The sun., 1903-12-27
COMING IS ON THE DECLINE.
COt'NTERFEITERS ARE LEARNING
THAT 1T DOESN'T PAY.
The Result Attributed to the Activity OF
the Secret Servlce-ClOse Watch Kept
by Sleuths on Suspects-Types OF the
Men Who Make Counterfeit Coin.

10 be taken to the Kings County Peniten-
tiary. Il swear the game isn't what it's
cracked up to be. 1t simply don't pay.
Now look at me.
1.-TWO years ago was an innocent sort
Of kid, but looking for trouble. Well,
feller down on the East Side got hold Of
me.never mind who he was; guess am
not a squealer-and taught me the game.
Quarters and halves were my specially.
got together all the paraphernalia-zinc.
moulds, lead, plaster of Paris and the
whole shooting match.
IL made about ten dollars worth Of the
stuff but hadn't passed more'n a dozen
coins all told, when was nabbed, That
meant eighteen months hard.
Il did my trick and I hadn't no more
than come out when was at my old game.
Couldn't keep away from 1t.
Nov, you see, I've got another years
hard. It's an awful thing, I tell you, for
feller to begin to think, maybe I am a
born crook
To the credit OF this cciner, be it said.
he has not yet become utterly hardened.
In his last coming venture he took an uncle
of his in on the ground floor.
Before they could do much, however,
both uncle and nephew were arrested by
Secret Service agents. At the trial the
younger man took all the blame on his
shoulders and exonerated his uncle.
Glad they turned the old man out" he
whispered, 1T would be an awful thing
for him to be sent UP, and he having wife
and kid to support"
But few coiners are so straightforward
in their speech as this one. The majority
come from Italy, and are lowered with
exuberant imaginations and fine dramatic
ability to dissemble,
young Neapolitan was arraigned not
long s ago; oot . eno ,,,t,s n,.rt or him al,
complete" said Secret Service Agent Flynn,
with the enthusiasm Of the connolsseur.
There was clear case against Luigi
but he looked innocence personifed His
stood there. wringng his hands and muir
muring "Giesu" and Maria"
ASK him what he has to say" the United
States Commissioner said to the inter-
With flood of tears and soft musical
voice Luigi told pitifu tale.
Caro- signor mio, tell the Judge am
innocent, A friend of mine whose where
don't remember. brought the outfit to my
house and showed me how to make quarters
-dnttcht, signor, curosities not for cir
culation. | only made a few curiosities.
] was arrested, and now Ia noghe the wife,
is alone at home"
The Interpreter, novice, was infected
with some Of the mans emotion, but the
faces Of the Secret Service agent and OF the
Commissioner were untroubled.
The old, old story" murmured Mr..
Flynn, and Luigi was held.
His two month sojourn in Ludlow Street
Jail had apparently proved a liberal edu
cation to Luigi, for when he appeared for
trial he looked much more manly In
took his sentence of two years nnprson-
mert without apparent emotion.
No more curiosties for me, signor,
ne said to the interpreter az the marshal
was locking his handcuffs; "the business
doesn't pay itself
Such are types of some OF the more com
mon practitioners Of the decaying art of
coming. For it is decaying. the Secret
Service people say
For the fiscal year ending June 3, 1902.
Chief " like reported All arrests on charges
Of coming and passing counterfeit coin.
For the year ending with june 1908, the
figures dwinded to Pa. The Secret Service
people say that the decrease in the number
Of arrests reflects the decrease in the number
Of counterfeiters
The receipts of bad coin in the Sub-Treas-
,ryy are growing smaller every year. OF
5000 ,0oD silver dollars and SIS ono in
subsidiary coin handled in the Sub-Treasury
in the last eleven months only 487 dollars,
st9s in halves, S+23 in quarters and s27s in
dimes were counterfeit.
Counterfeit bills are equally on the de-
cline. The Sub-Treasurer believes there
are not more than $50 900 counterfeit in
total circulation of about si,6s7, 1868 a
month. And the Secret Service figures
show the arrests on charges OF making
counte erfeit bills to have declined in the
last fiscal year by almost so per cent. from
the figures of the year preceding. That,
too. is attributed to the activity of the
Secret Service and particularly of the New
York branch. Here is an example of the
kind of work done.
ftor iS raf,, vnnflnn
where he testified against John Davis, the
notorious counterfeiter of Bank Of England
notes, Agent Flynn made up his mind that
Davis, vario,lsly known as Schwartz, $
Schmiti Il Lehman, would sooner or later
come TO America. In conjunction with
Scotland Yard. Chief Wilke of the Secret
Service had the movements OF Davis care
fully followed across Europe. Last sum-
mer, sure enough, Davis arrived IN New
York
In spite Of all of Davis's cleverness and
secrecy the New York agents and Chief
Wilkie knew all his movements from the
moment he set foot in this city. From the
steamship pier he was shadowed night and
day by some of the brightest sleuths in the
world
They discovered that he was organizing
syndicate to back him in big counter
feiting venture, and they knew every
member of the gang finally organized:
The house he rented In Newark was watched
from the moment he moved into it,
AZ last, when Davis had moved to Revere.
Mass, and had completed all his prepara-
tions, the officers gave him chance to pro
duce only a few OF the millions of bad bills
he intended to put forth, and then their
case was complete. The Revere house was
raided, Agent Flynn was there, while his
men horc simultaneously arrested every
member Of the syndicate,
There was no chance this time for Davis
to turn States evidence. Joseph Raumen-
h'itt member of the gang, got ahead of
hlm with confession and served Davis
and the others Just as Davis served the
Parmashcs, his confcderates in England.
only year ago. BY turning Kings witness
last year in England and betraying his oon-
federates. Laws not only gained his free
dom, but even secured liberal reward from
tef Dank Of England.
You have been after me long time.
haven't you. Mir. FLYNN" said Davis when
he was arrested al Revere, on Dec. 4.
"los. but haven | got you dead right
now?" was Flynn's reply,
With Davis disappears. in the words OF
Joseph laumenhIltt, the Governments
witness. "thc greatest mechanic that ever
hvrd."
santa Claus at Riding and Driving Club