The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1909-05-28

mot a long story, and l will relate i
SO o may judge for yourself if m,
action. was not for the best. Tha
belief is balm to my conscience whel
1t pricks me for this dereliction.
"A few years ago, as you will re
member, there was quite a scanda
Ove the discovery Of a gigantic swim
die worked on the federal government
through bogus cigar stamps. The tricl
was turned by a large cigar factory
in a certain eastern city. I worked
on this case from start to finish anC
at was a pretty feather in the cap O
che secret service department. The
printing plant of the counterfeiter.
was captured, together with all o.
the operatives, and a large quantity
OF tax paid stamps for boxes Of so anc
100 cigars. The president of the
factory, g highly respected banker, was
involved and sent up for a term OF
years along with the other Grim
inals.
Only one person escaped who was
known to have been connected with
the scheme. This was the engraver
of the plates from which the stamps
were printed. The engraving was ex-
cellently executed and denoted skill
and what the artists call feeling
There is an individuality about the
work of every artist, just as there
is a distinctive quality to every per-
sons handwriting. Perhaps you have
noticed this In the pictures in the
funny papers and in the comic sec
lions Of the dailies. One familiar
with these drawings can name the
artist every time without seeing the
signature. This rule holds good quite
as much in engraving as in any of
the other drafting arts.
I'm the files of my library are sam
pies Of the work Of every engraver
ever employed by the bureau of en-
craving and printing, as we'll as of
every employe Of the large printing
companies which make postage stamps
and bank notes for foreign govern
ments. These samples are labeled
and filed away with data regarding the
engraver and a photograph, if that
Is ~Obtainable. The government
has to keep a constant watch upon
these men, for from their ranks come
the most dangerous and troublesome
~cOrnterfeiterS with whom we have to
contend.
THE bogus cigar stamps were en-
ty photography and compared
with the work of every engraver in
the files. It was evident to the eXpe- |
ere that none of these had
the trick.
Among the captured plates was one
which had never been used. 1t was for
a stamp of small denomination. 1t was
found in the safe where the other
plates were kept, still oiled and in
in the wrapper that had doubt
been put on it by the engraver
when he finished the job. Plainly
on the wrapper, with the vase
inc that coated the plate, were the
prints of four fingers and a thumb.
They were long, tapering, shapely
those of. an
Here Vas undisputable proof
II the identity of the engraver or
# the person who had tied up the die
lfter its completion.
One of the members of the gang
lad said that this plate had never |
'een unwrapped, but that it had been {
laced in the safe just as it came {
rom the engraver. None of the E
'risoners, however, gave the slight z
st clew to the identity of that indi- {
idual. In fact, it seemed that no s
ne but the bank president knew who
ad made the plates, and while he I
1ade a complete confession on all
Their points, he was as mute as t
n oyster on this subject. c
Some years had passed since the
case was closed, when l accept o
an invitation to visit a college mate \
! one of the cities which lie on the h
Mississippi river. l was determined b
!, have a complete rest and did not v
ven let the department know my
hereabouts. l did not want to be q
with professional matters g
uring this vacation. 1t was a de- .
ghtful place to visit, a rare old :.
household where every mem !
er of the family made the visitor feel e
lat each was individually honored l
his presence and / soon forgot my e
DIRK, the department, and everything S
,nnected with it, in the real pleas g
Re of my vacation. a
Zone afternoon l strolled down to d
70 river front to watch the negro h
usters unload the rampant of cotton o.
lies from a big river packet. A pretty I
,useboat was tied up near by, and fc
bile l smoked contentedly, seated
a recumbent bale of cotton, a car m
age drove down the steep, rock-faced OF
rface of the levee and stopped at in
e gang-plank, scarcely 20 feet from T
y position. m