Evening star., 1937-04-04

! individuals rs he saw fit within the
meaning Of the act, intrusting them
with counterfeit money for the sole
purpose Of teaching the art of detect
ing counterfeit money"
Furthermore, the act stipulated that
such collections should not exceed $500
and that any one who was granted
the privilege Of retaining such spurious
bills would be required to report for
another license every 30 days, at
which time, II everything were salts
factory to the Treasurer, his permit
would be renewed
In all the years between, from the
granting Of Bushnell's license in 1891.
no other individual has been granted
the privilege, and Immediately upon
the death Of the Detroit man, the COL
lection was confiscated by official or
der and returned to Washington, to
take Its place among those held here
by agents of the Secret Service.
THE use to which Bushnell put his
licensed collection was unique.
Somewhere in his early 4os he con-
ceived the idea Of publishing = small
magazine for distribution in banks,
clearing houses and other financial
institutions that would Aid tellers and
clerks in detecting counterfeit money
that might be passed on them through
the wickets Of their places Of business
He had taken note at various times
OF the warning circulars issued regu-
larly BY the Treasury Department in
Warrington In which descriptions Of
spurious bills, serial numbers, notice
Of counterfeit Federal Reserve notes
and counterfeit bills or coins to be
locked for in every State we're given.
These circulars, part Of the Treasury
routine for protection of banks and As
an aid In detecting and reporting
counterfeit money, were sent out to
financial institutions all over the
country. Bushnell decided to include
all such information in his magazine
as well as other helpful and relevant
data with respect to detecting privately
manufactured money.
The result Of 1t was the little maza-
nne, issued monthly, which he called
The National Counterfeit Detector."
1t was sold at IS for . years subscrip-
ton and WAS issued to bankers and
merchants in the United States xnd
Canada by Grant, Bushnell & Co."
The masthead referred to the maRa-
zine as "the recognized authority" and
since all information with respect to
spurious money contained in it was
garnered from the United States
Treasury bulletins themselves, the
claim could not be disputed.
When the magazine had been
printed Bushnell decided to use sales
mAnship in rounding up subscribers.
He decided to ask the United States
Government to allow him to retain
certain amount Of counterfeit money
in his possession that he might take
along with him to show bank tellers
and other employees who handed
money In IN effort to educate them
to recognize the earmarks that would
protect them and prevent them from
falling victim to the counterfeiters.
He also intended to make the most
Of the opportunity to point out the
advantage Of keeping up with the
latest along this line. rs outlined in
his monthly periodical.
CONSEQUENTLY, he made his re-
quest to the Secretary Of the
Treasury, and his idea made such q
favorable impression that an act OF
Congress was actually passed making
such permission possible, within the
discretion Of the Secretary. The table
of the contents contained such subject
matter As New CUunterfeits" The
Number System" RAISED Federal Re-
serve Notes." Portraits and Vignettes
on United States Currency" In
structive Guides, Different Methods Of
Counterfeiting," United States Mint
Test for Gold and Silver" Counter
felt National Bank Notes." Counter
felt United States Notes." counterfeit
Interest Bearing Notes and Bonds"
"Counterfeit Treasury Notes" "Coun-
terfeit Federal Reserve Notes." "Coun-
terfeit Gold Certincates,' Stolen
Bank Of England and Canadian
Notes" and information OF interest to
Canadian financial institutions.
Bushnell succeeded in selling his
magazine all over the United States
and Canada and it proved Of great
help to organizations in detecting
oounterfeits and also In keeping an
eye open against the passing Of any.
The journal became the text book"
Of bank tellers, and even Secret
Service men themselves kept an issue
handy for their personal reference.
The collection Of spurious bills and
coins he had been permitted to hold
in his possession gained many SUBJ
scribers for the National Counterfeit
Detector, for Bushnell took them with
him everywhere and preached the
gospel of detection from coast to coast.
Treasury of1cials believe it served rs
. real aid in keeping up with the
criminals who specialize In this line
OF activity and prevented or hindered
in great measure the free dispensing Of
their wares.
The magazine itself is an interest |
ing commentary on the art" OF max
ing false money. A quotation from
its pages informs US:
"Of late years there is little or no |
counterfeitins done by the method by |
which genuine notes are printed
stsel engraving. This was the style OF |
eountsrfsittng done In years gone By