The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-03-25
KING OF couNTERFEITERS
CHARLES uLRicH, FORMERLY
MAN MOST FEARED BY uN-
GLE SAM, is DEAD.

Q
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Charles F, Ulrlch. the most expert
counterseiter the world has ever
known, and whose fame was inter.
national. passed away at his home,
2252 10th street, in this city, on Mon.
day.
Ulrich had reached the age OF sew.
enty-two years, and his death was due
to hear: failure. For the past fifteen
years he had not turned his hand 10
a dishonest act, and he died in a
neighborhood In which he had lived
for that length OF time, and in which
he had host of friends.
In fact, Charles F. Ulrich was sucn
a postmaster in the art OF counterfeit.
ing thar It was impossible to distin.
gaish his work from that OF the Fed.
eral engravers. He was feared to
such an extent by the authorities that
1t is said the government made truce
with him and put him on the Secret
Service pay roll in order that he might
not be tempted to again exercise his
skill against Uncle Sam.
Charles Fiiderick Ulrich learned
his profession of engraving in his faith.
eFs iewelry store, in Dantzfg. Ger.
many. and when young man OF nine.
teen years left that country for Amer.
lea. While in New York he was en-.
listed by British agent and served
eighteen months In the crimean war.
After his discharge he returned to
New York City and became a coun,
terfeiter. And, as an old.time of,
ctai said upon hearing the news Of his
death. "he was the daddy Of them an
So many counterfeits Of really fine
engraving began to go into circulation
that the United States Secret Service
went ardaous!y to work, and finally
landed Ulrich while he was engrav.
ing the vignette of a IS bank note. He
was sentenced TO serve five years In
Sing Sing Prison, but Gov. Morgan
pardoned him at the end OF three
years.
| Shortly after being released Ulrich
completed a job that was the wonder
of the century, the engraving Of a
number OF Bank Of England notes. So
well were they executed that the VII.
terwarlS was perfect and the notes
were taken in by the Bank of Eng.
land. The Bank OF England DESTROYS
each tote, no matter how good Its
condition, as soon as It is received
but it is believed that number Of
these notes are still held. boarded
away In that country.
These English notes were taken
over to the British Isles by a notori.
Gus gang, in which were George w,
Wtnkes, John Donahue. Charley King.
James Green and Philip Hargrayea,
who also bought $4,000 worth OF Uni.
ted States grecnbacks from Ulrich,
paying IL 1-2 per cent of their value.
The Story OF the Wilkes gangs ven.
lures through all the countries in Ell.
rope, during which they swindled most
Of the foremost financiers OF the world.
reads as romance. Most OF them are
dead now; some are In prison.
Among the plates Ulrich had en-.
graved after his first conviction were
800 on the Central National Bank Of
New York. 500 on the First National
Bank CT Boston. and 800 on the Ohio
National Bank, OF this city. He print.
ed and disposed OF these without lie.
lection and became quite wealthy.
He then, 1t Is said, printed a mum.
Der Of United States pr cent. Treas.
ury bonds, and so perfect were these
that they would never have been dis.
covered TO have been counterfeits but
for the duplicate numbers OF the orig.
inal. and even then Treasury oficials
differed as to which was the real is.
sue Of the Federal presses.
In 1867 he came to this city. rent.
ed small house on Court street, and
was engaged upon a $500 Treasury
counterfeit note when caught, ana was
sent up for twelve years. He was re.
leased from the penfteutfary after
eight years and came back TO this city
and went into the llthographing bust.
ness, but failed.
He then went TO Philadelphia aud
made 1--WE and fifty dollar plate.
The f.'ty was Of the Tradesman's
Bank of New York. and the counter.
fetts were sent to Europe. In all,
While III Philadelphia. Ufrich printed
and got rid Of ss5p.ooo in counterfeit
currency,
When q woman has lot Or stock
|ings she isn't .,ffaffi "a, ,,.,.,l -. y