The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-08-14

a desire to prove how you could re.
produce the almost fauliless work of
the bureau Of engraving and printing
"A class Of work that will always eX.
cite the envy and admiration of skilled
engrRycrs-that filled with this de-.
sire you began work I'm an expert.
mental way that you put II under the
camera and reproduced It to see If
YOU could bring forth bit of work
that would rival the unriyaled pr0duc.
tion Of the government Then, when
this creation became n fact instead OF
a vision, you were seized with an over
whclming desire to see If you could
actually circulate It as genuine
money"
You certainly brought more than
30 notes to st. Louis" said the de-
tectlve.
"Oh, yes" responded the counter.
feiter.
Where arc they now
AT the Union station"
In what part Of the station?"
in the baggage room"
Where is the check"
IL haven't got It. It's downstairs
in the post office"
Wllkie looked the establishment ha
felt Before he had time to put his
thoughts into words. Graham said:
After inserting the advertisement
in the paper, | put $4,000 in a hand
bag, together with several bottles Of
chemicals which | use to artiiicially
age the notes. Then / placed the
check which ! received for the hand
bag In an envelope addressed to my.
self under an assumed name. and di.
rected to the general delivery Office Of
the post Office"
1t was evident that Graham had
carefully planned even the minutcst
detail OF his great counterfeiting
scheme. BY this method of conceal
ing the check for the handbag he left
the counterfeit notes totally disasso-
ciatcd with himself In any way. and
stl! at the same timo within mo-
mcnt's reach. A secret service agent
was sent down to the postmaster. OBJ
tanned the letter containing the check.
took that to the Union station. and re.
ceived the handbag which he brought
to Chief WIlke. Its contents veri-
fed the statement made by its owner.
The chief took up the question OF the
plates
Where are the plates?" he in.
CURED.
In n storage warehouse In Provi-
dence," 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 a cunning almost be.
yond belief. had perfected himself in
the art Of etching After that he pur.
chased a press in New York city and
had It delivered in the middle OF the
night to a private room In his estab-
lishment. There he worked and ex-
perimented night after night until he
was finally able to produce the per.
fected 500 bill counterfeits. Then
the press was Glsmantled. and with
the plates. placed In warehouse In
Providence. 1t was stored under an
assumed name.
where is the raceipt?" asked
Wilkie.
1T is pasted between two sheets
of paper that back up n photograph
on my desk in my Office in Provl.
dence."
The chief Immediately called up
Providence by telegraph. The local
agent was instructed to go to Crahan's
Office and find the receipt for the
press. He did so. It was between
the two sheets Of paper on the pho.
tograph on his desk. Immediate nc.
ton was taken, and after an incred. |
IDLY 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 Is years
on each OF the two indictments, the
sentences TO run concurrently. This
was subsequently reduced to eight
years. Thus ended one of the most
important counterfeiting schemes ever
discovered and thwarted by the mar.
velously efficient machinery OF the !
secret service division Of the United /
States government.
Copyright. 1905 by W. q. ChSpmAa)