The Elbert County tribune., 1911-01-27

was the home Of Hon.
Geo S. Boutwell,, President Grants
first secretary of the treasury. an
educated man Of sentiment and
elegance and Puritanical in his
ways. He was possessed of
fair knowledge of politics and
finance and was systematic and
successful in the management Of the
treasury department. While in Wash
ington he mixed little with the poll
ticians. He was shy in his manner
and abstemious in his living His
favorite diet was bread and milk. He
used neither tobacco nor intoxicants.
Like other great men with whom /
came in contact he was unsuspicious
He favored reform rather than pun
ishment for rogues. AS an evidence Of
his obliquity of vision and lack of
penetration when called upon to face
the sharpers ever lowering about the
national capital. 1 will relate a couple
of Incidents
On a day when ! was busily en-
gagged in my office in the treasury de-
partment a messenger hurried in and
informed me that the secretary want
ed to see me at once. Entering side
room next to Mr.. Boutwells main Of
fee, was by him introduced to two
flashily dressed gentlemen who said
they had come all the way from Phila-
delphia to see the secretary and in
form him of an astounding counterfeit
conspiracy that might shake the ma
ton to its foundation. The gentle
men we're city detectives and rather
sporty appearing chaps. In their bear
ing there was an air of self-sufficiency
and know-all-about-it that was quite
impressive to the mind of a green
one
Their story in substance was that
while engaged In exploiting the das-
tardly deeds of criminals they had
made a chance discovery that was of
tremendous Importance to the United
States government. For a price they
were anxious to assist in capturing
the rogues. They were deeply en-
tangled in several mysterious cases at
home, but had torn themselves away
from their duty long enough to slip
slyly over to the nations capital for
the purpose of acquainting the secre-
tary with a dangerous counterfeiting
scheme.
The startling story told by the
sleuths bore the appearance of truth.
The secretary was deeply impressed
and appeared worried and greatly dis
turbed as he handed me the face and
back of a flve-dollar treasury note
printed on separate pieces of paper.
He instructed me to investigate at
once. My eyesight at this time was
remarkably good. l could easily trace
the fine eccentric lines upon note
without the use of a magnifying glass.
After carefully examining the speci-
mems handed me and comparing them
with a good note of the same de-
nomination, l was unable to discover
the slightest difference. and / told the
secretary that l thought they we're
genuine. If this was SO, in what man
ner could they have been obtained?
1t would require collusion on the part
of number of persons In the printing
bureau to secure them. as the face
and back of these notes were printed
at different times by different per-
sons, and besides the work was being
done under the watchful eyes of trust
ed officials. If the face and back of
these notes were counterfeit they
were very dangerous. as they seemed
a perfect facsimile of the genuine The
two detectives carried with them an
air of great mystery. They professed
to be unable to explain anything, but
they were of the opinion that the
counterfeiters had somehow obtained
duplicates of the government plates
xrt,f frI, ifc ~
Mr.. Boutwell, was deeply interested.
To him 1t was an affair of great mys-
terry. To more fully impress the Sec
retary with the Importance of the case
the Philadelphia sleuths came out
boldly and declared that any amount
of that kind of money could be bought
at fifty cents on the dollar. This was
a clincher. / now saw that l was up
against a puzzling case I was ST.
fenced. although not fully convinced,
in regard to the character of the
prints. 1t made little difference to me.
l was sure 1t was some kind of trick.
but an investigation was necessary.
1t would not do to allow the impress
sions to be examined by the chief of
the printing bureau, as 1t was pos
sible there was something crooked
among his employees. 1t was decided
that should go to Philadelphia on
the following day. There was to be
met by the two detectives and intro
duced to broker who was a go-be-
tween. / was to rig myself out in the
proper dress and play the part of
cattle man from Texas. chose to To-
cate myself at Brownsville. Reaching
out from this point / was engaged In
buying cattle and was not particular
where they came from. They might |