The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1911-01-07

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IN I'M ana possessed vi
EELoHc\IE: good education, b
6VI6r/WE6lYh had acquired hig
\*IhEV excellence in tn
HElf practise of the eI
" u graver's art
In the winter of 1869 and 10 d
was employed to do government plat
work by a large bank note engraving
company in the city of New YORK. az
though conservative in many things
he was fond of display in dress am
the enjoyment of high living. He TOOL
his dinners at a fashionable uptown
restaurant In the course OF time ~
noticed that seat on the OPPOSITE
side OF the table at which he usual.
dined was regularly occupied by
genteel appearing middle-aged man
One day when there CHANGED to be
no other persons sitting near, the
stranger remarked that they ought L
become better acquainted with eacf
other He then led the conversation
In a manner to draw from Sheldon MS
name and business. When he learned
that he was an engraver In the employ
of bank ¬e company. he afectec
great surprise.
IAN engraver? Indeed. Well, l an
glad to know it. | want some WORK
done in that line, but 1 was not Ger
tain where to apply. | am very par
ticular about it, and would be willing
to paw we'll for a good job"
What is the subject?' Sheldon in
CURED, ....
This said the stranger. as he
handed out the photograph of pretty
female face "If it was nicely done
what would it COST"
THAT depends on the fineness OF
the work Anywhere from $50 to
5000"
The price is not so much an object
with me as the quality Of the work.
l will pay literally for a good job
One hundred and seventy-five dollars
was the sum finally agreed upon.
When the engraving was completed
and delivered the employer was so
well pleased that he said he under
stood the price to be $500, and insisted
on paying that amount. Sheldon was
afterwards supplied with number of
small jobs from the same source and
was literally paid for his work.
One day his patron suddenly broke
out with the exclamation: "You are
an excellent workman, and am
greatly surprised to see man of your
skill with the graver plodding along
in this way when you could easily
make your fortune In a short time if
you were SO disposed"
How could it be done?"
by making plates for bonds and
money. You engrave the plates for
certain persons. They pay you big,
money You have nothing to do with
the use they are put to-"
This man who was adroitly tempting
young Sheldon was the procurer, or
to be more explicit, the capitalist of
one Of the most dangerous gangs of
counterfeiters ever organized in this
country. To Sheldon he was Mr.. De.
voc, but this was only one of the
many names by which he was known
to the different persons employed by
him. He was the autOcrat of all the
counterfe1ters and forgers of lis day,
and one of the few criminals that es-
capped physical punishment for their
many misdeeds. He was discovered
by the officers in the latter days of his
HE and 1t was close race between
them and the devil The latter won.
DeVoe was gifted manipulation of
men, and he was successful in Grazing
young Sheldon's mind with visions of |
great riches. Sheldon quit the en-
pioy OF the bank note company, and |
following DEVICES advice took lodgings
at house where the people were not |
1nquisitiye in regard to his business.
In the summer of 1871 counterfeit |
$40 treasury note made It's appearance |
in most of the great cities of the coun-
try. To the unframed eye the note
was IT good fac-simile of the genuine. |
The lettering. the seal, the vignette !
and everything about it, except the &C.
centric lathe work, were quite perfect. |
but it was not difficult to discover by
the use of magnifying glass that the
hne lattice lines were irregular. In
the genuine these lines are made by
machinery so perfect that it is impos-
sible to initiate them by hand. A
counterfeit note even to the practised
eye may appear all right at a casual
glance, but It's base nature can he
'e1dily discovered by careful exam
nation Of its eccentric lathe work.
The note of which | speak was an
excellent imitation, but it was early
discovered and its circulation checked
At this time the branch office of the
government secret service of New
York was being almost daily visited by
persons Offering information In regard
10 the various crimes against the gov
eminent There were many secrets.
suspicious and surmises offered for
sale at prices ranging from one hun
bred to million dollars. The greater
part of the informers were auyious RI
their identity.
On one particular occasion nv Office
was visited by genteel appearing
young woman. She came into the main
office and requested a private inter.
view with the chief. She was care
,ully yelled and cautious In her man