The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1952-09-04
u, S, Secret Service

day he will be engaged in under
cover work, posing as a derelict
or shady character in skid row; a
week later he may be just as in
conspicuous, dressed in white tie
and tails at a social function at the
White House. A secret service
agent has to know the vernacular
of the crook and have the dip
lomacy of the statesman.
Secret service agents r spe-
cialists in detecting counterfeit and
forged government obligations and
in protecting the chief executive
of the United States.
Even in an average check case
unusual circumstances may arise,
as in a case in South Dakota. The
suspected forger was an Indian
woman, living at Cherry Creek,
near the Cheyenne river. The agent
started for the Indian village. At
Plum Creek, he found a bridge
had been washed away; no boat
was available. The agent removed
his outer clothing and rolled it up
with his case file and gun inside,
then held the roll over his head
while swimming across the river to
the Indian village. There he
learned the Indian woman had
married and now lived Is miles
down stream. He went there and
found the family had moved sew
eral miles into country SO rough
that it could only be reached on
foot or horseback. With a borrowed
horse he travelled to the new loca-
ton and obtained a confession
from the woman.
Perfectionist counterieiters
After World War II, the flow Of
counterfeit money increased not
only In the United States but also
in Europe and other parts of the
world. Protection Of our currency
became a worldwide necessity for
the first time. Special agents were
sent to these countries. Working
with police of various nations, the
agents seized the counterfeiters
and their plants.
The last group arrested was in
Hong Kong when five Chinese were
seized with their plates and over
$500, 600 in counterfeit United States
$50 and 500 bills. These notes
were so carefully reproduced they
easily could have deceived the
average bank teller.
Counterfeiters are the ~cleverest
of criminals. They are cunning and
cautious in their dealings. They
weigh all risks and guard against
them. Now and then one with a
conscience is caught. One such
was seized in Chicago repently.
He was caught by a secret service
agent who had posed a a Grim
inal and purchased $500, 600 in
counterfeit notes to break up one of
the biggest rings in the United
States. The leader of the ring told
agents he had considered quitting
many times and had made up his
mind that this was to have been
the last deal. He said too many
people got hurt from his opera
tions-not only those who tried to
pass phony bills, but also the inno-
cent victims who got stuck with
counterfeits.
Counterfeiters, too, take pride in
their work. After one was arrested
on the west coast for the fifth time,
he remarked to the agents who
had raided his plant that he did
not expect to see the secret serv-
ice for a couple of years because
he thought his latest product was
so good as to be beyond detection.
A c~ounterfeiter of coins made the
reeding lamentations on the edges
too deep. When asked why, he re-
piled, 1T is my mint and 1 like
them that way"
One of the most serious prob
lens confronting the secret serv'
ice is the forgery of government
checks. While the secret service is
trying constantly to educate the
merchant against this type of
crime, the loss of which in govern
ment checks alone to merchants in
1851 was over So, $50, 900, invariably
business people will ~carelessly &C
cept government checks from total
strangers without question. For ex-
ample:
1. The grocer who cashed a
government check plainly
marked "old age and sur
vivor's insurance" for a IL
year-old boy.
2. The druggist who gave a
strange man cash for a govern
ment check payable to a wom-
an and which the man en-
dorsed in the woman's name in
the druggists presence.
| Protect President
Since 1901, after the ~assassina-
ton of President Mckinley at Buff
falo, the secret service has pro-
tectad the presidents of the United