The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-11-24


49, instances, it was ex-
- ceedingly difficult to
.o,ect the bogus stuff from the genu-
"a Inc.
Az insidious enemies Of the people
IN every walk of life, counterfeiters
"A NAV we'll be classed among the most
,ubtle and dangerous persons with
rbom officers of the law have to cope.
Ever wide awake and on the alert for
treachery in their own ranks, these
81 crafty rogues can only be captured
Fl and convicted by means of carefully
halted traps, or by what is generally
known as the stool-pigeon system.
u Counterfeiters are divided into six
{. distinct classes: First, the capitalist
d or procurer; second, the engraver;
third, the printer; fourth, the whole
,ale dealer: fifth, the retailer. and
Il sixth. the shower or circulator The
n eapitalist is the most difficult man to
reach as he seldom handles any OF
"A the plates or spurious money. Hence
j the chief offender In this line may
4 walk calmly about, defying the detec-
4 five each tacitly understanding the
Z uher In his relative position; one
4 suspecting and watching, the other
Z patiently and tirelessly picking up,
crumb by crumb, convicting evidence
The methods pursued by detectives
to entrap counterfeiters are rarely
better illustrated than in the following
account of the capture of William M.
Quincy, alias big Bill' the Koniack-
er, one of the foremost wholesale
dealers in queer" of his day. He was
born of respectable parentage, reared
in the quietude incident to country
life, educated and supplied with
sufficient amount of money wherewlth
to live like a gentleman and, strange
ly enough, he chose a path that leu
to his ultimate ruin.
In the excitement of those tumultu-
Gus days the city of New YORK was
we'll stocked with men possessed OF
q genius for conceiving and conceal
Ing crime. Perhaps no other city IN
the civilized world has ever AFFORDED
better opportunity for feecing the
nublic. Quincy had been handling
counterfeit money fer several years
but had managed to escape punish
ment. He was one of the CHER dis
tributors for Joshua d. Miner, VINO
was the head and front OF a power
full octopus whose tentacles were
stretched out in almost every section
of the country.
Quincy was by no means unattract-
I've in appearance, and there were
few men walking Broadway IN MS
day whose physique could compare
favorably with his. He stood SIX feet
two inches in height and was CORE
spondingly well proportioned, whiie
his expansive chest and weli-deVeiopea
limbs gave him the appearance OF
man possessing the muscular strene'n
of a giant. His black eyes were sharp
and severe, or mild and pleasant TO
suit occasions. In conversation ne
was easy and interesting and. among
strangers, would readily have passed
for a gentleman of marked apillty'
To be a leader among the counterfeit
ing fraternity seemed to have been
the GROWING glory of his highest am.
bition.
In the spring of 1859 / was APP
pointed chief of the government Sc
cret service and, though / had had
experience with General Butler IN
New Orleans, and later in the internal
I nnRnnwn among
the counterfeiters.
Shortly after my appointment | re-
ceived information, at my headquar-
tiers in Washington. regarding rather
UNIQUE affair that had taken place at
one of the drinking resorts on Hous-
ton street, in New York city Will
liam Quincy, with his characteristic
push and daring, had invited a party
of "queersmen" to partake of a ban
auet at this place. There were "a
persons present at this function, three
ey.detectives being among the num-
Der.
On the following day was furnished
with the particulars of this remark
able assembly, and the ex-detective
who reported 1t also provided list
of the banqueters. Among other
things | learned that my appointment
as chief of the secret service was dis
cussed at the affair. and pronounced
a good Joke upon the government
Quincy addressed his guests, boast
fully declaring that "the new chief
might do for a preacher or an internal
revenue clerk, but that he could
never cope with shrewd men like the
queersmen."
Now is our opportunity" he said,
ITO reap a rich harvest" AT the same
time he advised his friends that he
was going to take the new chief into
his confidence and keep him well
stuffed with fictitious information.
IN the meantime" he continued, 81
will draw out from him his plans and
keep myself posted as to his pro-
posed movements"
This plan pleased the fancy of the
scoundrels, and they agreed that Cur