Connecticut Western News

How Counterfeit Notes are Made.

A party of men, say from three to a dozen, get together and hold frequent meetings, and act according to a plan laid down. One or two will find out some copper-plate printer in the employ of the bank note company—in fact all such printers are known by the party. These men will manage to meet one of the printers. Then they offer him from $50 to $150 to procure a certain kind of impression. This impression is procured in this wise: The printer will take an impression upon tin foil from the plate from which he is printing, which can be done in a moment. Thus you see every line and size is obtained correctly. From this tin foil an electrotype is made. They then get some plate printer that can be found about the city, have a good time with him and engage him at twenty dollars per day to do the printing. By this plan thousands of copies are struck off which defy detection, except in the quality of the paper, which will slightly differ from the genuine. The place of manufacture is generally some distance from New York, like Staten Island, Flatbush, or sometimes Baxter street, or similar localities in that city.

It is a strange fact, in every case where a party of this kind exists, that every member lacks confidence in his associate. Every move made by one is narrowly watched by others of the party. It would be death to an informant or spy that did not look well to himself.