The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-05

Alter teaV1ng the grocery Ringer walked
rdplo1y downtown to the saloon at No 81
Corudnot street, where he obtained a
glass OF Rhine wine and a cigar and asked
ene bartender to give him change for a $50
Dill, explaining that he wanted 1t to pay
on MS farm hands. He was accommo
GATED and hastily gathering up the change
hurried out. His actions aroused the sus-
picfons of the bartender who took the bill
from the money drawer for closer eX-
animation. In doing so his wet fingers
passed over the serial number and a dis
tinct blur was the result Putting on his
hat he started in pursuit of Ninger and
found him in the New Jersey Central
ferry house busy counting over the change
he had just received.
When told that he was to be arrested
N1nger exhibited no surprise, but offered
to settle the matter by returning the fifty
dollars and making the bartender pres
ent OF 50 more. His proposition was in
dignantly refused and Ninger was turned
over to a policeman, who escorted him to
the Church street police station. where he
gave his name as Joseph Gilbert, residence
WllkeSbarre, Pa, said he was not married,
as his wife had gone away, and in his
country 1t was not considered a marriage
when a wife had left her husband. He
explained the possession Of the counterfeit
bill by stating that he obtained it from a
man in the corridor of the Union Trust
company's building, to whom he sold two
800 United States bonds.
The secret service officers were notified
of the arrest, and upon seeing the counter
felt note they were convinced the man
who had caused them so many sleepless
nights was at last safely lodged behind the
bars. Wrappers on the several bundles
found in the prisoners possession enabled
the detectives to locate five of the 800
notes passed that day, yet the case as it
Iheh stood did not solve the problem in q
manner sat -sfactory to the government Of
HceIS- Inc charge of passing counterfeit
ties would safely e against the prisoner.
out was he the maker? If so, proof of the
tact must be secured at all hazards. After
several hours sweating" and becoming
thoroughly convinced that there was no
escape from the web of evidence the Off
GERS had succeeded in weaving about him
the man admitted that his true name was
f-LAanuel Nlnger, and that he alone was;
responsible for the existence of the Dan-
and-lnk counterfeits. On the strength of
MS statements the detectives proceeded to
NlnSers home in Flagtown and secured
MS outnt which consisted ONLY OF a few
pens ana pencils, some green and black
INK, several small blocks of water colors
ana Two or three sheets of bond paper.
Inc arrest of Ninger and the UNIQUE
features of the case caused a great deal
f.
tracted the attention of handwriting ex
perts, all Of whom were increduIous
refusing to accept the explanation of the
secret service man as to how the coun-
ter1elts were made, one of them going
so Tar as to offer 800 for a pen-and-inI5
imitation of $40 note that would de-
celYe neWsboy.
Inc TACT that Ninger made and passed
all or the notes. himself. having no CON
federates to share his secret co,1nIad
with the skillfUl manner in which he
Uld MS work, made 1t possible for him
70 continue 50 long without detection
He worked in a little room on the second
hoor of the modest cottage in which he
resided, with mis- wife and four children
at f1agtcWn, N. j. No one, not even
his wife, was allowed to enter this room
while he was at work. His method was
substantially as follows: First he pro-
cured bond paper of about the same
quality as that upon which the genuine
+ notes are printed; of course, without silk
threads
Cutting this the exact size Of the gem
ulne note, he immersed 1t in a weak So
luton of coffee. This impaired to the
paper the appearance of age. or rather
as though 1t had passed through several
| hands.
nile the paper was still wet IT was
placed over the face Of the genuine note
the edges being exactly together. the
two were then placed fat Upon a pane
Oh glass, and every figure and letter,
portrait and vIgnette together with the
signatures and seal, were brought out in
bold relief, and could be plainly seen
through the transparent bond paper
The pane of glass was then placed
against the window frame at an angle
of forty-flve degrees. The light of
course, shone through, rendering the
tracery Of the genuine engraving dis
t1nct. In this position the operator COM
menced work, first with an extremely
hard and sharp-pointed pencil. With If
he carefully traced all parts, even the
most minute, Of the genuine note. After
the bond paper had become thoroughly
dry the same ground was gone over with
pen and ink. 1t was here that the mar
Vicious touch and skill of the pennan
was displayed, attesting the accuracy of
his eye and the steadiness of his nerve
The colors on the note were applied
with a camePs hair brush, and these
colors so perfectly initiated those of fine
genuine as to contribute materially to
the excellent general appearance" Of the
note. Red and blue ink marks were rna5a
to take the place of the silk threads which
are worked into the pulp of the genuine
paper The treasury seal, which has a
place on all of Uncle SanI's PAPER chr
portions CT the main design OF the nnta
thus adding difficulties to the tracing Of
us intricate lines, but Ninger copied if
with wonderful skill and fidelity.
Inc same care and attention were NOT
GeFoted to the back Of the note It was
almost entirely executed with the brush.
OF course, the general design was e+,,ic+
~ adhered to, but the geometricaI lines
or the lathe work We're not attemn+ed
with any Ge2ree of eXactness. Here again
tee al list relied mainly upon the colorino
to add to the deception.
Inc immefsing of the counterfeits in q
weak solution Of coffee is an old trick of
counterfe1ters, but it will probably be adj
united that this IS the only old THING
about the producing Of these pen ink an6
brush notes GU
1he omission Of the imprint Of +be
bureau of engraving ana printing from ali
or these pen notes had often bea, 70
marked upon. and when Ninger was ask.
ed 1or an explanation Of this. he laugh
3 I SAID: They did not make them -
ne 5tao Purposely omitted the imprint
indictments We're returned against Min
ger, both in New Jersey and Na4~ ~
Inc FORMER charging the man11fao+,,ro -
counterfeit notes, while the LATTER uyos TO-
passing them. 1t was endeayored 10 49,
New york surrender the prisene,, r. NJ.
Jersey In order that he might he +riad ~,
Ine more serious charge, but to this New
ork declined to accede. Nineer,s fIo4,1ss
was both novel and ingenious IT, 80
commended that no one was defrauGad
through his operations, because each noto
was a work OF art and as such l vaS
worth more than its face value. IN srp
port OF this argument a witness was ny
ouceo, who testified that he was in nos
SESSION ssI, OF one of the twenties, which he
would not part with for five +iroos ~
amount it puIported to renrase-14 NJ me
oetense' however, did not save hin, Us ns
ne was promptly convicted and stnnt -. as