Year: 1863

OGDaSll1S5 OO4u OO4l


The n. Y. Post has the following in re-
lation to debasing gold coin:


The withdrawal of gold from circulation
has given time to experts in counterfeiting
to manufacture large quantities Of filed
coin, which are now in extensive circula-
ton. The resumption of payment Of Gus
tom duties in gold, in consequence Of the
scarcity Of Demand notes, has brought out
the false coin in company with the genuine,
and the counterfeits are so we'll made that
none but experts can detect them. Many
of the banks of this city have received and
paid this false issue brokers take and sell
it, and it is sent to the Custom-bouse to
pay duties, without criminal knowledge or
intent The proportion Of the filled coin
now in use is not large as compared with
the genuine currency; but It's neverthe-
less true that few of the men handling it
know whether the coin is genuine or not,
and the uninitiated cannot possibly detect
the work of the tamperers At the Gus
tou-bouse almost es-ry day the filled pie
ces are sent in for payment Of duties while
the rejection of number Of them in one
day is not uncommon The discovery of
these pieces is followed Immediately by
cutting them in halves with a chisel, when
they are returned to their owners, who Of
course replace them with gold coin.


The system of filling, as now practiced,
is said to have originated some years ago
in California, and was first detected in
England in the process Of melting the coin.
The business is now, if possible, more
carefully and also more extensively con-
Quoted. The process is to split the coin,
to take from the centre one-third to one
half, and in some cases a larger proportion
Of the gold, which is carefully weighed,
and an equal amount of platina, or alloy of
platina of an inferior quality, put in its
place-in what manner is not precisely un-
derstood. The sides of the coin are then
closed, the edge is remilled, and the whole
of the work is so accurately done that not
only the weight Of the piece remains un-
changed, but the size remains the same, or
so nearly the same that the difference is not
perceptible, and what is most singular, the
''ring" is perfectly clear. This test, there
fore, which is generally employed to detect
spurious coin, is quite useless, although
some experts think they can by this means
observe and detect the filled pieces. The
milling Of the coin most frequently re-
veals its character


At the present rate of premium Sc to 81
worth Of gold can be taken from $40 gold
piece, while the filling is estimated to be
worth about 34 per ounce-one-ffth, per-
haps, of the value of the metal abstracted.
The skill with which this fraud is commit
ted constitutes its chief danger but it is
by no means likely that any large proper
tion Of our gold coin will ever be debased.


INTERESTING TO HEADS OF FAMILIES.
People are so accustomed, nowadays,
to hear the footsteps of science, as it runs
with the machine, that they will not be in
the least surprised to learn that a patent
has been taken out in London for cutting
and dressing hair by machinery-an idea
that does infinite credit to the head, if not
to the heart, of the inventor. Like all
English inventions, however, the one re-
ferred to is characterized by a certain de-
gree Of badness. 1t cuts your hair, and
curls it, and there an end Of it. Proba-
bly, tie patentee of the machine neglected
to take into consideration that 'two heads
are better than one,' which, in his case
dDONC ali OblCIo, OuSuG udIuldlly W nave
been the first principle laid down. AL
ready, however, America has seized ucon
the idea, shaken it up, turned it inside out,
deodorized it, albumenized it, and polished
it off SO thoroughly, and with ingenious
art, that its original owner could no longer
identify it. We have just been favored,
by a smart young man from Connecticut,
with description of a new machine soon
to be patented by him. This gentleman,
who has been a dentist, photographer,
first mate to a whaler, minister to a Dutch
Unreformed Church, hotel-keeper, law
yer, and owner of a side show, which failed
on account Of the living skeleton falling
into flesh, has nearly completed the ma
chine which will throw out of market the
London one, from which the bare idea has
been taken. 1t will cut and dress the hair
Of ladies and gentlemen, either singly or in
groups. During the process, it will take
a highly finished colored carte de visite of
the subject or subjects in hand, stuff with
gold-flling or amalgam any hollow tooth
belonging to the parties, draft out accurate
chronological charts the respective heads,
and iron away the wrinkles from the brow
of care by administering fancy drinks Of
the most exhiliarating brewage to all sit
ters requiring gentle stimulants. In an
age Of luxury like this, the Briarean Beau
tifer-for so the machine is called-must
assuredly prove great success.


A MODEL SPEECH "A captain in an
Iowa Regiment, having been informed that
his company had subscribed handsome
sum for the purpose of purchasing and pre-
senting him with an elegant sash and
sword, called his men together, and deliv-
cred himself of the following model speech
1t is full Of straightforward common sense
and pure disinterested patriotism COM
bined;


"Boys, if you have any money to spare
send it home to your families, if they need
it; if not, keep it until you need it your
selves. will buy my own sword. Should
you do it, and should it come to disgrace
in these hands, you could but regret the
gift; or should l accept it from you, and
some day find it my imperative duty to kick
some one of the donors out Of this compa-
ny, it might be unpleasant to think that I
was under obligations to that person as a
contributor to the elegant sword fund
For these reasons must firmly and kindly
decline the favor which your loyal hearts
prompt you to bestow. Wait until the
war is over; wait until the tide of battle
shall have been stayed-till the raging bill
lows of this cursed rebellion shall have