Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-04-18

bOSuh OstS OF .ll KINGS ana 'tlIDihlil.i
iOnS were uuating around The tnitec
States. aud uiany u time ii WAS u tos.
Up :S To whether OF not II bill WAS good
or pad S0 perfect were the limitations.
Tue secret service at this time WAS
mol la the best of shape: it was openly
bruited about that many of the oper-
ativeS were III sympathy with the gang
of COiutcrfciierS. Evidently this gang
il a ccnirai or national organizations.
because every tine "a rolnterfeite, was
arrested the best legal talent in the
country was employed to defend him.
R8N 10 the extent of $50. 900 or 81, 900
Was readily furnished many times for
tWe0 totally uukI;own in the city Wherc-
M the werc caught. Then when The
case WAS called the accused would not
appear: bail would h. declared for
fcited. :ind immediately paid without
waiting sUv its collection To be enforced
by The SLOW process %: law. The gang
wal strongly fortified with two kinds
VI money -'Erecn goods or counter
felt. whic!t was circulated among the
dear public. and shake down on real
W"ncy. which WAS used in tho defense
"f those unfortunai" enough To be
C%au-tit.
Finally. so bo!d and general did the
gang bccOmc. that the entire subject
was laid before Il cabinet meeting in
Washington aud drastic measures de-
terNttncd tIr,n. 1t vas Secretary Bou
tclle vito recommended that Colonel II.
4. whitley ne appointed chief of the
secret ST =. ic. .lld given special insiruo-
tiORs tO *.c., the ,ountcrfciting. Whit
ley Mas ccasd itca and. after much de-
Lie -unsi-
tiOn. provided he ";s given a free
hand AS 10 men and expense. Politics
and pail wcrc to be ~eschcWed. he WAS
to choose his W operatives and run
the departnsrt ~, his Judgment die
taied.
whitley obtained the desired results.
IN gang was broken III, and many of
its members sent to Jail or compelled
to rrrnai" IN hiding. Tlie.e were. of
course. u great mati: curious anl eNcit-
Ing cases which were carried to !, sue
ccssfu; cnnrlusioa. but ore oi the most |
interesting WAS that of the ''Tra,iers'
Ewes socliioI hcca.ise :. counterfeit
nve-tiOtl:,r hill al tie Traders National |
bank. OF Chicago. The spa 'ious bill
was weii-,iiglt perfect. but. III, is
usually tho ease. there was u slight dif-
Terence in the details NJ IN. bill. The
castiier's signature had 4. curve OF tn,
letter y" made slightly unlike the orig
luai: the letter s. of "Tralcrs' barely
CROSSED II given lire. taking almos, IL
microscope /" detect il.
As soon as is "xistercc became
Known the secret service men in CHI
e:nsO were placed :,t work. ON the case.
NO Roadway vas uaads. ous;i, t. help
was called il. s;i.l no rlsy, AZ tn the
identity or the sang u;ier.ns This bin.
Chief Whitley. n Washington. was
chakrtncd. and ~ long distance began |
to direct Ire case. rh. Ci;icago ope;.-
tives had about given I'D in doaunir
when. one day. Charles Mason. in
charge OF the local of,ice. received AN
order from Whitley dire citing hin,
(Mason) and Il other man 10 be 81.
Shenandoah. Ia. two day hence. They
were to arrive acte; dark. and at
& O'Clock the same evening t.ey yefs
to board n train leaviu. : nanaoon
for 1t. Joseph. Mo. Al tb, fi,s, stat:rn
south of Shenandoah Two strange n,en.
one carrying a sole leather vnlisn. were
to board the train. Theg, iva men
Mason aud his partner vera TO w,trn2
not for oua Instant were tl,ev 10 lose
sight Of tl,crs. AZ ST .Iogrrh no NO
would leave the trnin ard
be Joined by Il third parry. who would
soon as this meeting cook plare IN
three or them were To- be arre:t~a NJ.
Il full rcpuvt made bv wiz. to Washin-.
ton. E,xtraordinary care WAS tn be
taken fp get the lea he, v,li.e.
Mason, s,uaied these Instructions ,,r,
carefujly. They Wore snac;r,. ,na tn
tho poiut. He was son. w.n,i nrxzl,a
;,s to who to take with him. Most of
hts men we're busy on important eases
aud to take any enc of them or at his
might work hard. Colonel Jack;
Cheney was 8: warm personal friend of
his; they had worked on MANY ~ ease
Derhaps he wou,d 60 T,,,c
was the head of a big detsctive
o and could com,nand
big priccs for his services. but there
ia his veins that ALWAYS unsatjs-
fed longing for action and excitement.
IL he could take Cheney. Mason fell as
eslrud or success. and he wanted, s,,,-
for two reasons he admired
whitley and then. too, he was ambi-
tiOus aud aspired to a higher position
In the service.
When Mason's name was brought In
- <vA~s>~- f.. a. 49,