BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-01-28
Ordered To Turn Over
Counterfeit Money.
United States Authorities
Hard AT Work On Spurious
Coin Case.
A Psrplexing Question.
Ponce, P. B., January 2eth 1902
Especial to the BoLETrN MHRcANr1L.
A Perplexing Question.

Since the discovery Of tie great volume
Of counterfeit coin in the City Of Ponce,
there have been practically no new dsyel
opments and the Government has not yet
made known what its intentions were for the
future. It is generally believed, however,
that there will be . general c0n6scation Of
coin, which would mean total demoraliza.
tien Of the channels Of commerce.
The following notice, at the direction Of
the United States District Attorney, was
inserted in the local afternoon papers:
ssThe United States District Attorney
desires to announce that it 10 the duty Of all
persons finding counterfeit money in their
possession, TO turn it over to the CLERK Of
the United States Court OF this city,
otherwise they render themselves liable to
prosecution.n
The question is, If each merchant or pri.
vate individual has large amount Of the
spurious coin in his possession, will this
not mean as serious loss as when the
change in the value Of money was made on
the leland And sgain; will there not bs
some who, by reason Of limited capital, will
find themselves go badly crippled-.as to ser
iously affect their financial conditions
From any standpoint, the situation is {
grave one and everybody is asking, wha
nextf
At the preliminary examination Of Mr.
Justo Bsrros, Msyordomo of Hacienda Be
IPar4da, from which place $4,000 worth 0
coin,-a large proportion Of phich il
|spurieus-wss taken, United States Com
missioner Mailman bound Mr.. Barros owe
to the Grand Jury, in the sum Of 81, 500
Bail was promptly furnished.
Since the finding of the coin on the Ha
cienda Repsrads, Mr. Barros has done al
In his power to facilitate the officers of tb,
law and the charge against him is NOR,
technical than otherwise.
An effort was made by your correspondent
to learn, if possible, what would be th,
Governments next move. but neither Gem
missioner Mailman nor Deputy Marsha
Trauimsn would say anything, explaining
that they were not in q position to give on
any information.
Governor Hunt this morning received
the following telegram;
HPoncs, January 2Sth, 1902.
Honorable Governor,
sSssss S:.:s ] Ii..sasss .sassss, r 3 --.=-
"a aasIessaig al .,.is cjty il Z mestinl
in circulation Resolved to address Vol
stating that they are ready to oomplJ
with the law, but not having any posit
i've data how to distinguish the good from
the bad money have further resolved L
accept. sll money apparently good until til,
peculisr:ties Of the clsndestine kind may b
made public. The commercial community
Of Ponce requests Of the Government
prompt soluuon Of this matter and to avoid
any popular eIcltement.
(signedJ Frtss,
President, Chamber of Commerce.
At the Palace this morning it scas stated
that the authorities had no further informs
tion than that above gwen, aud at tbe
Federal Court information was given to the
eject that the Federal authorities have made
and are now making every effort to get st
the bottom Of the affair. Farsher details
and information are expected as any moment /