The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-27
DOLLARS WERE BAD
Il. G.. GRIGGs' OFFENSES AIRED
BEFORE L. :. GRAND JURY.
BROTHER IN-LAW AND WIFE
ARE CHARGED WITH HIM WITH
MAKING COUNTERFEIT MONEY.

MAKING COUNTERFEIT MoNhh'
Federal Grand Jury Began Consid-
GRAFTON of Evidence Upon which
to Base Indictments Immediately
After BEING Charged by Judge
Speer and Case Against Gri.;gs
Was the First Taken Up-COunter-
feiters Outfit, Found in His Pos
session. Exhibited to Jury-Jen-
ningS Held in Jacksonville Jail.
Two Little Children with Their
Mother in Custody.
The grand jury of the United States
Court began the consideration of evil
dence against defendants now await
ing indictment and trial. Immediately
after the charge of Judge Speer yester-
day morning. The first case taken up
was that against E. G. Griggs, charged
with counterfeiting, and it is prac-
tically certain that an indictment has
been found.
The story of the arrest of Griggs in
Waycross was told in the Geographic
columns of the Morning News last
week, when he was arrested by Sheriff
w. j. Mcclellan of Ware county. His
wife was arrested at the same time
and the day following his brother-in-
in Jacksonville.
The trio are charged with making
and uttering counterfeit silver dollars,
a large number of which have been in
circulation throughout this section of
the state during the past year. Griggs,
his wife and Jennings had only been
living in Waycross about a month, but
it is believed that they had operated
extensively at some other point before
their removal to that town.
In Griggsi possession when he was
arrested was found complete coun-
teFfeiting outfit for the manufacture
o. imitation silver dollars and forty
two of the products of his industry.
When Jennings was arrested in Jack
sonville he had 2S2 of the false coins
about his person.
The counterfeiting outfit and the
manufactured product were exhibited
to the grand jury yesterday. Griggs
and his wife were brought TO the city
yesterday morning, accompanied by
their two little children, and in the
custody of Sheriff Mcclellan. VINO was
sworn in as a deputy United States
marshal Jennings is still held in the
jail at Jacksonville. The man and
his wife and children were held at the
court house, all save the children I'M
der arrest, while the grand jury was
considering the evidence against them.
It was a complete plant for the man.
ufacture of spurious dollars that the
accused persons operated. 1t included
molds, a lathe for smoothing and pol
ishing. various minor implements, a
book explaining the compromising of
alloys, especially those that resemble
silver, polishing powder and every
thing needed to get the queer in
shape tor being showed"
In addition TO the outfit proper there
was considerable quantity in bars
OF the metal used in the manufacture
of the spurious coins. 1t is a weak and
rcor imitation of silver and the dol
lars turned out We're calculated to de-
ceive only intelligences of a very mea-
ger order. They were placed in circu-
lation principally among negroes and
for a time had some vogue. The alloy
used was a combination of tin and
some other metals and contained nc
silver whatever.
TX is evident, however, that the coun-
terfeiters intended to embark in the
manufacture of imitation silver dollars
of a more pfetentious character, that
might serve to deceive minds oil
greater intelligence than it had been
possible to delude with the queer
of an earlier vintage.
This was manifested by the find ir
the possession of Griggs of a formula
for the manufacture of a silver alloy
said to be a very excellent imitation
of the real article. 1t includes among
its component parts 40 per cent OF
silver ami various other metals. As
silver dollars of the same or a greater
degree of fineness than those turned
out by the government may be man.
ufactured by private enterprise at q
profit of about 100 per cent, it may
be seen that the use of the amount
of silver contained in the formula
would not deter a counterfeiter from
getting IN his work.
All 6he evidence in the case against
Grigg$ Jennings and Mrs Griggs was
presented to the grand jury by AS
sistant District Attorney Alderman
and as they ALL to use the very apt
expression of Chief Devery, were
caught with the goods" there can be
little doubt that a true bill of indict-
ment has been found.
No indictments, however, were re.
turned in court and IL is not likely
that any will be until tomorrow o,
Saturday. Then all that the grand
jury has found will be returned in a
bunch. probably at a special session
OF the court held for this purpose,