Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-09-17
IA PRISON SCANDAL.
y counterfeiters at Work In the Penn
sylvania Penitentiary.
now The DISCOVERY WAS MADE.
nrsss Irregularities Carried on In the o.
eAr Departmsnt-Prison-M Made Cigars
sent Out without Being stamped
Convict Made"

closely upon the exposure OF gross ir
,rsgularities In the cigar department o.
the eastern state penitentiary camt
fhs public announcement last nigh
that the illegal coinage Of minor Sill
yer pieces has been carried on by con
yicts In the big institution. No de-
tails Of the counterfeiting scheme car
be learned from any Of the officials
connected with the prison or from the
government officers that have been as
signed to the case. The fact that such
4 daring scheme had been carried on
IN the penitentiary was made public BY
George Vaux, Jr., one Of the prison In
spectors, who summoned newspaper
men to his home and voluntarily made
the disclosure. He gave out brief
statement, which Is as follows:
Apr. W. D. Robinson and Mr.. vaux,
Jr., who are at present the visiting in
epectors on duty at the eastern state
penitentiary, made the statement that
there has come to their Official knowl-
edge that within q short time an at
tempt has been made by certain con-
victs now confined in the penitentiary
20 manufacture counterfeit silver coins.
But few pieces were made and q
number Of these have come into the
possession Of the inspectors together
with the metals and chemicals used,
the attempt thus being nipped In the
mud. The evidence in the case Is not
yet complete, but all that has been
secured has been submitted to the
United States authorities"
Mr.. Vaux refused absolutely to give
any more details than contained In
his statement. From other sources,
however, It was learned that dimes,
quarters and half dollars were the
coins manufactured. The discovery
vas made several days ago and United
States secret service ofiiclals were I'm
mediately called In. Their investiga-
zion, II Is learned, Is still In progress,
their principal object being to learn
whether there was collision between
che convlcts and employees OF the In
gtitutlon.
II Is believed the discovery Of coun-
terfeiters in the prison was the result
Of the investigation now being carried
on in the place as result OF the ir-
Irregularities In the cigar department.
These Irregularities became public
matter last week and. pending an in
yestigation, Warden Daniel W. Bussin-
GER and the overseer Of the cigar de-
partment were temporarily relieved.
from duty and the penitentiary placed
IN charge Of Rev. Joseph WEIGH, the
chaplain. It is alleged that thousands
OF cigars made by convicts are unac-
counted for, that thousands OF them
did not contain internal revenue
stamps and that in many instances the
law requiring prison-made cigars to
be stamped Convict made" was ig-
nored. How long this has been carried
on Is yet to be learned. The govern
snent Of the penitentiary Is vested In
board OF five inspectors appointed by
the governor, who serve without sal
nry. This board is now making an In
spection Of each branch Of the insti-
sutton and has employed an expert &C.
ccuntant to 60 over the books. In ad-
sdition to this. the internal revenue Of
slcers are carrying on o separate in
5 yestigation.
Later IN the night further details
Of the counterfeitinR scheme leaked
out. These were 10 the effect that five
men were engaged in the work. the
Read Of the counterfei'ers being a
Philadelphian now completing his sec
Ond term for this ofsensa The others
~sre professional criminals who Sc
cured, through the plumbing depart
ment Of the prison. the necessary
metal made Of solder. Tin and ground
r1ass, The molds. II Ia believed, were
shade Of plaster Of paris. screamed from
ne walls Of cells. Some of the coins
iDt into circulation. but In what man
mar has NOT yet been fully determined.
mere IA a belief that certain employees
gho did favors for the prisoners, such
- mailing letters. In violation Of the
rules OF the Institution, were given the
Aogus money ar tips and they limo
Gently passed II into circulation.
a STRIKE Threatened at the WORRIES EAlN
b. Louis. Sept. A-For an hour yes
aerday general strike among union
artisans at the worlds fair grounds
mas threatened Is result Of differ
.ences between carpenters and the Ney-
.efs Construction company, which 10
ibuilding the Intramural railway. Two
thousand carpenters quit work because
Of the employment BY the contractors
Of several men at lower than the union
scala A truce was reached when the
contractors suspended the men who
we're objected 10. George Newman,
representing the carpenters. says . gen
rrni strike will be called II the con-
tractors do not finally grant the de-
mands. He declares that the allied
unions are N sympathy.