Charlevoix county herald., 1911-02-18

secretary OF the treasury that there
was a dangerous counterfeit afioat.
they had secured from Wightman the
back and face of a five-dollar green
back. These had been split from one
note and pasted upon paper to make
them about the same thickness as the
| genuine money. 1t was skilful piece
OF work and difficult to detect, but 1t
was easily done by experts. The pa
| per upon which the treasury notes
were printed at that time did not con-
tain the localized and distributive
fibre which would prevent 1t from be.
ing split Before the fiber paper was
invented the paper upon which the
government notes were printed could
easily be soaked apart and nicely
pasted to other fine sheets of paper.
IL was very deceptive and difficult to
detect
Mr.. Boutwell, was greatly disturbed
1t was serious affair to his mind.
and he might have been induced &c
pay large reward had the scheme
not been exploded.
The following is another illustration
of the secretary's simplicity.
While at my New York office one
day received telegram from Mr..
Boutwell, summonins me hastily is
| Washington. When I arrived at the
| secretary's Office, in the treasury de-
partment, he took me into g private
room where he informed me of con-
templated robbery. He said he had
learned through reliable source that
plans had been made by a gang of
burglars to rob General Spinner's
cash division. and that the watchman
! on duty at night were In the con-
spiracy. He had telegraphed for me
for the purpose Of forestalling the
thieves. To my mind the story told
| by the secretary was fallacy. II
sounded like a romance. | knew that
a robbery of this kind was quite i'm.
| possible, but the secretary was so
much in earnest that | was almost
afraid to give him my real opinion in
regard to the affair
| saw that some sort of an investi.
cation was necessary 10 put his mind
at ease. Hence | telegraphed severa!
detectives to meet me In Washington
Mr.. Boutwell, sent messenger to
bring the man who had furnished the
information. He was to go to my
room in the Owen house After a
lapse Of time he came. AS he en-
tered he took off his hat. | saw at
once that the man was lacking in
self confidence and that he was either
an eX-convict or a menial of some
kind. i shook hands with him.
Assuming a look of benevolence
looked him over carefully. He was q
tall, thin man, slightly stopped and
with a dull white skin. His pro-
trudlng eyes were very light and ex.
pressionless. | gently turned his face
to the window and sized him up.
was quite sure his spirit had been
broken and that he was fraud, yet
was uncertain as to the best man.
ner Of handling him.
Il have met you somewhere be-
FORE" l said.
He raised his eyes timidly. My re-
mark seemed to rattle him.
Where were you born?" inquired.
In a faltering voice he answered,
"In Columbia, South Carolina"
1t flashed across my mind at once
that the fellow was Of negro blood
Looking him straight in the eye,
quickly placed my finger on the tip
of his nose. He shrank back a little
but did not appear to be offended.
then said.
What was your masters name
down there?"
| thought to impress him with the
idea that was familiar with the local
ity from which he came. He gave me
the name of his former master In n
hesitating way. I told him to take
seat and tell his story. 1t was fiction,
undoubtedly the result Of dream.
His version of the manner In which
he discovered the contemplated rob.
berry was so improbable that 1t is not
worth relating in detail. L ques-
toned and cornered him until | was
sure that his story was a transparent
| concoction Of a weak but criminal
mind. 1t would do In a dime novel
| or to deceive some credulous person.
He was a dreamer, sort Of voodoo.
| had had some experience with this
class of negroes In the south. AS
| many persons may not be aware Of
the fact, l will state that the pad on
the end Of the nose was the supreme
test of pedigree among the negro
| traders of the south In slave days.
| The gristle on the tip of the nose OF
the negro is soft and yielding, while
that of white man in firm, giving the
feeling of a bony substance. When
all other tests failed I'm discovering
African blood. the trader would place
his finger on the end of the nose of
the person on trial for his liberty. If
the pad was yielding the witness
would turn TO the recorder and say,
This fellah. sab, is a niggah."
The voodoo negro pretends to be
| endowed with supernatural power. AS
/ vice regent of the devil he cOniures