Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-02-10

go most difficult class of
~ criminals to detect and
convict The peculiar nature Of this
crime, the temptation to sudden
I'M easy wealth, is a fatal fas-
cinatfon that oftimes lays hold of per-
sons possessed of wonderful ingenuity
In devising methods to escape punish
ment. Almost at the beginning of our
great Civil war. gold and silver went
out Of circulation and a vast volume
of unfamiliar paper currency was
thrust suddenly upon the country.
Every note issued by the government
was followed so closely by the coun-
t%erfeits that the most expert money
changers were often unable to tell the
good from the bad. In some instances
the counterfeit fractional currency
was almost, If not quite, equal to the
genuine.
The Staunton head fifty cent Issue
was SO cleverly initiated that it passed
current for a long time before its base
nature was discovered. Circulating
principally among the poorer classes,
1t was doing ~incaiculable damage and
1 was making a great effort to reach
its source, with little or no success
up to the time a chance discovery
vas made. sst
One day a detective walking leisure
Iy along the sidewalk Of an unfre-
| quented street in New York city sud
denly found himself ace to face with
Peter Delinsky, q skilled counter
feiter who had been released from the
| Albany p~enitentiary about a year be-
| fore. Delinsky had been caught by
me in the act of printing a counter
felt two dollar bill on the National
Undertook bank. He gave some
valuable information and his sentence
had been cut down to three years.
When the detective met him he had
on a new suit OF fashionable cut.
Wearing yellow kid gloves. and carry
! ing a hobby goid-headed cane, he was
cutting quite a swell for an ex-con-
| Wet. The detective was both curious
| and suspicious. Where on earth did
| old Delinsky get that expensive out
1t? He was unable to guess. He
knew the old nan was broke when he
| got out Of the penftentiary, as he had
when released called at the Secret
Service branch Office and taken up a
subscription, besides, the old counter
3feiter had never been known to en-
gage in any legitimate work. For this
reason the detective was quite sure he
was doing something crooked, so he
just pulled" the old fellow and es-
corted him to the Office of the Secret
Service division on Blocker street.
The government Off in that day
rarely took out warrants for the ar
rest of counterfeiters.
The detective in this ease was well
posted regarding to old Delinsky, and
1t was only necessary to %acquaint him
with the fact that the chief was anx-
ious to see him on important bust
ness. Sf.
When brought to my Office he was
private room where l accused and
questioned him, but he stoutly de-
MED that he was engaged In counter
feiting.
Then what are you doing, and
where did you get these fine clothes
you are wearing?" l inquired.
The old fellow was unable to an
swer this question satisfactorily.
Taking advantage Of his hesitating
manner, l pressed him more closely
and threatened to send him back to
the penitentiary.
He was a Russian and not alto
yether familiar with the avs of this
country. Hence I was able to brighten
him. He held u for a long time but
finally admitted that he was at work
printing the fifty cent Staunton head
for a fellow c%ountryman, who, he said,
was an engraver. The old printer had
been detained at my Office two days
before he made his confession.
The Russian engraver by whom he
was employed became suspicious and
threw the hand press upon which the
counterfeit notes we're being printed
into the East river. Delinsky was not
aware of this when I released him
upon his promise to carry out my in
structions and enable the government
detectivas to seize the counterfeit
plates and capture the engraver.
When Delinsky returned to the room
where the counterfeiting had been
done he found the place empty. When
he met the Russian engraver he learn
ed the particulars of what had hap
pened, and accounted for his absence
by explaining that he had been on a
visit with some friends.
The engraver was not altogether
satisfied with the excuse, but he was
willing to compromise the matter If
Delinsky would buy another press to
taxi the place of the n that had
been destroyed.
When Delinsky reported the stu.
alton to me / sen a detective out to
buy a small plate printing press. He
employed a wagon and took the press
to the room where the printing was to
be done. When Delinsky "a again
ready to begin work the engraver, as