Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-02
Showing the Queer"
From a Prison Cell
Special From STAN Correspondent.

| Special From = STAN Correspondent
WARSAW. Poland. May -. 1901.
~ My IN Russia. surely could
co!nors den he found within tho
walls OF prison. In the cars
| domain. however. all things are possible.
| even that prisoner. under lock ana key
in cell, should ~ able 10 make and c!.-
culate counterfeit coins for months without
arousing the suspicious OF the authorities.
The statement sounds iucrcdible, ye; It IL
absolutely true.
At Kovro. a large town In Llthuan!a the
public have been complaining tor some time
past OF the multitude % false rouhles half
roubles and II kopecN pieces in circulation.
The passing OF such coins Is not In itself
punishable in Russia, and the most pune
til!ous persons do not hesitate 70 try II get
rid OF false coins. Tho best place is the
market. where they are taken and Vaseed
with the greatest OF case. In respectable
households the false coins go To- the cook,
who exchanges them for ment and vcgc-
tables at the market place. Rut AZ Kovuo
things were getting too bad. and cvcn tie
market vendors grew careful Of what
money they took.
Tho governor of the prison. who followed
the same plan as ordinary mortals for get
ting rid of spurious coin. had complaints
from his COOK who get back as gool-or
rather ms baG-as she save and received
false coin in her change whenever She went
to market. The governor in turn COM
planned to the head of the police who
promised to unearth the concrs and set an
"aJcnt' Ga sort OF private detective to
watch the market place. The ajent soon
discovered that a woman named Leda'cka
was constantly passing false coins-now at
this stall. now at that. One day I've had
her arrested, taken to the nearest police
station and searched. A good deal OF
money was found on her. and It was all
false. She protested her innocence. saying
that her husband had given her months
money for the housekeeping.
What Is your husband and where does
he live?" the head inspector asked. She
replied that he was TALLER, and lived at
the local prison. Mr.. Lednicka was prompt
ly sent for and questioned as to his wifes
money. At first he refused to answer: but
finally admitted that he got the money
from one of the prisoners under his charge
"a man named Mucha, who had been in
prison awaiting his trial on a charge of
banditisnl. for the past eight months
What part OF the prison does he live
in?" asked the astonished inspector In
a CELL OF course" was the answer No
25-on the ground floor, to the left side Of
the court yard" The police set off to the
prison and asked for leave to search cell
No. rs.
Are YOU mad?" cried the governor. The
PRISONS under my charge! You can bring
me people here, but I'm hanged IL you're
going to inspect my place whenever 1t suits
you!"
Then they explained that Lednicka had
confessed to getting false coins from cell
No. Is. and limited that he himself had
asked to have the coiners discovered. He
reluctantly gave way and the cell was
opened-much to the discontinue of the
occupant. who. sure that Ledncka alone
had the keys. was coming false money and
| had not time to put away his plant.
The Indignation of the governor was only
equaled by the mirth Of the police when a
plant for coming false roubles, half
| roubles and 15-kopeck pieces found
| in the cell. Caught redhanded, Lednicka
| and Mucha made clean breast
| OF it. They took fancy to each
| other from the moment they first met in
| the prison. Mucha soon confided to the
| jailer that he knew how to make false coins
If Lednicka would go to a certain address
in the town and bring the plant. Lednicka
| for passing the coin was to share profits.
| He agreed, brought the plant and always
/ warned the prisoner when the prison off,
| Gals were likely to inspect the cell, when
| the plant was taken out and hidden in
| Lednicka's rooms. The plan succeeded ad-
| mirably. They made and circulated false
| money for over half year. and had 1t
! not been for the governors cook would
| probably have gone on till Mucha went up.
| for trial. Kovno is convulsed with the
| story. and, of course, those are not lack
| ing who hint that the good governor HIM
| self knew something about the matter.