Year: 1866

FROM THE DIARY OF DETECTIVE


During the year 1913 the West was
flooded with counterfeit coin. 1t was so
we'll manufactured that 1t was passed
readily. The evil at last became so great
that the United States authorities re-
quested that skillful detective might be
sent to ferret out the nest of coiners. I
was fixed upon to perform the duty.


had nothing to guide me. The fact,
however that Chicago was the city where
the counterfelt money was most abundant,
led me TO suspect that the manufactory
was somewhere within its limits It was
/ therefore to the capital of the West I
| first proceeded. 1 spent five weeks IN
that city without finding any clue to the
counterfeiters.


I began to grow discouraged, and really
thought l should be obliged to return
home without having achieved any re-
suit. One day received a letter from my
wife, requesting me to send her some
money, as she was out of funds. | went
into a bank and asked for a draft, at the
same time handing a sum of money to
pay for 1t, in which were several halt
dollars. The clerk pushed three of the
half dollars back to me, saying, "Coun-
terfeit


What" said I, ''do you mean to tell
me those half dollars are coUnterfeit?'


II do"


Are you certain?"


Perfectly certain. They are remark
ably we'll executed, but are deficient IN
weight. See for yourself"


And he placed one of them In a balance
against a genuine half dollar, and the
latter brought up the former.


That is the best counterfeit coin l ever
saw in my life" / exclaimed examining
them closely. SIS all the counterfeit
money in circulation here of the same
character as this?'


"0h dear. no, replied the clerk, 1T is
not nearly as well done. These are the
work of the famous New York counter
feiter, Ned Willett. know them WELL
for 1 have handled a good deal of money
that is in circulation here, said he, tax
ing several halves from the drawer. You
see the milling is not so we'll done as Ned
Willett's, although it is pretty good, too.


compared the two and found that he
was right l supplied the place Of the
three counterfeit half dollars with good
coin, and returned the former to my
pocket.


A few days. after I received information
which caused me to take a journey to a
small village. about thirty miles from Chi
cagO. / arrived there at night and took





place. 1t was a Wretehed dwelling, and
kept by an old man and woman, the sur
liest couple l think It has ever been my
lot to meet. In answer to my inquiry as
to whether l could have lodgings there
for the night, noticed the host gave a
peculiar look at his wife, and after some
Whisperings, I was informed in the most
ungraeious manner possible that I could
have a bed.


Ihave frequently, in the course of my
life, been compelled to put up with
Wretched recommendations, so I did not
allow my eqUanimlty of temper to be dis
tUrbed by the miserable fare set before
me, and still more miserable sleeping
apartment into which l was ushered after
had concluded my repast.


The chamber was of small size, and
was certainly well ventilated, for l could
see the stars peeping through the roof. The
bed was simply a bag of straw thrown
into one corner of the room, without
sheets or coverings of any kind. This
last fact, however, was not of much con-
sequence, as it was summer time and op-
pressively hot.


/ stood more than an hour gazing out Of
the opening which served for a window.
Before me spread an immense prairie, the
limits of which / could not see, The
tavern In which [ had taken up my abode
appeared to be isolated from all other
dwellings, and save the croak of tree
frog and the hum of a locust, not a sound
greeted my ear. 1t was beautiful moon
light night-so bright that could see to
read the smallest print.


At last l began to grow weary, and
throwing myself on my pallet, was soon
plunged in deep slumber. How long I
slept know not, but l was awakened by
dull sound which resembled some one
hammering In the distance. / suppose it
was the popularity of the sound which
aWoke me, for it was by no means loud
but conveyed to me the idea Of some one
striking iron with a mufhed hammer. I
rose from my bed and went to the win
dow. The moon was low in the western
horizon, by which fact / knew that it
must be near morning. The sound be-
fore referred TO reached me more dis
tlnetly than when in the back part of the
chamber. 1t appeared to come from
some 0uthouses which were situated a
hundred yards from the tavern
Now I am naturally Of an inquiring
mind, and this sound, occurring as it did
In the middle of the night, in such a re-
mote, out Of-the-way place, piqued my
curiosity, and felt an iTrepressible de-
/ sire to go out and discover the cause of it.
/ The desire, as the sound continued, grew
/ upon me with fsuch intensity that I re-
solved to crafty it at any price.


l put on my boots, the only articles of
attire l had discarded, and cautiously
| opened my chamber door and noiseIessly y
/ descended the Fickety staircase. A few
| steps brought me into the lower apart
nent, which found entirely deserted. [
cTept quietly to the door, and unfastening
it without making the slightest noise, was
soon il the moonlight


| Not a soul was visible, but the sound
Ieentinued and grew more distinct as I ap.
/ preached the place from whence it pro-
ceeded. Atlast found myself before q
long, low building through the eFeviOes