Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-03
8, 1eoo-12 PAGES
CHIEF WILKES REPORT
COUNTERFEIT MONEY AMOUNTING
TO $4,000.
Many Calls Made by Other Depart
ments for Services of Train
ed Operatives.

The thirty fifth annual report of the
secret service division was submitted to
Secretary Gage by CHEZ Wilkie today. The
statistical portion shows 654 arrests during
the year, with 21s convictions. 253 awaiting
actions of the courts and four fugitives
from Justice Missouri led the procession
of states with the largest number of cases,
IS. Pennsylvania was second with 63, New
York third. with 50, Indiana with 81 and
Texas was 40. OF the persons arrested 454
were born in the United States, thirty in
Italy, twenty in Germany, thirteen in Ire
land, while the remainder represented all
parts of Europe and Asia
The counterfeit money captured and Sc
cured by the division amounted to So. 1000,
of which $4,000 was in notes and SOD 600 in
coin The captured plates for the printing
or counterfeit notes numbered 200 There
We're twenty-Sfx steel dies and 800 pairs of
molds for the manufacture of counterfeit
god and silver coin. The low-grade silver
counterfeits We're melted into bullion rep
resenting a value of 1852 check for this
amount being paid into the treasury of the
United States.
Ten new counterfeit notes made their APP
pearan during the year. but five of them
onlJ we're deceptive enough to be considered
dangerous and the makers of all but one of
these notes were arrested and are either in
Ing trial.
Attention is directed to the fact that the
raising of genuine notes of small denomi-
nations To represent those of greater value
increased during the year, the increase be-
ing due to the unfamiliarity of the public
with the characteristics of the various
denominations With the simplihcation of
the currency this crime viii be rendered
much more difficult.
Reference is made to the great legal bat
tie in Philadelphia, in which Messrs Ing
nam and hewitt were convicted of at
tempting to bride a member Of the service
and to the later development in connection
with the Jacobs-kendig counterfeiting con-
spiracy, involving the circulation of the
dangerous $50 Hamilton head note last
May.
An unusually large number of calls were
made on the division to provide trained op-
eratives and to make special Inquiries for
other departments, naturalization frauds
thefts of government property. jury brb-
ing, thefts from the subtreasuries and the
apprehension of fugitives from justice from
foreign countries forming the subject of
some of these Investigations. Cuba and
Porto Rica, which were visited by agents
of the service were found to be compare
lively free from counterfeits. In view of
the fact that repeated arrests and convic-
tons do not seem to act as a complete de-
terrent to criminals who make counterfeit
ing their specially, Chief Willsie recon-
mends amendment to the Revised Stat
utes which shall provide for the addition
Of five years to the sentence of the court
for a second conviction. ten years for a
third conviction and life sentence for
fourth conviction. a pleasant acknowledge
ment is made of the cooperation which has
been received from the local authorities all
over the United States, the assistance thus
received having simplified the work of the
division in many instances and having been
productive of satisfactory general results.