The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-09-14
lCanyriaht By z. I. Nelson
- cpEAT GOLD COIN COUNTER
IT. TERFEiTING CASE.

80 GREAT GOLD COIN COUNTER
r. TERFEITING CASE.
- oUNTERFEITlNG Is prac-
M tically a lost art IN Amer
RTN ca. William J. Flynn, head
MAW of the United States Sc
AsasA cret Service in New YORK,
declares that not q SIN
oore whose work is compar-
~ - that Of Andy Bliss and MS
81 ..avd the Boscobel coiners, or any
elva :, j dozen gangs that fourished
ous cation ago, is operating IN the
country today. - 49,
:. ruow OF single spurious
=. IA coin In circulation in the east.
~ the Tar west, where gold is q more
at,ra circulating medium, some at
. ss may be made to counterfeit
- .s' hut none important enough 70
Y We the secret service more than
EASING annoyance.
ps T,th this introduction I will let
~ piss, the king of the gold COIN
4, tell his story, just as he told II
| to me.
STATEMENT OF ANDY BLISS.
M man of sense, said Andy,
,,onld ever become a thief, If he
woula stop for moment and think.
! will admit that there is a fascina-
ton in thieYery, which grows upon
vhat It feeds, until 1t is overpoWering,
and stealing then becomes habit,
me same as tobacco smoking and
drinking rum, and it is very hard to
break of -,
Rut the practical lesson of my life
il very clear. have been 3 thief for
forty years, spent twenty years IN
,all made over 100000 in forgeries,
counterfeiting schemes and bank rob
beries, and today ] have not dollar
10 nv name. It's the old story over
again-easy come, easy go.
will tell you about the counterfeit
Inc scheme, which gave me a reputa-
lion among crooks and honest men as
veil OF being star performer in my
lima. It all grew out Of little trip
which made to Washington to meet
Tom Cannon an old friend Of mine,
who had planted a place near the
White House which promised a re-
ward OF about $4,000. / would have
gone anywhere for a lump of money
Il half that size In those days. Well, /
looked over the scheme and saw that
It vas very dangerous. but Cannon
would not give up the idea. I did not
want to be looked upon as a fellow
without nerve, SO I consented to go
Into the Job, which was to rob the safe
Ofa paymaster.
The paymaster--I think his name
was Hoffman drank pretty Hard, and
slept near the safe. but the plan was
to attack the strong box while the pay
master was In a drunken stupor.
We got to the safe without much
trouble. The box was an old-fash-
Toned affair, and we got to the bills
BY simply knocking out the spindle in
the handle.
nailed the money when the door
lev open, and started away. Cannon
was behind me. The paymaster was
aroused, and instantly fired a shot
rom his revolver. The ball went
through Cannon's neck and struck me
u the shoulder Cannon was killed.
eat the ball did not stop me- I ran
and got away with the Doodle.
z knew that It would be unsafe for
ne to try and get out Of Washington
hen, for the alarm was promptly Civ
90, and every street and outlet was
guarded by Uncle Sans men, as well
~ the local police. I went directly to
Tue home Of Big Jim Farrell. He was
% old-time thief, and then was run
hlng 9 faro bank to win the soldier
money with crooked dials. I told Jim
was !, hunted, and he put me away in
we care Of Louise Jordan, who after.
vasd shot Farrell in Chicago, through
jealousy, kept under cover in the
spraan house for about two weeks
and then Darby Jones and his gang
W soaslsting Of Billy Wallace, Frenchy
Anne ~ George Keene and Wary Nc.
We, turned up. They had come to
sssalngton to do business with me
Icy Washington with the gang dis
suised as a negro. There was a re
Nafd Of $4,000 for my scalp, but j
won out easily.
ieft the train in Newark and drove
Y NeW York in cab. kept under
soser ior few days In New York
saa then moved over to one Of the old
muses. ~ in Ravenswood, L. T., which
aaa oeen practically deserted for ser
s.al years The house was near the
IN sa.er' and we stuck out the sign Of &
sung club On the mansion, and hired
s =. 70 give color to the fake.
a. zen the counterfeiting scheme was
p ~, n motion. Frenchy Kline ana
a, Any Wallace were the experts, and
~, sas mad expected to have a die fo1
NV ef q sl0 or a $40 gold piece deliv