West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-05-23
THE "JACkASS BILL
Tue Ten Dollar Note OF 1850 Has a
Puzzle Picture on II.

An interesting story comes from Chicago
which every citizen who has a treasury note
of the 1880 series can verify. lie holds :
''jaekass bill" II appears that the govern
ment was made the victim of a practical
joker in the bureau of engraving. and the
siaid, serious money of the country has be-
come the vehicle of puzzle picture. The
treasury officials have omitted To place an
inscription on the bill. "Flnd the lackass -
The absence of this has kept the matter a
secret for some time. Although the slack
ass bill' has been in existence for several
years, il was first discovered the other day
by n hank clerk in Chicago, who thought Il
was counterfeit and reported its discovery
to the sub,reasury officials. They had been
ignorant of the puzzle picture and sough,
information from Washington. The answer
received was not made public except in so
far as the bill was acknowledged ms
genuine The full text of the message from
Washington, il is said, was TO the effect to
keep the 'jaekass" quiet and not let the
public hear it's braying.
The jaekass shows as plain as a lifelike
portrai, when the bill is turned upside down.
On the face of the bill is an American eagle
in little engraving to the left of the seal
and between the names of ]. w. Lyons,
register Of the treasury, and Ellis ii Roberts.
treasurer of the United States. There is
nothing peculiar in the eagle until the bill is
turned upside down, and the eagle becomes
jackass, pefeet in outline. The iaekass
picture is one of the most common of the
$40 notes in circulation.
The surprising thing is that the puzzle or
Joke on the eagle was not discovered long
ago. None of the serious men who handled
the money at Washington ever thought of
turning bill upside down. The men who
examine designs before they are committed
to the engraving machine and the eueraver
passed the double tender, as it was
faee,iously termed.
The bills had gone all over the country
when the artis, who had perpetrated the
joke in spirit of maliciousness and revenge
sent word to the treasurer of the United
States to scan the portraits on the treasury
$40 bill when held upside down. The iackass
was found and there was CONSERVATION in
the department For the best interests of
the service and for the sake OF the reputation
of the department, il was decided TO let the
combination Of eagle and jackass alone in
the hope that the public would never notice
the picture
The story that comes from Washington is
to the effect that an Englishman working IN
the bureau of engraving was discharged for
having opinions counter to those Of the
Republican party. Having been given the
usual months notice, he decided upon a
eold-blooded revenge. He was working
upon the new plates for the ten dollar bill.
and by deft handling of the lights and
shadows of the eagle, he produced the
jackass. From an artistic poin, of view, his
work is excellent. 1t is the perfection of
puzzle creation. The head and neck of the
eagle, which has peculiar left twist, fur.
nish the head of The jack. The ligh,
shading at the base of the wing becomes a
perfect eye from the other viewpoint. The
thighs of the eagle form the cars of the
jack