Evening star., 1908-01-26
Chief Wi1kie and the Gold Certificates

experimental way. that you put it under
the camera and reproduced it TO see II
you could bring forth a bit of work that
would rival the unrivaled production OF
the government Then when this creation
became a fact instead OF vision. You
were seized with overwhelming desire
to see if you could actually circulate it as
genuine money"
Graham walked down the mental path
way which had been so carefully provided
for him by Chief Wilkie as rcsistlessly as
a child. and he admitted without any
reservation whatever that he had manu-
factured the notes. Having made this
admission it was not difficult To induce
him to make a complete disclosure,
You certainly brough, more than thirty
notes to St Louis. said the detective.
'Oh. yes. responded the countcrfcitcr.
Where. are they now
AT the Union station
I'm what part of the station:'
"ln the baggage room
Where is the check?'
Il haven't got it. It's downstairs in the
post Office
Wilkie looked the astonishment nc felt.
Before he had time to put his thoughts
into words Graham said:
after inserting the advertisement in
the paper put $4,000 i'm hand bag. to-
gether with several bottles Of chemicals
which ! to age the notes artiticially.
Then | placed the check which received
for the hand bag in envelope addressed
to myself under an assumed name and
directed to the general delivery office OF
the post office
1t was evident that Graham had care
fully planned even the minutest detail OF
his great counterfeiting scheme. by this
method of concealing the check for the
hand bag he left the counterfeit notes
totally disassociated with himself in any
way. and still at the same time within
a moments reach. A secret service agent
sent down TO the postmaster, OBJ
tanned the letter containing the check.
took that to the Union station and re-
ceived the hand bag which he brought to
Chief Wilkie. Its contents verified the
statement made by its owner The chief
took up the question of the plates.
Where are the plates?'' he inquired.
''In storage warehouse In Providence
was the reply.
He admitted that no one in his business
establishment was aware that he knew
anything whatever of the mechanical part
of the work. but the man, with cunning
almost beyond belief. had perfected him
self in the art of etching. After that he
purchased a press in New York city and
had it delivered in the middle of the night
to a private room in his establishment.
There he worked and experimental night
after night until he was finally able to
produce the perfected 500 bill counter
/ fets. Then the press was dismantled and
with the plates placed in a warehouse in
Providence. 1t was stored under an as
sumed name.
Where is the receipt?' asked Wilkie.
1T is pasted between two sheets OF
paper that back up photograph on my
! desk in my office in Providence"
| The chief Immediately called up Provi-
dence by telegraph. The local agent was
instructed to go to Crahan's office and
find the receipt for the press. He did so.
1t was between the two sheets of paper
on the photograph on his desk Immediate
action was taken. and after an incredibly
short space of time the plates were in
ST. Louis in possession of Chief Wilkie.
On the following day Marcus Graham was
taken into court. He pleaded guilty to
manufacturing counterfeit money and
passing it on the public. He was given
| fifteen years on each of the two indict-
ments. the sentences to run concurrently.
This was subsequently reduced to eight
years. Thus ended one of the most inn
portant counterfeiting schemes ever dis
covered and thwarted by the marvelously
efficient machinery of the secret service
division of the United States government.
| Next week: Capt. Linden and the
Mountain Mystery.o