Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-07-19

In tneSe WCTuS william NJ. JdCouS,
chief conspirator. epitomized the most
gigantic counterfeitlng plot ever I'M
earthed by our government. On the
day he uttered them he was 4 captive
ielon; only the day before he was
known to his fellow-townsmen in Lam
caster, Pa. as a prosperous cigar
His chief comrade in
wrong doing was neighbor. William
L. Kendig, manufacturer on small
err scale. Jacobs was the capitalist
Of the plot, but man of meagre in
ventive faculty and poor address; Ken
dig was a born executive. a genius in
resources, and had the gift of soft
like a cat.
During the Christmas holidays Of
1887 a clerk from the subtreasury
at Philadelphia appeared in Washing
ton with five 500 silver certificates
bearing the vignette portrait of Pres
ident Monroe. The weak color Of
the red seal on their faces had aroused
is suspicion. All the experts who
rutinized them. however. pronounced
lem perfect except as 10 the seal, and
had been about decided that they
d been stolen from the government
reau of engraving, when one of the
ties which had been stepped in hcc
ter by AIR. Moran of the secret ser
split in two. Microscopic EXAM
ton then showed that the green
soluble in acids, had been washed
n the backs of two 81 notes; that
faces. being printed in a per-
tent black ink, had been shaved
or peeled of; and that the
and back devices of a 500 certiii-
had been printed on the cleaned
ices. and the thin pieces stuck to-
sr with rice paste. These excel
notes were counterfeit
circular of warning went at once
banks, and every sub-treasury
ordered TO ship TO Washington
re 500 Monroe head certificate
on hand. When these came in
iber were found 10 bear the tell
cal. The possible magnitude of
aud gave the treasury 2 ceill:
ecretary Gage sent for John f.
of Chicago. journalist who
one some shrewd detective work.
,ted him chief of the secret SER
and babe him win his spurs by
e this affair TO earth. That was
bruary, 1898; the last person
ced for connection with the
81. l~x
tory of the four years patient
ign ! shall try TO give in out
rged photographs of the notes
that the plates must have been
by photo-etching, helped oft o.
FORK, a process which experts
could have taken not less than
onths. The oldest OF the couI.-
discovered had been redeemed
=, 1897. Allowing a month .cr
REGULATION before redemption.
lust have been issued in May;
nr months for their manufac-
ould carry the date of begic-
EN- back to January.
trusted subordinate with him
adelphia. the chief seat of the
craving industry in America.
city where the false notes had
in the greatest quantity.
retended to be about TO oIcn
class printing establishment,
they would need engravers
In lathe work. and capable of
vignette portraits for bonds
ks. This started gossip in :he
I'D Mr.. Wilkie soon heard Of
men who were deemed conf
or such employment. Among
re two partners. Arthur Tay-
Baldwin s. Bredell. who struck
'eing worth knowing, for their
had laid wondering stress on
that. though young and Only
started in business for them
icy had suddenly, in January.
pped out of their accustomed
Until April or thereabou:.
p had been closed much of he
in spite of that. both after
e the air of prosperity. Bre-
ng a fine diamond ring and
king a pleasure trip to Flor
'as lead surely. A watch
lpon this eccentric pair. and
than one year thereafter no
tered or left their shop in Fill.
(, and no package was deliv-
?, without careful note being
the reports sent nightly to
On by the watchers The
was unremittine. and it
me plain that the firm was
a machine for paper-making
way.
! in June. 1898. Taylor left
ng with a gripsack for the
alton. A detective followed
IS footsteps. ana when Tay-
ticket for Lancaster his
id likewise. They rode in
ear. and at their destination
saw his man meet Jacobs
continent and hold a long
lference with him.
ie has respectable cigar
'er for "crook" engraver?
on buZZed in Chief Wilkes
some hours after reading
report. Then an idea &C.
l..