Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-06
CAPTAIN WILLIAM H. HOUGHTON
On Counterfeit Money

TNEIE manner in which the Nations cur
rency is protected is outlined by Captain
William II. Houghton, agent in charge Of
the local branch OF the Secret Service.
Captain Houghton has been connected
with the service ten years and during that
time has had the distinction Of being Sc
lected as the personal bodyguard for Marshal
Joffre. the late Cecil Spring Rice. Lord
Reading. Prince Ferdinand, first cousin to
the King of Italy Baron MonCheur, who
headed the first Belgian mission to this
country, and other notablcs.
''One of the most important Of the many
duties of the Secret Service of the Treasury
Department IS to keep the currency of the
Nation free from counterfeits." he says.
This, when you consider the COuntry's
large area, with n population Of 100, ,OOO.-
600. consisting of people from all nations
OF the world, Is man sized Job.
Are we successful? | will answer that
by asking, How often do you see n counter
felt note or coin?
Crime Has Fascination
THE Counterfeiting Of notes and Coius
has n peculiar fascination tOr n certain
class Of criminals and the only cure Is
long term in prison. In many instances
they never get over tho idea that they will
be able to make up lot of counterfeit
money. pass It successfully and live Mt eas1
Recently We apprehendel az old offender
who is q genius and who could. if he wanted
to, make a good living at his trade
"This man had previously served term
in prison for counterfciting 81 gold coins,
aud while In prison he conceived a new idea
to make counterfeit notes so good they couiG
not be detected.
"A year after his release from prison ne
succeeded in turning out q counterfeit 50
note which went through the banks and
was not detected until som" arrived in
Washington. where our chief. w, H. Moran,
the CcvcrCSt expert on counterfeit money
In the United States, pronounced it a most
dangerous counterfeit and instructed us to
concentrate our efforts in appr"hcnding the
maker
I'm sA weeks time from tho discovery
~ tho fret note uc surprised the counter
roror at work NJ his horn" IN larhl, Va.
Always VIII Bo Watched
This man when he came up for sen
tcnre mnde an appeal 10 the Judge. saving
,hnt he was through with Couuterfeiting
| lie vas given iour-loHr sentence; but !
| am Of the opinion that the Secret Service
| always will have to take an interest In his
movements as long ms he lives!
Il am often asked If the work Is danger
ous. The apprChending Of any criminal is
| more or less uncertain, but when you con
| slider that we are right and the criminal
| wrong, that wcshavc the whole power Of
|
generally take the criminal by surprise you
| must admit we have about 05 per cent the
| best OF It.
"lu many instances, where the prisoner
or officer is shot, it is caused by au un-
| necessary display Of firearms, We always
| cndeavOr to make our arrests ns quietly aS
possible.
I'VE recently raidcd a printing establish
| nent where they We're making counterfeit
internal revenue strip stamps to place over
| the necks of bottles containing bad WHISKY.
| When we entered the shop n Negro patrol
man was standing across the street, and 50
| quietly did we carry our search TINT the
| first he knew ANYTHING was up was when We
| were leaving with the prisoners. We called
| him over to notify him that the shop had
| been seized by the Government.
Can't Get Away With 1t
I'VE Of the Secret Service consider "A
! counterfeiter one of the most foolish am!
| dcludcd persons on the face al the earth,
because he cannot get away with it.
"Fverything is against his success. In
! the first place n man who can make a note
| that ~ considered by the Secret Service
| dangerous must invest n lot Of money in his
! materials and spend time on his work before
| he gan reap any return, II he succeeds ii
| tn ing out note that will deceive fine
average handler of money he is in danger
of arrest every time he passes one, and soon
| all the brains and energy Of the Secret
| Service are concentrated on his downfall
''How do We go about locating the conn
terfelter's plant?
~ cannot explain that, FOR obvious ron
sons, and, besides, each case is different.