ably due to the chemical process
through which it goes.
In the raised $50 note, the counter
feiters have taken a genuine S. note
so as to give the appearance and feel.
ing of the genuine money. and ther
have pasted upon it the figures and
words necessary to make it look like
a twenty, printed from the plates us
ed in making the counterfeit twenties
As soon as the police notified the
banks of what they had found. {
search through the treasury notes OF
hand was made. At the Bank of Ea
waii a raised $50 dollar note was
found, and at Spreckels & Co.'S banl
counterfeit 500 The bankers say
that while these counterfeits do no
display high grade of workmanship
and are not dangerous now that th'
public is warned, they are of kinC
that could readily be passed where NJ
suspicion of counterfeits in circula
tion existed. In the first place thu
genuine notes are blue, which is no
a standard color for currency anC
will not stand wear and washing
The consequence is that there arr
genuine bills in circulation of all th
shades of blue, depending on the tim
they have been in circulation and tn
conditions they have been subjected
: to. Hence the color is no guide to @
by in handling money
1t is evident in the opinion of tn
bankers and the police that the bogu
money is being made and circulate,
by gang which has experience an
capital back of it. Considerable mon
ey must have been spent in gettin
up the plates and the paper and i
preparing to 'shove" it. The photo
graphic work looks like it was don
by Japanese, having some of tn
characteristics of their work. Whetf
er the plant is here or in Japan is nc
J. known. The person from whom tn
first bill detected was received is
man of the highest standing and i