Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-19
DRIVEN BY WANT.
Sanford Men Tell Why They Made
Bad Money.

cd counterfeiters-both novices at it
and both realizing the seriousness OF
their predicament-came into the
United States court room. Wednesday
forenoon. handcufed together. They
were In custody of Deputy Marshal
Monitor Of this city. and with him was
Sheriff N. r. Fogg Of York county, i"
whom Is due the credit Of working up
the case and making the arrest.
Sheriff Fogg brought In some Of the
evidence plaster Of paris mould and
counterfeit coins representing about
$3.50. Mr.. Earl. clerk in 4 Sanford
store. who gave the sheriff tip in re-
gard to the passing Of counterfeit
money. was with the party. to testify
In the hearing. if needed.
The hearing was soon over. for both
OF the prisoners had fully decided not
to tight the case. They pleaded guilty
10 the charge of having in their pos
session counterfeit currency and appli-
ances for the same. Commissioner
bradley bound them over to the April
term of the district court. Bail was
fixed at $1,000. but getting sureties in
that amount was out of the question
and the young men went to he county
jail to await the movement of the
wheel of justice.
The prisoners are George Hachant.
aged 50. and his brother law. Ben
jamin Turgeon. %. They are both resi-
dents OF Sanford: Bachant has lived
there 4 year. following the trade of 4
carriage painter. and Turgcon came
there Il few weeks ago from Laconia.
n. II. EachartS former home was i'll
st. Johnsbury. Vt. Both of them are
of French-Canidian descent. Turgeon
has been known in Sanford az "Stur-
geon.''
in an Interview. after their arraign-
ment. Bachant said:
We were driven to this by want. W.
are both painters. and work has bee:!
so light lately that my family WAS in
needy circumstances. | have wifi.
and three children and my brother-n-
law lived with us. l called on Mr.. Han
son. one of tho overSeers Of the POOR
and asked him II he could assist US.
lie said II tn" town Of Sanford helped
us. We must go TO the town farm. MY
wife thought that was rather hard. and
l told her 1 would never so to the poor
farm II could help it.
TWO or three days ago my brother
in-law and were talking abou, need
ing money. and Ii occurred To us that
We might make Il few counterfeit coins.
to help us along. ! had never made
any. but 1t seemed as if II might be
easy 10 duplicate quarters and half
dollars out OF tin.
I'VE bought some plaster of paris for
the moulds and somo block tin which W.
melted. 1t was hard to make mould
that would stand. They were damp. and
when the hot tin struck them it would fly
Finally We baked mould in the oven
and 1t worked better than the others
We made these mouids by placing two
coins on glass and running tn. plaster OF
paris onto them. The haIf-dollars came
out we'll. but the quarter dollar mould
Was not much OF success. We made
and We threw 1t into the fire
I'VE made about 1913 IL all. 1t was
easy work getting rid of them at the
post office. did they refuse to take them.
The milling on the rim was hard to make
! ran sharp file over them as nearly
like the real milling as, could.
SHERIFF Foggs brother. in the post Of
nce. gave US away. The sheriff found my
hrotherin-law At home. asked to see his
money and accused him OF passing coun-
sCAStt SViuS. Inc mousse was searched
and the mould was found on the bed tick.
where we had hidden 1t. 1t had occurred
to me that morning that l ought to get
rid Of the mould in some way but fool
ishiy left 1t In the bed
That is all there is to It, We were
caught and suppose We will have to go
to Jail for it. OF course l realized that
II was serious business when We went
into II. We had been at it only two days
when we were arrested. I am sorry for
my family. II is hard for them. hut I
guess we don't deserve any pity. for we
knew what We were doing and what the
consequences were"
Bachant is bright-appearing man. lie
says he Is both a painter and a machin-
ist. He has followed both trades In st
9ohnsbury.- He says neither he nor his;
brother was ever arrested before They
shed no tears. They appeared to have
made up their minds that waiting would
be Of; no avail. I'VE are in for it. and
Will have 10 make the best of It," was the
philosophical remark made by the Ba-
chants. as they started for the Jail.
A Russian officer who took part in
the Chinese war some wears 40, do