The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-05
ORDER FROM THE TREASURER
ALL 500 SILVER CERTIFICATE
CALLED IN FOR RETIREMENT.
Two More Bogus Bills FOund-PenstOn
Bureau InstructiOns-COngre
men Slow in Returning.


Special TO the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. Jan. 4.-That 800 coun-
terfeit silver certificate will continue to be
the crowning sensation in the Treasury De-
partment for many day, and the entire
energy Of the Secret-service Bureau is being
concentrated in effort to detect the coun-
terfeitrs No arrests have yet been made
and none of the operatives has reported
clcws of value. The department officials are
entirely in the dark as to the identity of
the gang or its location. They do not know
even where the theater of the counter
letters greatest activity has been, whether
in the cattle and mining regions of the West
or In the populous centers of the Middle
West and in the East All they know thus
far is that counterfeits have turned up in
St Louis. Chicago, Philadelphia and Wash
ington, nine bills in all having been dis
covered and it will be ten days two
weeks before the department will be able
to form an intelligent judgment as to the
number of queer" 800 certificates in
circulation. OF the $26,OOO,OOO in 800 silver
certificates outstanding about 100000 are
held in the subtreasuries. The balance
100000, is held by banks and the public
generally.
The unpleasant discovery was made at
the department to-day that the counterfeits
were printed from engraved plates and not
from plates produced by any photo me-
chanical process. The experts at the Bureau
of Engraving and Printing to whom the
counterfeits were shown to-day pronounced
the work to be of the very finest character,
such only as could be done by a man who
has learned his trade from the ground up,
and who is a very painstaking and careful
workman. There are very few persons
sufficiently expert to have engraved such
plates known to the department. 1t has
been the boast of the secret-service officers
that they know every engraver IN the United
States who could make counterfeit plate,
and that every single one of these who
could be considered dangerous or against
whom there was the slightest suspicion had
been safely lodged in some penitentiary or
otherwise put out of the way of doing
CROOKED" work 1t seems they have been
mistaken for here comes a most dangerous
new eDgraver. and they have no suspicion
as to his identity. OF course every man
who can handle an engraver's tool will be
more or less under suspicion and he will be
called On to show a clean bill of moral
health. 1t is stated at the Bureau of En-
craving and Printing that months of close
application would be required to produce
plates such as were used in the manufac-
ture of this 500 silver certificate, and that
finest tools and a plant that would cost a
large sum of money.
United States Treasurer Roberts to-day
sent the following telegram to all assistant
treasurers: Discovery of dangerous coun-
tcrfeits compels retirement of all 800 silver
certificates Forward all such notes to this
Office for destruction. Be cautious in re-
ceiving denomination and kind mentioned"
Another of the counterfeits was to-day
discovered in package received from Chi
cage, and another in Philadelphia, making
in all six of these worthless notes which
have been found in the latter city during
the past two weeks. This latest discovery
has created quite a sensation among the
cashiers and other banking officials of Phil
adelphia and there has been an Industrious
search in financial circles to bring to light
all of the spurious notes which may have
heretofore escaped detection.
Denial is made of the story that Joseph
p. Smith, chief of the Bureau of American
Republics and a personal friend of the
President. is going to Cuba as a special en-
voy to observe the workings of Sagasta's
scheme of autonomy. 1t is true, however,
that Mr.. Smith expects to go to Cuba, but as
a private individual, who hopes to benefit his
health by his visit Mr., Smith will probably
Keep MS eyes open WIlle lnCTe, anu IL WOulu
be very strange if on his return to Wash
ington he should not give the President the
benefit of his observations. The result will
be the same as though Mr.. Smith had gone
as a special envoy.
Congressman are returning slowly and it
is doubtful If there is quorum of either
house tomorrow and should such prove to
be the case an adjournment until next Mon
day will probably be taken. although the
Senate may spend an hour or two in execu-
tive session.
Senator and Mrs. Fairbanks will giye a
dinner to Vice President Hobart tomorrow
night. There will be present Vice President
and Mrs. Hobart, Secretary and Mrs. Gage,
General and Mrs. John w. Foster Senator
and Mrs. Hawley, Senator and Mrs. Spooner.
Senator Foraker and Mrs. John l.. Griffitts,
OF Indianapolis. The latter is visiting Mrs.
Fairbanks for a few days.
PENSION BUREAU CIRCULARS.