The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-05
SHOWING QUEER COIN
SIickeSt Game Is to Load Up
Foreign Emigrants
THEN TURN RIGHT AROUND
And Work 1t Back to Europe
on American Tourists.


in Europe had shipped a cargo OF the
queer" TO New York, where. indeed,
considerable amount of il mas been seized,
recalls an interesting interview had some
time ago with NJ Gorow, the former chief
detective Of Paris. There had been a
large number of clumsily made one franc
pieces palmed off on the Partisan public
at the time. had been consulted, owing TO
his well-known intimate acquaintance with
this particular form OF criminal, for whom,
the way, he professed the supremest
contempt,
ITO forgeries of small coinage we are so
customed in France" he said. that we
think little or nothing about it. Two or
three coiners are arrested every week in
Paris. They are generally quite young
lads of the worst character and origin, of
the type we call 'voyou.' Their molds are
of the poorest and clumsiest description,
and how they can get coins out of them
fit to deceive the veriest greenhorn can
not imagine. Yet they do so. and the coin
is passed everywhere. 1t only shows how
careless the ordinary run of people are
about examining the money they receive
and handle, and how many there must
be who really do not know good from bad
money. The metal of which the coins are
made is generally of the basest kind, Of
ten pewter or simple lead, without even
a dash of silver. The fools who accept
such money must be devoid of the sense
of sight and touch. The gold coins are
a little better made, but all the gold up
on them is a thin electro plating which
wears off in a few days.
81 feel angry with my countrymen when
I compare their clumsy workmanship with
the fine specimens of counterfeits, both in
coinage and in paper money in the United
States. They need to be well made there
or they would never take anybody in.
And must I tell you something else which
fills me with contempt for the rench
swinder? In nearly all cases the man who
passes the false money, the shower of
the queer" Tescamoteur,' is foreigner,
either an Engshman, an American, or a
Belgian. There are several systems by
which false money IS put in circulation.
The race course is obviously the easiest
of places to plant it. Money goes from
hand to hand at tremendous speed.
There is no counter to ring it upon, no
Immediately handy way of testing It ex-
cept the teeth and a certain delcacy Of
sight and touch, even if one had time
and opportunity to make test, which, of
course. one has not. The false coins pass
ed upon you in the midst of number Of
good ones: before you know il you have
yourself passed it upon someone else, and
there it is in circulation. How are you
going to find out the original shower?
sc T+
genuity or cleverness. only a little daring.
The deliberate passing of a base coin upon
travellers is somewhat different. This is a
frequent means of getting rid of counter
felt money. Some few years ago a vessel
containing a considerable number of
French emigrants landed at New Orleans,
and in ten days the city was flooded with
counterfeit United States dollars and half
dollars and French twenty-franc peices.
Several arrests were made but the crome
was being committed with cJch evident
innocence that the sinners were only held
to assist in the discovery Of the real GRIM
inals. They were not difficult to find, at
least, their offices were not, but the birds
had taken wing. They were an emigra-
ton agency in Paris. who, having sent
out about a hundred and fifty emigrants
to America, had obligingly converted all
their French money into American be-
fore dispatchng them. They mad actually
even taken the bank ratel The whole OF !
the American money, with the exception |
Of a few dollars for use on board ship. was |
counterfeit. It had been made right in |
the city of Paris.
'Emigrants are a most convenient We |
hicle for the circulation Of bogus money. /
And they are frequently utilized in such /
a manner that they do not suffer much /
themselves-Only 20 the extent OF bank
rates and commission on both sides of 4
the Atlantic-and they act the part OF +
queer showers quite innocently, to- IN i
fact. they never know they are doing H.
They are carefully oaded with counterfeit
French money before leaving France and /
are recommended to one or two special
money changers in the land Of their des-
tinat!on. This person gives them either
real OF counterfeit money OF the country
in exchange for their false French coins.
However, IT is not TO his advantage to
give them bogus money, as il rendtr him
liable to detection All ne usually exacts
is interest and commission for the obli-
CATION What he really wants IS the
French stun. This IS his stock IN trade
He is a professional ehoyer- he SENDS al
that back 20 France by tourists. having
first OF all received good coin q the realm
in which he dweIs in exchange fort. be
sides the bank rate OF Interest and his
commission for the second time. OF course.
i found out. re can throT. NJ his shoulders
and CT out that he was cheated. but IS
willing 70 make good But he seldom r.
found ont. He r. moreover. out % the
French Jurisdiction and cen afford 20
laDgn a. French law. Taat's the funny
little trade. 3su't 10
1T IS by no means the only way q Eet-
ting rid o. a false coin. however. I Esu
tell you Il you Ike. the story o, a man.
an E-nglishmsn or an American. ! have
never been able 20 fully satisfy my=slf.
named James Cheevers. though ] an fully
certain that thar = not an assumed name.
This man by e0me means obtained se-
Nilsson 70 some o. ogr b@st c1ubs re
vas. indeed. z msn % dls-.n gu.saea ap-
oearance ard spoke taree sr FOUR Ian
raaees with equal facility Great roglea.
5y toe way. are efseu fire iingEssts, but
-ha- Is nor - gre story Cseevers Ess
,re - tse c.eve-lst clTeslataTs q feLe
money Ne Rave had ia Par-z Tor gaag
uhle EIe pad g ont 20 fbs car5 tabIes
q restaurants. AZ the bars. n his hotsl
zut no one >eemei abe 60 catcs hsn-
Y8a SEE ~ never pad BIS oEn 5Le. -.
n5eed. pad money 4Eag hlmsssf az az
BE always 20; sorae frszad 20 - :; ~
sIra. and alWass sere ore - lnrassaea-
ssie gazrzctee 4 fsvorte griek Szs -
- INTO bar ard after ouyloe sSizk