The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-01-25
COUNTERFEIT
KING FREE
William f. Brockway
Out of Pr ion.
HIS VERY REMARKABLE INGENUITY
He Made Bank Notes That Could Not
Be Distinguished From the
Genuine.

TRENTON, \. j., Jan. 25.-Early to-
morrow morning the gates of New
Jerseys state prison will open for the
release of William F.. Brockway who,
in the words of the United States
authorities. is the most dangerous
Grated in America" BrOckway has
completed his term of ten years i'm
prisOnment minus the allowance for
good behavior and plus thirty days
lieu of the $1,000 fine imposed on him.
Brockway is not only a remarkable
man. but he has given the secret SER
vice detectives of the Washington
government more sleepless nights than
all the other counterfeit money man.
ufacturers in the country. The secret
of his so-caIled success has been his
ability to make genuine bank notes
and bonds seem counterfeit when
compared with his marvellous work.
1t is said that when United States
treasury notes and Brockway's coun-
terfeits were handed to an expert for
examination he threw out the genuine
notes as counterfeit and pronounced
Brockways money genuine. This is
why the man was considered so great
a menace to the finances of the gov
ernment. When arrested and tried in
court he managed his case with con-
70 he
government called it great luck
when he was convicted at all.
BrOckway was born in Connecticut
in 1922 and his first work was in the
studio of Professor Morse, then a
portrait painter. and later the discov-
erer of teiegraphy. Here Brockway
learned something Of art. His career
as forger and counterfeiter began
in 1885, it is said. He was arrested by
the government in 1880 for the forgery
of $2O4,OO0 United States per cent
bonds. For this he was sentenced to
thirty years in prison, but upon his
surrendering all his cOunterfeitina
tools and giving valuable information
,oii' ei HlilS Sliilildf SWliluleS sentence
was suspended.
He was arrested again in 1888 for
forging Morris & Essex railroad bonds
and sentenced to five years in state
prison. The suspended sentence was
Tor some reason not enforced against
him.
BrockWay lived for many years
under the name of Spencer in Brook
lyn, with his wife. son and daughter.
He passed as a sea captain, and his
absences from home were accounted
for as voyages. The family were ar
dent church workers, and Brockway
himself frequently attended church
services. He was supposed to be an
"mlnently respectable member of So
clety until he had trouble with his
wife. Soon afterward he was arrested
for crossing the Wall street dead
line and his real character was dis
closed
The details of the arrest at Hoboken
of BrockWay and his alleged accom-
pllces have been widely published.
The detectives found 100000 in Ca
madam notes. with only the reverse
side printed; 100000 in United States
gold certificates, nearly finished. and
hbre paper prepared for printing
S4OO,Ooo more. 1t is said that the coun-
terfelter was backed by some of the
Wealthiest and cleverest criminals in
the country.
But the authorities do not apnre
mend any further trouble from the
dean of counterfeiters" He is now 81
years old and leaves prison broken in |
health and spirit. 1t is his intention
to pass the remainder of his DAYS with
relatives in northern New Jersey.