Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-01-25
THE DEAN OF
COUNT[RF[|T|NC
VIM. +. Breekway Completes
His Ten Years Of Imprison.
ment in New Jersey
REMARKABLE CAREER
The Most SiSiiful Rascal Of His
Kind That Ever Operated iii
America

TRENTON, N. J.. Jan. 25.-Eariy
tomorrow morning the gales &C New
Jerseys state prison will open for the
release of William E. Brockway, who,
in the words Of the United States au-
thorities, is the most dangerous colL-
terfeiter and forger who ever oper-
ated in America" Brockwav has cem.
pleted his term Of ten years impris-
onment, minus the allowance for good
behavior and plus thirty lays which
he was required TO serve in lieu Of the
$1,000 fine imposed on him.
Brockway is not only a remarkable
nan, but he has given the secret serv-
ice detectives of the Washington gov
ernn,ent more sleepless nights tnan
all the other counterfeit moley mas.
ufacturers in the country. The secret
Of his so-called uecess has been lis
ability to make genuine bank notes
seem counterfeit when compared with
his marvellous work. 1t ii said that
when United States treasury notes
and BrockWay's counterfeits were
handed to an expert for examination
he threw out the genuine notes as
counterfeit and pronounced Brock
ways money genuine This is why
the mar was considered So great q
menace to the finances nf the govern.
nsnt. When arrested and triefl IN
court he managed his case with on,
sumrnate skill, and counsel for the
government called it great luck
when he was convicted al all
Brockway WAS born in Connecticut
III 1922, and his first work was II
the studio Of Professor Morse. then 2
portrait painter, and later the diseoy.
erer Of t~elegraphy. Here Brockwas
learned something Of art His career
as a forger and counterfeiter began
In 1850, it is said. He was arrested
by the government in 1880 Tor the
forgery of s204, 900 United States !
per cent $1,000 bonds. For TINS rs
was sentenced to thirty years IN prls
on. but upon his surrendering Ms
co%unterfeiting tools and giving vaiu
able information concerning slmilal
swindIes, sentence was suspended.
He was arrested again in 1889 10
forging Morris & Essex railroad bonds
and sentenced to five years in stat'
prison. The suspended sentence wa
for some reason not enforced agains
him.
Brockway lived for many years un
der the name OF Spencer in Brookiyn
with his wife, son and daughter, n
passed as a sea captain, and his az
sences from home were accounted 10
as voyages" The family we're arden
church workers, and Brockway MN
self frequently attended church sers
ices. He was supposed to be an emu
nently respectable member 81 socie,
nnti, he had trouble with his wife
soon afterward he a arrested -
crossing the wall street dead iine,
and his real character was dlscioseu
The details Of the arrest al Hope
t--5I nr
ken Of Brockway and his alleged as
committees have been widely published
The detectives found 100000 IN Gan
adjan notes, with only the reVers
side printed; 5000. 900 in unl's
states gold certificates, nearly fiflsi
ed. and fibre paper prepared for prih
ing $500. 900 more. It Is said that =
counterfeiter was backed by some :
The wealthiest and c%leyerest criminal
In the country.
But the authorities do not appr'
bend any further trouble from -
adean Of counterfeiters. He Is no
eighty-one years old. and leaves priso
broken in health and spirit. i i y
intention to pass the remainder Of q
DAYS with relatives In northern Ne'
Jersey.
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