The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1899-04-21

When the Home Safety Deposit
company Of Toledo. Ohio. opened one
OF its strong boxes recently. on which
the rent was overdue. a most startling
revelation was made In II was found
$4,000 In silver certificates, the plates
etched on zinc from which they we're
made. also the numbering type. extra
paper, ink. etc.
The company Immediately tele-
Eraphed Chief wllkie OF the secret ser
vice. asking for instructions An agent
Of the'seryice was directed to get all
possible particulars In tho case and
send the materials found on to wash
ington.
Investigation brought out the fact
that a man calling himself Alfred
Kent. a book agent at Trim, Ohio. hal
rented the box on Dec. 90. 1897. pre-
sumably Tor the purpose OF deposlting
valuable books. proofs aud plates. lie
was described as being six feet In
height, weight 1856 pounds. dark COM
plexlon. hair and mustache; age about
20 years. AS soon as a description Of
the bills was received Mr.. wilkie com
pared them with those in an album
kept for counterfeit bills and coins. II
Tailed exactly with a $40 silver GER
tihcate that was received In January,
1898.
The history OF this certificate was
looked up and the fact revealed that
on Jan. 4. 1898. n well-dressed lawyer
named Alfred G. Kreps OF reputable
firm In Lima. Ohio. had tried to pass n
$40 silver certificate In Lorensburg.
Ind. His actions becoming suspicious,
the matter was referred to Mr. wilklo
who ordered his agent at Greensburg
to make an investigation. This was
done and Lawyer Krcps was arrested
and taken before the commissioner
As all other bills found on Kreps'
person were genuine he was dismissed
his friends believing him TO have been
duped by n counterfolter. The certif-
cate was stlll fresh from the hands OF
the agent. 10 effort having been made
TO age II further than by little crush
ing and handling.
After K9ops acqulttal he brooded
over the publicity OF his arrest and
one week later startled his friends by
shooting himself They believed his
mind had become unbalanced by his
troubles aud because OF his dissolute
habits and neglect OF his legal pro-
fession.
He was given to lnexpllcable depar-
lures and long absences. played cards
and drank. but was considered bright
lawyer and incapable OF crime. and
many friends mourned his sudden and
awful death.
Mr.. Wlllsle's agents for the time gave
up looking for the maker OF the $40
silver certificate. knowing that In time.
a. is always the case some clew would
crop out by the effort OF some one TO
float another but until the safety de-
post vault was opened the series seem
ed to have entirely disappeared
The description OF Alfred Kent, the
book agent Of Tlfin. Ohio. who rented
the box. and that OF Alfred G. Kreps,
the lawyer, green goods man and sui
eide. were compared. and the identih-
cation was beyond dispute.
The surmise Is that Kreps either Sc
cretly learned the art OF etching on
zinc. and made and printed the bills
himself. or that he negotiated and pur-
chased the same from some amateur
counterfeltor. The bills and plates
have Just been received at the secret
service department.
The entire 10000 was crisp and new
showing no EFFORT OF aging by tho pro-
cesses known to counterfeitlng. the
treatment often rendering far worse
counterfeits dlfiicult TO detect.
Agents are ON the alert and expect