New Hampshire Statesman

Counterfeiters,—It was stated a few weeks ago, that a number of Counterfeiters were apprehended in Kingston, U. C. The following extract of a letter dated Niagara, U. C. Nov. 9, to a gentleman in the city of Albany, gives a particular account of the affair:

This place has been in much agitation for a few days past, in apprehending and bringing to justice a number of Counterfeiters.

A party of five gentlemen of this place, volunteered their services about three weeks ago, and embarked in a chartered schooner for Kingston, taking with them a convict who was convicted last Court of King's bench for passing counterfeit money. The party arrived at Kingston in two days, and proceeded to a swamp, situated back of Kingston fifteen miles, where they were conducted by their prisoner. They arrived in the night to avoid suspicion, and commenced executing their errand.—They entered first a small hut inhabited by a man and his wife, whom they declared prisoners in the name of his Britannic Majesty. In this hut they made search, and to their inexpressible joy found a set of dies for coining dollars, and others for doubloons, together with some sheets of copper, and thin plates of silver, secreted under stones, old timber, &c.—They next proceeded to other of the huts in separate parties, and secured all they found, amounting to four persons, and numerous pieces of unfinished metal for manufacturing gold and silver coin. The chief workman, Flanders, from the vicinity of the Mohawk, had escaped a few days before to an island, near Prescott, where he had located himself and family, leaving the others to follow as soon as practicable (they have since got him) and bring with them all the implements left by him.

The party returned, elated with their good fortune in securing so many of this gang they lodged their prisoners in Kingston gaol, and returned with the prisoner taken from this place to conduct them; subsequently they have arrested a considerable number of persons.

The dollars coined are heavier and not perfectly round—they are not easily detected even by cutting in the side of them; the copper is in the centre and convex—they contain two thirds copper and one third silver. They are cut to fit the mould or die, and one blow or stroke of the sledge on a wedge that is next the dies, completes the dollar except the tempering them, which is done in a few minutes by another. A man can coin in this way a number of hundred dollars in a day. They likewise have plates on a number of the banks of the United States, and banks of Canada, &c. for counterfeiting their notes. Last winter, several sets of dies were sent up to this place, for an establishment yet unknown, and were deposited in the hands of an apothecary here. All testimony and connection with these rascals is sought after with all possible vigilance and secrecy. Thus far is all I have been made acquainted with.