The San Francisco call., 1909-01-03


as were the bonds. The most dangerous of these
notes. however, was one for 500 that purported TO
have been issued by the Pittsburg national bank.
hundred sheets of silk thread fiber paper had been
stolen from the mills Media, Pa, which made bank
note paper for the government and the counterfeit
Pittsburg note printed on this stolen paper
Whenever of the spurious notes appeared IL was
traced back far possible by service opera
tives Usually one bank had sent II 10 another, or .
collector of customs had II to bank. In
did the trail lead TO person who might well be sus
pectsd.
In 1880 while was chief of the New York district
Of the secret service counterfeiter who had often
given 70 information concerning members of his
craft into my Office in the postofice building.
In the of half hours conversation he said he
wished he could get into the Eastern penitentiary of
Pennsylvania to old Jack Cannon, who was serv-
ing 10 years term for forgery.
"Old Jack always promised me" said he, that he
would get me some Sl0O bills, but he never did. He
had to get them from Long Bill, and l guess Jack
never happened 10 run on. to him.
l made no comment but put the name Long Bill'
down in my mind and that night went: to Washing
ton. The next morning. l visited the chief of. the
secret service repeated the remark told him why
did rot dare ask any questions of my informer and
asked permission to go to the Eastern penitentary
and visit Cannon
Chief Brookes was skepticaf: He did not believe
Cannon would. give me any information. 1 told him
I thought I could get what wanted without Cannon
knowing he had given it TO me. Mr.. Brookes agreed
with that the plan was worth trying and let me.
90.
The next day l called on old Jack. For an hour or
more I talked with him about everything that hap
pened to come up-old friends, old times and on
and just as I was about to go I said:
You could never guess whom saw he-other day.
an old friend OF yours-at the same timr mentioning
the name of the man who had spoken of him.
He said he wished he could see you,' continued;
that you had promised to get him some 500 notes
from Long Bill"
oh, from old Bfockway' he said with smile, as
if piecing out my. sentence
] dropped the subject Immediately and in a few
minutes went away. had got what went after 1
knew the identity of Long Bill"
William T. Broc0way sometimes travelled under his
own name, but more frequently under the alias Of
Colonel l. w. Spencer He remarkable man.
In his youth he bad been employed in bank in New
Haven, Conn The bank, under federal law printed
and issued its own notes The boy Brockway worked
the press One day. when the directors were not look
ing, he sheet of lead through instead of sheet
Of paper Instantly he had impression of the plate
from which the notes were printed
Bnockway had a confederate in this his first crim-
inal undertaking. They had both looked forward
long while to this day. The confederate had paid
Broekwzys expenses while he taking course
IA sleetno-chemistry under Professor Sillimsn at
Yale Broekwsy was an apt pupil When he finished
hla gtudies he expert chemist.
The Arst to which he put his knowledge
lead that bore the impression of the bank note plate
1h11 6cues he had good plate the bank had.
"a ne sno ms conieoerats printed notesNpenfy OF
and. and they looked good that the bank that
szppcsed to have issued them accepted some Brock
way bad forged the signature of the bank officials
ysnd initiated them so well that they went unchal-
isuged tOr some time.
This was in 1851 His success seemed to make him
monomaniac. He became convinced he could sur
pass even the government making notes and bonds.
In way he succeeded ! have now in my office a
facsimile OF one OF his counterfeit United States bonds
upon which some OF the engraving is better than any
work of the same kind that appears a genuine
bond. He sold Jay Cooke $4,000 worth of counter
felt per 80 year bonds that the govern
rent unhesitatingly :redeemed-and then recovered
the money from Cooke by suit after it was learned
that they were counterfeits. But when had con-
nected this with the fraudulent 500 Pittsburg
national bank notes / couldn't find him. The gov
eminent did not know where he was / couldn't
find any who did. Nor did. l dare ask those
who might kneyv-cTminals like himself word
might send him flying All could do to make
indirect Inquiries and wait
was IN a courtroom one day when lawyer
whom knew came over to and asked why |
didn't arrest old Brockwsy. ! told him | would
be glad to do 50, but didn't know where he
Why he is living over Canarsie, l. L. replied
the attorney. :sHe goes by the name of Colonel E.
w Spencer He has a boat, goes out fishing every
ea9 anu HNes III nue. styie L Know All ABOUT MN, De-
cause am the attorney for his wife, who is getting
divorce"
The next day / went TO Canarsie taking with me
Dan McSweeney and James J. Scanlon two of my
men. OstensIbly we wanted to fish We went to the
oay boathouse on the beach and tried hire boat
The proprietor showed several, but none suited
me Finally ] pointed to boat that swinging
al anchor little distance away and told him would
like that one He said he sorry but the craft
TO which pointed well the others with round
bottoms, all belonged TO private individuals We
talked little while longer and then spoke Of another
boat that pleased me, asking him who owned it. He
said that Colonel Spcncer's boat.
We dsdnt hagge boats any longer, but en-
gagged one that big enough to carry the three of
us safely and started While we were pulling
away from the shore ! looked Spencer's boat over
carefully could recognize if thereafter without