The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-05-05

peared from his face; he was work.
ing out the problem.
You don't mean to tell me that
you have a clew already, Jack?"
Not one clew, Cronin, but two Of
them-two 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
ha"e changed the mill mark. These
az, all supposedly Frisco m!nting.
Clew one: The die from which these
coins were cast was made by die
cutter OF the San Francisco mint. or
one who has at one time or other
worked there. Mexican silver IL used
in the coinage. Now, clew two:
Mexican silver can. of course. be
bought up here, but out on the coast
and on the frontier pesos are dealt
in almost like potatoes, therefore the
plant OF this gang is at some con.
venient point to the Mexican frontier.
where money is plentiful. The
queer money is made. shipped seven
ways for Sunday. and put in circu
lation."
"Clow one and clew two are very
interesting, but we're n long ways
from the right party"
Yes" interrupted Cheney, smiling,
1900 miles, more or less. But.
Cronin, we're going TO get those birds
sooner or later. Id rather run down
a gang like that than eat. They're
clever, but, as told you, they've
made one mistake, and that mistake
will be their doom"
by George. old man. the chiefn
be glad you're on this"
Don't say anything to the chief
about II. I'm going to Frisco to.
night. Later | may wire you to come
I'll keep in touch with you, and in
the meantime you find the person OF
| persons who are floating this money
up here. Don't arrest them; just
keep them under surveillance. We
want the king pin of this crowd
then the gang will fade away"
"All right, Cheney, I'll do as you
say, but keep me posted"
I'll sure do that, Cronin." The
two men parted, and after clearing
up the odds and ends of current work
Cheney made ready to leave fol
Frisco. The Overland carried hin
west that night, and three days late
He had been there before on numef
Gus occasions, had a number OF goo'
friends. and spent the first evening
just looking around. Frisco Away
had n large floating population o
light-fingered gentry, and Chene.
went to the hall Of justice, locke,
over the gallery. joshed with tn
city force without revealing his mis-
sion, and after a trip through China
town, went to the Palace and had
good nights sleep.
He was cordially received at tn
mint the next morning. Fitzgerald
the superintendent, had not as ye
been informed regarding the Mex
can ones" OF course he surmise
Cheney was out there on business.
Fitzgerald" said Cheney, after tn
usual salutations had been e.
changed, 81 want to see list {
your die cutters"
Not much OF list, colonel Let
see, there's only four of them-Gani
. ley, Stearns. Richie and Evans"
, who cuts the die for silver do
| lars?"
"Ritchie."
! rs he all right?"
/ Yes, as straight as a die. Bee
, here about two years. Makes sl.S(
| per year, married, lives over
Berkeley. and is a good, useful cit
:. zen"
, The other three; how abol
. them?"
r "All good men. and old.timers. tt
D youngest OF them, Ritchie, has bee
Z here seven years. and Gangley ar
Stearns both have been here over u
Z years"
!. Cheney handed Fitzgerald one
!. the Mexican ones. What do yC
0 think of that coin. Fitz2" Fitzgera
n examined 1t closely and said:
Looks good to me. Cheney"
y Cheney then told him how 1t vi
d discovered. and what he suspected
d Fitzgerald TOOK down a record boz
r and studied It carefully for a N
@ mept, and then said:
g Il am positive none Of my die cl
ters did that work. About three yea
e ago there was a die cutter work
in this mint by name OF Kuhn
8 Emil Kuhn. He was a high ella
e workman, but rather uncertain
his habits. II remember rightly,
b drank more or less, and two yea
back he was discharged"
d. Did he cut dies for silver ones
5. "Oh, yes, Kuhn vas an artist.
y could cut a die for any coin.
g. also painted quite well"
" Know what became of him aft
3, he left hereY"
0, NO, / don't. heard he went ba
Ia 20 bia old homa In Manha{n, a.