Evening star., 1902-02-22
SPURIOUS CURRENCY
NEW STYLE COUNTERFEITING
SUCCEEDS OLD METHODS.
Photography Used Now by Criminals
Instead of the Former Difficult
and Costly Engraving.

From the New York Sun.
Counterfeiting bank notes is not by any
means the business that it used to be. Any
veteran government detective will tell you
that But he doesn't mean that the art
has become lost.
On the contrary 1t has been improved.
The old way of making salabie limitations
of government paper money was risky and
costly as compared to present methods.
but the new method is knawn to SO few
people as yet that there Is q lull In the
trade.
The lul will last until the new method
has become we'll understood. Then among
those who have the skill and the patience
to adopt it, there win appear some who
have the courage of their convictions-men
of such skill as the Scandinavian Skoge,
who shot himself In South street a year
ago because he was pursued by a fat New
York policeman yelling Stop thief.
Good Craftsmen Cool.
If Skoge had been really great among
his fellow craftsmen, he would not have
run in the first place, and in the second
place. even though arrested. he would have
preserved 50 cool and unconcerncd a de-
meanor and would have been so uncommu-
NEGATIVE that 1t would never have been
manufacturing the paper money Of eight
different nations.
The old way was the painstaking engrav-
ing of steel or copper plates. using as much
expense and skill the government itself,
The new way Is to use photography.
Strangely enough 1t was first called to
the attention Of the authorities by an honest
man In Philadelphia, very skillful photog-
rapher. He made an anniversary book
for a bank in which all the national bank
anfn nd trnn or md nnrff foo too
were reproduced so accurately that cold
chills ran up and down the spines Of the
treasury officers who are charged with the
duty of suppressing counterfeiting. He
was warned and the plates from which the
pictures were taken were surrendered and
confiscated by the government.
Industry Discouraged.
Counterfeiting in the old way was made
Improbable by the exceeding activity of
the secret service officers. They discour-
aged tho industry most hard-heartedly by
making every effort to catch the engraver
who did the work.
They brought 1t to pass that few men
with the skill and the willingness to dupli-
cate government notes were ever at liberty
long at time The complete reports of
those who have been intrusted with the
duty of running down ceunterfeiters would
make series Of volumes Of dimensions to
make the patent office reports hide their
diminished heads in shame.
There Is monthly publication printed by
private enterprise, but with full govern
ment approval and cooperation, called the
Bank Note Detector. 1t contains a full
record and description OF all counterfeits
ever issued. with fitting tributes to their
good points and their shortcomings.
Bits Of Clever Work.
Within the last few months according
to this authority. four or Ave discreditably
creditable pieces OF work have appeared.
These counterfeits are for the most part of
national bank notes and are distinguished
by certain defects in the printing OF the
faces Of the distinguished citizens which
adorn the notes.
Sometimes the color Of the seal which
is imprinted on the face Of the bill is a
shade too dark or too light At the pres
ent time there are no really dangerous
counterfeits in circulation. none at any rate
which would deceive competent bank tel
ler however easily one who Is not used to
scrutinizing bills might be deceived. 1t is
lots Of fun to sit down with one Of the two
or three former chiefs Of the secret service
who are in New York and get him to chat
about the determination Of the old fash
toned cOunterfeiting business