Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1909-02-17
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90& king of his kind
whose record of
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 over 81 900, 900
on the American continent, many so
closely resembling the genuine cur
rency that it deceived even 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
hve years of service with the govern,
ment Of Canada he had figured in
many important cases and thoroughly
proved his resourcefulness and cum
ming. Also the search for the author
of the bad money was one that he was
peculiarly we'll fitted to conduct, for
1t 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-
hend the maker or makers of the bills
land 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 SO bill on the Bank of Com
merce, whose head Office is in Toronto,
with branches all over Canada.
"A So bill on the Bank of Commerce.
a SO 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.
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 $1O,-
900 for making those last plates of his.
Still it looks like Hills hand"
The mention of Hills name didn't
surprise 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 Hill'a
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
Carthy might have worked a combina
ton stunt and made Them" remarked
Murray, referring to two noted mas
tiers Of the illicit banknote craft.
Murray was we'll acquainted in In
dianapolis and thither he went in al
endeavor to pick up the Johnson trail
He called upon United States Senator
Mcdonald and learned that a family
named Johnson had lived there abou
six years before in elegant style in /;
big mansion, with horses. carriages
coachman, footman and a large re
tinue of servants. They lived luxuri
ously and spent money freely, unit
trouble came in the form of an accu
sation that they were counterfeiters
The law firm of Mcdonald & Butte
were retained as counsel by the John
sons, who were said to have paid tn,
attorneys a $4,000 fee, and they man
aged to get clear. But the scanda
affected their social position In In
dianapolis and shortly afN md tn,
whole ianaily left the CTS