The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-19
AN OKLAHOMA JOKER
HOW CAPT. J.. Il. TAYLOR PLAYED A
TRICK ON HIS WIFE.
Machine That. Ground Out Crisp
Treasury Notes-An Editor Who
Was "Evened-Up" With.
stair Corrasnondence OF the Iournal.

Stan Correspondence OF the Journal.
WASHINGTON, Dec ls.-Perhaps the
msanest joke ever perpetrated on a house
wife was that played by Capt. John T.
Taylor, of Guthrie. o. T., who is now in
Washington and who is telling with pride
how he used to live In Indiana. AS mat
ter of fact the captain is one OF the best
known men that ever left Porter county,
and he and Representative Crumpacker are
old acquaintance. Captain Taylor went to
the Southwest when the boom was on:
in fact. he was one Of the original boom
ers." The captain lives at Guthrie, -Xhereu
he has watched that town grow from the
start. A few years ago he had occasion to
go to Chicago, and this happened about the
time some genius mad invented a little ma
chine that seemed to grind out counterfeit
money at the turn of the crank. Many an
unwary man has had the laugh put on him
by this machine. The scheme was to "load''
the machine with genuine bills fresh from
the Treasury Department and then grind
them out at will. In Chicago Captain Tay-
lor bought one OF them and carried IL back
to Guthrie. He arrived at night and hur-
ried to his home.
Mary" said he. ARE the doors locked
and windows closed?"
"Yes," said the wife, somewhat mystified
at her husbands apparently excited man
"oh. nothing replied the captain, going
to his valise and bringing out the little
machine. Mary. I've had my ups and
downs In nfe;" he said, and have knocked
fortune. At last have struck Il easy.
See this machineT
Mrs. Taylor had seen the machine and
was still cycling IL suspiciously. The cap
tain had loaded 1t. and drawing a clean.
white piece Of paper from his pocket fed Ii
in at one end Of the machine and at the
lar bill. Mrs. Taylor believed It to be a
counterfeit bill that her husband had Just
made, but as matter OF fact II was as
good a bill as the treasury ever turned out.
Next the captain turned out Ave. and an
other turn OF the crank brought a ten BY
this time his wife was excited.
Joh5 she gasped. ,S with horror in her
YES" said the captain, 1T has," and he
ground out another bill. Taking another
his is toe as
he said. Its easy enough"
Mrs. Taylor shrank away from him.
turned criminal. He began to realize that
the joke had gone quite far enough, as
the excitement and fear OF his wife were
becoming alarming: Then he tried to con-
prove that the money was genuine To
do this he was compelled to take the ma
chine apart, ana even then his wife was
still suspicious. 1t was a long time before
she entirely forgave him for the hoax
There was an editor In Guthrie named
Thompson, who had been devoting consid-
cradle space to the captain n the way OF
''roasts." The day following his return
from Chicago Taylor took his machine
and went to Thompson's Office He invited
the editor into a rear room, had the door
closed and blinds drawn and then uncov-
cred the machine. He first pledged Thomp-
son to secrecy and then began to grind out
new money. Thompson watched the
money-making process without a word.
Finally. when the captain had piled up a
few tens and hves on the desk, he gathered
them all up. put them In his pocket and
left the Office, but not until he had init
mated to Thompson that he might get In on
the deal II he would be discreet about II
and never mention the secret Taylor knew
exactly what would happen He had not
gone a square from Thompson's Office until
the latter broke for the Office OF the United
States marshal. Three four OF Taylor's
friends had been let In on the secret,
and later in the day the marshal was
posted" In the meantime Thompson
| spent 81 or $ telegraphing to Washington
In an effort TO ascertain just what the
laws were on the question Of counterfeiting
Before night he was undeceived but he
never forgot how Taylor got even"
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