The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-07-03

| have found from experience that men
of massive menIalr!cs and lofty ideas nrc
frequently lacking IN intu!tiVo faculties
in their efforts 10 reach something nj the
hand at tho bose.
The little secluded town of Groton,
Mass. was tho homo OF Hon. George 4,
Boutwell,, Presiaont Grants frat socre.
sentiment and olognnoe nnd furitanicel
in hls ways Ho was poascssod of n fab
knowledge of politics and ilnnncc, and
was systematic and Hucccspful In tho
While IL Washington he mixed llttlu with
tho politicians, No wnD shy In his num-
her and nbstcmioua IN his living, Ills
fuvor!to dict WIS bread und milk. He
uaod neither tobacco nor lntoxicnntu,
l.uep other great men With whom | came
In contact he wan uosusplolous and nj
most wholly without cunning. Ho fav-
orcd reform ruulnr thnn punlhh'nent for
rogues, As nu evidence OF hia obliquity
OF vision and lack OF penetration when
called upon 10 face the charpors over
hovorlns about tho national capital, will
relate couple OF incidents.
One day when l WAS busny engaged Ia
my office in the treasury department L
messenger hurried in and informed mo
that the secretary wanted TO 500 me ut
once. Entering eide room noxt. to Mr..
troduced TO two flashily dressed Rentlo.
men, who sald they had come all tho
way from Philadelphia to see the secro-
tary and inform him OF an astounding
counterfeit conspiracy that might shake
the nation to it's foundation. The gem
ilemen were city detectives and rather
sporty appearing chaps. In their benr-
Ing there was an air OF self-sufficiency
impressive to the mind OF green one"
Their story IN Substance was that while
engaged In exploiting the dastardly deeds
OF criminals they had made q chance dis
a I'm
tance to the United States government
For q price they were anxious TO assist
In capturing the roeues. They were
deeply entanglcd In several mysterious
cases at home. but had torn themselves
eway from their duty long enough TO
slip slyly over 10 the nations capital for
tho purpose OF acqualnting the secretary
with dangerous counterfeiting scheme.
The startling story told by the sleuths
bore the appearance OF truth. The Sec
rotary was deeply impressed and ap
psared worried and greatly disturbed as
he handed ne the face and back of
five dollar treasury note printed on sep
arete pieces OF paper, He instructed me
10 Investigate at once. My eyesight at
this time was remarkably good. l could
easily trace the fine eccentric lines up
on a note without the use of a magnify
Ing glass. After carefully examining the
specimens handed me and comparing
them with a good note, Of the same de-
nomination, | was unable to discover the
slightest difference, and | told the sec
retary that I thought they were genuine
II this was so, In what manner could
they have been obtained? 1t would re-
uulre coliuson on the part OF q num-
Der Of persons In the printing bureau to
secure them the face and back OF
these notes were printed at different
times by different persons. and besides
the work was being done under the
watchful eyes of trusted officials. If the
face and back of these notes were coun-
terfeit they were very dangerous. as they
seemed n perfect fac smile of tho genu-
inc The two detectives carried with
them an air of great mystery. They
professed 10 he unable 10 explain any
thing. but thev were of the opinion that
thc counterfeiters had somehow oh
tained duplicates OF the government plates
upon which its notes were printed
Mr.. Boutwell, was deeply interested.
TO him it was an affair OF great mys-
terry To more fully impress the secre-
tary with the importance OF the case the
Philadelphia sleuths came out boldly and
declared that any amount OF that kind
Of money could he bought at fifty cents
on the dollar. This was a clincher.
now saw that I was up against puz-
Zling case. 7 was silenccd. although not
fully convinced, in regard to the charac-
ter of the prints. IT made little differ
cnce TO me. I was sure il was some
kind Of a trick, but an investigation was
necessary. It would not do TO allow
the impressions TO be examined by the
chief of the printing bureau. as Il wns
possible there was something crooked
among his employees. II was decided that
7 should go TO Pbiladelphia on the fol-