The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1909-02-12
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whose record OIL
clever, INSCRIPTIONS
workmanship never has been equalled.
This unique criminal managed his part
with such skill and address that he sue
ceeded in putting into circulation
bogus money totalling owe 81 900, 900
on the American continent, many so
closely resembling the genuine cur
rency that it deceived wen the most
experienced bank experts, and some OF
which is still in circulation at the
present day.
1t was in 1880, during the months OF
March, April and May. that a great
number Of dangerous counterfeit bills
made their appearance in Canada.
The choice of Murray for the work
in hand was very appropriate. During
five years of service with the govern.
ment of Canada he had figured in
many important cases and thoroughly
proved his res%Ourcefulness and cun-
ming. Also the search for the author
OF the bad money was n that he was
peculiarly well fitted to conduct, for
it should be remembered that prior to
his connection with the Canadian gov
eminent he had distinguished himself
as an exceedingly active member of
the United States secret service. The
instructions given him were to appre-
bend the maker or makers of the bills
and above all to secure the plates
from which the false notes were
printed, thereby preventing any
further issue of the forgeries. Murray's
first step was to examine the bad bills
already seized and he found them to
be as follows:
A $40 bill on the Bank of Com
merce, whose head office is in Toronto,
with branches all over Canada.
A SIS bill on the Bank of Commerce.
A S. bill on the Bank of British
North America, with branches all over
the country.
A $40 bill on the Ontario bank
A 81 bill on the Dominion bank.
A 81 bill Dominion of Canada gov
eminent issue.
An ex-counterfeiter examined Muir
rays bills with an admiring eye.
NO doubt of it, they're A. 1, first
class beauties" he said. They might
be the work of old John Hill, only he
has been locked up since he got $780,
900 for making those last plates of his.
Still it looks like Hills hand"
The mention of Hills name didn't
sunrise Murray for he had known Of
him before. He was a crooked en-
graver of great skill whose home was
in New York and who had served two
terms for counterfeiting. Hill charged
a fee of $4,000 for making plates for
bogus bills, but would have nothing
to do with showing the queer" that
is. circulating the money. /, Murray
went to Albany and thence to Troy,
where he met with another old
..cooney' man who had also reform
ed. This man viewed the bills with
interest.
That certainly looks like Hills
work" he said, but l know for GER
tain that in recent years Hill hasn't
been situated SO that he could turn
them out. But whoever it may be,
he's a ~gilt-edged artist all right"
I'm half inclined to think that
Prussian. Mark Ulrich and Pete Nc
Carthv might have worked a cOmbina-
lion stunt and made them" remarked
Murray. referring to two noted mas
,ers of the illicit banknote craft.
Murray was well acquainted in In
d;anapolis and thither he went in an
to pick up the johnson trail.
He called upon United States Senator
Mcdonald and learned that a family
named Johnson had lived there about
six wears before in elegant style in a
big mansion, with horses. carriages,
ce,achman, footman and a large re-
tinue of servants. They lived lux1ri-
ouslv and spent money freely, until
trouble came in the form OF an accu-
sation that they were counterfeiters.
rhe law Arm of Macdonald & Butler
were retained as counsel by the John
sons who we're said to have paid the
attorneys a $4,000 fee. and they man
aged to get clear. But the scandal
affected their social position in In
aianapolis and shortly. afterward the
whole family left the city.