The New York herald., 1922-01-29


so much time as you would think. Ger
tainly it was not more than year.
At any rate he devoted himself for
twelve months to the study of how to make
a one dollar bill.
There is just one firm making bank
note paper for the Government. That firm
turns out this paper in one factory. Gov
ernment inspectors are there to check up
the product and there is never any sur
plus The mints consume it as it is turned
out; or. rather, 1t is turned out as the
mints need 1t.
This mill is located in Dalton, Mass.
The firm takes a certain amount Of pride
In it. Visitors are quite welcome, and
there are guides to take callers through the
plant. In one batch of visitors to this
plant came Wilken.
He was about 26 years old at the time.
am ready to believe that he could see
more in given time from given point
than any man ever knew. He had two
exceedingly sharp eyes and retentive
memory. He told me that he could read
faster than most men he knew and collect
more in his fast reading than the majority
of his acquaintance could by attentive
study. I don't think he was boasting. His
was remarkable mind. That his career
was cut short is due merely to his youth.
Youth, you know is rash. 1t takes long
chances. 1t scorns precedent. 1t over
looks important points that the older and
mi. IA
defeats its own ends by its speed and scorn
for detail.
Wilken went to that paper mill in Dalton
three times. On each occasion he went as
a visitor. of course, and spent inside the
mills only the comparatively few minutes
it takes the visitor to be ushered from
process to process and room to room. II
you have ever been conducted through an
industrial plant you will realize how little
you actually see Of processes.
He returned to Boston a potential
counterfeiter. He had not started work.
He had yet to take his plunge BUT he had
fitted himself with all the necessary knowl-
edge OF the fine art Of competing with the
United States Treasury Department. 1t
is rather a fascinating thing to consider
this young man who, as 1 have said, was
just about 26 years old, calmly preparing
himself for life of crime.
He knew OF course that to be caughc
meant going to prison. Furthermore he
knew that it was just as illegal to initiate
the paper on which our bank notes are
printed as 1t is to print and circulate the
fraudulent bills.
Nevertheless he calmly devoted more
than a year to the study of how to make
counterfeit paper money. He started with
no knowledge OF any department of the
counterfeiting' business. He made of him.
self the most dangerous counterfeiter I
have ever heard Of
II seems as though he had been built by
nature for the job. have often wondered
whether his talents would have beer
smothered by convention had he been
kept in the straight and narrow path. The
most commonplace man becomes sometimes
the most startlingly original crook. The
reformed crook, on the other hand, turns
to honesty and becomes duller than ditch.
water.
Got Studio in New York
And Job With Advertisers
wilken left that paper mill convinced
that he was quite ready TO start business.
He moved to New York city and set up a
studio at ESQ West 125th street. To make
everything appear regular he got a isb