The Washington times., 1903-12-27

TRENTON, n. j., Dec. civilian J.
Brockway. the notorious counterfeiter
and forger. will end his term of ten
years in the State prison next Sunday.
He will probably stay thirty days longer
in that institution because Of the fact
that there is fine of 81 900 standing
against him. This. he says. he cannot
pay. and he intimates that he will take
advantage Of the poor convict's" oath.
When William Elias Brockway. king
of counterfeitcrs. is released. the end
of another chapter will be closed in the
unwritten book of his mysterious and
adventurous life. At the age Of eighty
two he will for the thirteenth time be
given chance 30 live honorably.
Despite his long and wonderful career
of crime Brockway has always denied
that ne is a criminal. He looks at coun-
terfeiting from the highest standpoint
IF / can make better money than the
Government / do no harm, he has al
ways said He believes that any man
has right to make as much counter
felt money as he likes, so long as he
faithfully copies the high standard set
by the Government engravers.
His former wife is supposed to be
still living i'm Brooklyn under an as
sumed name. she having obtained a di-
vorce from him while he was serving
a term prior TO the present one, in
Sing Sing. His health is said to be quite
good for man Of his advanced age
who has served many years in State S
prison.
Hidden Treasure.
A few years ago it was believed he
would not live out his last sentence. but
he has fooled everybody who anticipated
his death behind the bars Every pos
sible effort has been made by the United
States Secret Service authorities TO get
from him a final confession as to the
whereabouts of a $500 steel plate, sup
posed to have been stolen by one of his
confederates from the Government Blu
reau OF Engraving and Printing in
Washington
So closely does his life follow out the
story of Monte Cristo that some of the
detectives who have followed him from
place to place believed the old man NIGH
while serving this last sentence give the
secret of his supposed hidden wealth
to some fellow-prisoner who had Z
chance of liberty. But the old man ha:
persisJently refused To name his Ed
mond Dantes." and some believe that IL
he is released he viii himself dig up his
treasure.
For three years previous to his las
arrest Brockway lived with two chum
on an island in jana "a Bay. called Ruff
neplot Detectives Watched them almos
constantly. but the simple fishermen
who were his neighbors never suspect
ed Brockway of being "A counterfeiter
Clam Diggers Arrested.
often he was seen on the shores y
I the island making measurements or dig
ging. but his neighbOrs always though
/ he was merely digging CLAIMS. In lSs
1 Secret Service men raided the Brock
way cottage and the clam diggers wer
arrested Many plates. dies, and half
I finished Government bonds were foun'
/ in the place ard the trio We're sent L
Sing Sing for five years.
A report was Immediately circuIate'
| that they had lefl on the island a treas
4 ure. buried in the sand Fortune hunt
! ers and detectives dug about the cottag
/ and along the shores where the mel
! had frequently been seen. but nOthin'
was found
Chief Drummond. of the Secret Ser
+ vice. made an agreement with Brock
way. shortly after he was sent to prisO
! ana the countefIelleF TOOK MN 10
grove near Jamaica where he dug "
I a metallic case containing twentSNtw
/ engraved plates $4,000 in counterfeit
/ bank notes. and large quantity Of hO-
paper This was turned over to tn
! Government. and BrOckway was short
/ ~ released from prison. But even dur
| ing the short time he was in Sing Sin
! he made friends with a man who Gale
/ himself DR. O. r. Bradford. who Wa
serving a term for malpractice.