The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1910-11-11

whom officers of the law have to cope.
Ever wide awake and on the alert LOT
treachery in their W ranks, tnese
crafty rogues can only be captured
and convicted by means of carefully
baited traps, or by what is generaily
known as the stool-pigeon system.
Counterfeiters are divided into SIX
distinct classes: First, he capltallsI
or procurer second, the engraVer'
third. the printer; fourth, the whole
sale dealer; fifth, the retailer III
sixth. the shower or circulator. Inc
CAPITALIST is the most difficult man TO
reach as he seldom handles any Oh
the plates or spurious money. Hence
the chief offender in this line may
walk calmly about, defylng the oe.eo-
tive. each tacitly understanding tne
other in his relative position;
suspecting and watching, the othei
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 Wllllam M
Quincy, alias big Bill the honlach-
er, one OF the foremost Wholesale
dealers in queer of his day. He was
born of respectable parentage, reared
in the ouietude incident to country
life. educated and supplied WIN d
sufficient amount of money whereWltn
to live like a gentleman and, strange
- ohncn a n1th tnaL 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
a genius for conceiving nj conceal
ing crime. Perhaps no other city IN
the civilized world has ever anoroea a
better opportunity for feeclng the
public. Quincy had been hanollng
counterfeit money for several years
but had managed to escape PUNISH
ment. He was one of the chle1 ols-
tributors for Joshua d. Miner, VINO
was the head and front OF a power
ful octopus whose ~tentacles were
stro+cbed ont in almost every section
of the country.
Gurney was by no means unattract-
i've in appearance, and there were
few men walking Broadway IN MS
dav whose physique could compare
fayorably with his. He stood SIX 1eee
two inches in height n was CORE
snondingly we'll proportioned, Whlie
his expansive chest and ~well-developeo
limbs gave him the appearance OIL d
man possessing the muscular strength
of q eiant. His black eyes were sharp
ond severe. or mild and pleasant 10
emit occasions. In conversation ne
was easy and interesting and, among
would readily have passed
for a, gentleman of marked ability.
To he a leader among the counterfeit
ing fraternity seemed to have peen
the browning glory of his hlghest am
bition.
In the spring of 1869 l was ap-
pointed chief of the government Sc
cret service and, though l had mad
experience with General Butler IN
New Orleans, and later in the internal
revenue service, l was unknown among
the counterfetters.
Shortly after my appointment I re-
ceiyed information, at my headquar-
tiers in Washington, regarding a 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
uuet at this place. There were "a
persons present at this function, three
ex-detectives being among the num-
Der. .
On the following day I was furnished
with the particulars of this remark
able assembly, and the ex-detective
who reported it also provided a list
of the banqueters. Among other
things 1 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."
Nov is our opportunity" he said,
''to 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, II
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
ney was a great man. They were
seated at the tables imbibing wine,
and they drank to Gurney's health
while the ex-detectives and counter
feiters jostled elbows and banded
jokes good-naturedly as they contem-
plated the easy times in store for
them. When sufficiently filled with
wine and enthusiasm, they capped the
climax by hurrahing for his satanic
majesty. The feast of Belshazzar was