New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-02
TRAILING MAKERS
OF QUEER MONEY
Inspector Knell, While with
Scotland Yard, Had Some Re-
markable Experiences.
DROBABLY no crime expert has a
crcater knowledge Of coiners and

~ kO ABLY no crime expert mas y
greater knowledge Of coiners and
II their tricks than Divisional De-
tective Inspector Knell, who, after thir-
ty years service, has lately retired
from Scotland Yard. In his early days,
says "Tit-Bits," Inspector Knell had a
great deal to do with coiners, and he
4 relates how one of the most extraor-
| binary experiences Of his first days was
/ the running TO earth of criminal who
was the only member Of his fraternity
ever known who endeavored TO make a
| livelihood by producing bad pennies.
/ His methods were very curious. His
! favorite dodge was 20 steal pewter
pots from public houses and by an in
genious process of his own shape them
10 resemble old pennies. The worst
feature Of his nefarious practices was
that he enlisted the services of his
little daughter, six years of age, who,
during an evening, would make dozens
and sometimes a hundred purchases OF
sweets or other articles worth farth
ing with the bad pennies and receive
three farthings of good money in eX-
change.
Equally remarkable were the methods
Of two men whom Mr.. KneIl trapped
about ten years ago who made a very
good living by sweating sovereigns. il
was the complaints of the Bank of Eng
land which first aroused suspicion, and
ultimately after lengthy Investigations
Inspector Knell tracked two men to
certain premises, where one of the big
rest coming factories in the metropolis
was discovered, with large dynamos,
electric batteries and enough cyanide
81 potassium TO poison the whole OF
London. There were over ono hundred
sovereigns in pickle, together with
large nuggets Of fine gold ready 70 be
sent 10 goldsmiths in Birmingham.
The method was as simple as II was
ingenious. The men advertised for old
gold, and would get good soyereigns,
put them in a bath, sweat two shillings
worth of gold from the face, carefully
preserving the milling of the edge by
means of rubber bands, then with the
light coins they would cycle around
the suburbs purchasing postal orders,
and then afterward rechanged the lat
ter for sovereigns again, which were
then sweated in a similar manner.
Inspector Knell, however, came into
contact with all kinds of criminals
murderers, garroters, thieves and swim
dlers of all sorts, during his long and
interesting career, The nefarious
practices of two of these swindlers
were of the most extraordinary char
acter One Of them was a man who.
under the name of Davenport, perpe-
trated daring frau on shipowners
and brokers By which he and CON
federate defrauded the public of over
100000. Buying three old and useless
boats, he started :. steam-trawing and
fishing syndicate TO develop a special
experiment of treating fish to make
food pigs, and at the same time mort
gagged the vessels some sixty times.
The second OF these swindlers was a
man who obtained money by watching
obituary notices Of notable personages
and then sending an account 90 the
dead man at his club. II was never for
a large Gmount-always under $40, and
the account on which the nature Of the
goods was specified would usually be
paid without question.