Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-05-02

AS keen an operative as there WAS in
the secret service. His Headquarters
We're in Chicago. and many a counters
felter was sent over the road by Jim
mle Cronin. as he was affectionately
called by his friends.
Cronin and Cheney were much the
same as regards ability. but Cheney
hau ambitions land was achieving
Them beyond the mere detection of
crime. Cronin hadn't any ambitions
beyond the running down of II smooth
fingered gentleman or smashing Il gang
OF 'ounterfeiters He was a great big,
whoie-souled lrishman. full OF wit. and
as brave as Il lion. He WIS always
poor. every cent he received went
through his fingers like water. but, AS
he said The Cheney, with IL slight Irish
bFosue: Plat he ivil good is money
save to nave fun wild? Ye see. Jack. |
haven't amy n dependent on me, and
"hen get too old TO work IN kiss The
world %Soodby." Cronin could have
hieen a rich man had he amy desire to
be "A CRATER. a great deal of money
had beeen offered him at different
til!es, but each time refused. He was
as honest as Il sturdy oak. and Cheney
counted Cronin as one of his stanchest
ana best friends. The head of the
treasury department secret service on
NOR" than one occasion had been in
formed by Colonel Cheney of some ex-
t'P'ioiuhS Soou NOTk tndt naQ been
done by Cronin. Modesty was one of
this lrishman's predo1ninating virtues;
ne merely reported accomplished acts,
never giving any OF the divers details
used i'm their accomplishment.
Cronin came in Cneney's office one
DAY. and after his salutation of Tor
% the mornin' to We. Jack" threw six
bright silver dollars on the desk and
said:
What do you think of that bunch of
silver"
Cheney knew Immediately the
queer money was being passed,
and Cronin had discovered it. and
wanted his advice and corporation on
the case. He picked up the silver dol
lars one by one. fingered them care
luliv' O Il MICROSCOPE and minuiely
examined the milling and STAMPING.
uhe'l ne passed each one between the
thuinD and forcing II OF his right laid.
After that n pair OF fe~atherwej.ht
scales came into play. and the coins
were carefully Weighed. Cheney
stacked five in one pile and the sixth
com he tossed over to Cronin.
.lnat coin is al right, Jimmie, hut
THESE tive are queeI.'
hig We are. Cheney. but that's the
'aueerest queer I've ever laid my eyes
on"
Yes. | notice it. The silver i'm these
nVe queer coins is OF . higher alloy
$3.50 tHt -AilItlltdl NOlii. iltrllSIr..ll V
me spurious coins are of more value
than the real coin. That's Il paradoy.
but IT'S a true one"
We'll. whatever paradox is if
ounds all right 10 me-"
Where did you pick up these coins.
over in the First National three
weeks ago. Later I found them in
several other banks. and reports from
inc west indicate thai p.;-t of Tho coun-
Try is flooded With them"
Any suspicious. Cronin?'
Nary n one. Cheney. Thav rnnoe
from everywhere, country banks. biz
stores, railroads, coal companies. unG
"hat not. WAY. tan" 1t. any .,an
would a II of those coins and
never notice il. An expert would be
FOOLED. You would have taken a MN
you'd I. All; it So"
sure thing inurlnmad Chenny.
AZ me same time he Was studying the
coins with the microscope. ocronia.n
ne S~nntlnu"d, these coins all h"i.r the
mill mark OF the san Francisco MIN.
Made any investigations along mat
line?" ~ "'
NO, not yet. I've just been feeling
around. reported ii l" the chief. and
NE directed me To run it down Blamed
easy thing for The chief Ia sit in Wash-
lneton and say ran en- down hut it's
not so easN to do it
Cheney was busy. BAT heard eyer,
word Cronin had spoken. He had a
duai intellect. He could heau and UNI
derstand intoliigently what a person
was talking about ana ut .hn same
time his mind could be working ont
some sort OF y problem.
Excuse Inc II minute, cronin." he
said. and MaS gone.
Cronin smoked in silence. Whit. ho
slowly .iineled the coins. Ills mind
too. was active. he knew Cheney would
be with him in the case. ana ir il
could be solved. surely they could do II.
The colonel came back IN about If
teen minutes and laid down one of the
coins with a section cut ont.
Il thought 50. Jimmie he re-
marked.
Thought WHAT" mapped Cronin.
"These DIN are Mexican pesos.
Their value in United States none: is
3.ls cents. The man. or sana. can
buy all these MeXicans they want. re-
cast them into our dollars. and net
f2i. cents profit. Queer. toe. isn't it.
Cronin. the counterfei1s are better sill
Yer than the good dollars"
Well, all that's news. Cheney. and
interesting. but what we wan, is to
find the man that's making this bum
money"
You're a good ways off from the
plant nj this minute. Cronin.'
cronin looked quickly at Cheney,
WI Tal1tHTH ana JoSilnS nan dlSap-
pcared from his face; he wa working
out the problem.
You don't mean to tell me thai YOU
have a clcw already, jack"
Not one clew, Cronin. but two OF
them-.wo good live leads. Now lis
ten. The coins are all Identical. made
by the same die. That's where the
gang were not cute: they should have
changed the mill mark. These are all
supposedly Frisco minting. Clew me:
The die from which these coins were
cast was made by Il die cutter of the
San Francisco mint. or one who has at
one time or other worked there. Mex