Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

COUNTERFEIT BILLS.

The following Counterfeit Bank Bills are in circulation in the Northern States—and we think it our duty to describe them, as far as is in our power, to prevent their circulation. Those who are not thoroughly acquainted with bills ought to be cautious what ones they take—as there never were more counterfeits in circulation, than at the present moment.

BILLS OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Union Bank, at Boston—Five Dollar Bills :-- They are executed entirely with a pen, and can easily be distinguished from the true ones—but few in circulation.

Massachusetts Bank, at Boston.—Ten Dollar Bills, a good imitation of the true ones—paper lighter—few in circulation

New-Bedford Bank.—Nine Dollar Bills—hard to distinguish from the genuine bills—excepting in the motto. "Peace to the World" In World, the l and d is in a shade in the counterfeits—The true bills have only the d.— Paper more spongy and whiter than the original.

Maine Bank, Portland.—Five, Seven, and Nine Dollar Bills are counterfeited—Some of the Nine's are dated March 16, 1803, and are hard to distinguish from the true bills. The Seven are dated March 4, 1804, and are also well imitated.

Portland Bank.—Seven Dollar Bills—easily known from the genuine.

Nantucket Bank—Ten Dollar Bills and Two Dollar Bills of Nantucket Bank, altered to Ten Dollars.

Lincoln and Kennebec Bank, at Wiscasset.— Ten Dollar Bills—imitation good—Paper lighter and more spongy than the genuine

Plymouth Bank—Five dollar Bills of the first impression, issued from the Bank: imitation good excepting the red and black ink, which are at once a detection of them ;—but few in circulation

Gloucester Bank—Five and Ten Dollar Bills; but so badly done, that a single glance of the eye can detect them:—but few in circulation.

There are also Four and Six Dollar Bills of Salem Bank, in circulation—Imitation poor, besides bearing a fictitious signature of President and Cashier. The genuine bills bear the names of Benjamin Pickman, jun. as President, and Jona. Hodges, as Cashier.

The incorporated Banks in this State, are twenty-two ; and we believe all the counterfeit bills in circulation are enumerated above.

BILLS OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Dover Bank.—Two Dollar Bills : very badly executed—They are dated Feb.7, 1804.

Portsmouth—Five and Ten Dollar Bills of N. Hampshire Bank, payable at the United States Bank, in Philadelphia. They are a tolerable imitation.

Cheshire Bank, at Keene.—Ten Dollar Bills, dated January 12, 1805.—They are well executed, and known only by a critical examination with the true bills. Some Two Dollar Bills of this Bank, are also altered to a ten

BILLS OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT.

Vernon,—One Dollar Bills altered to 25.— The 25 in German Text, is shaded by a scroll; in the genuine, they are not, One Dollar Bills are also altered to ten—and are well done.

New London—Twenty Dollar Bills, altered from a smaller denomination, and extremely well done.

BILLS OF THE STATE OF RHODE-ISLAND.

Smithfield Bank—Two, three, seven, five and ten dollar bills of this bank, have recently got into circulation. The seven's are extremely well imitated—so much so, that it requires a very close comparison with the true bills, to distinguish them. The other denominations are also well imitated

Providence—Five dollar bills of the Exchange Bank—imitation very bad There are also in circulation ten dollar bills of the banks in Providence, altered from a smaller denomination.

Newport Union Bank.—Three Dollar Bills, dated March 8, 1804—clumsily done.

Washington Bank, at Westerly.—One dollar bills altered to Twenty-Five. There are also a few five dollar Bills, counterfeited, of this bank, in circulation.

BILLS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

Farmer's Bank, at Troy.—Ten Dollar Bills the impression generally fainter than the true ones—paper lighter complexion, and more spongy

Manhattan Bank, at New York.—Five dollar bills, paper and impression about the same as these of Troy Bank.

Mechanics Bank. at New York—Five and ten dollar bills, poorly imitated, and easily known from the genuine bills.

Besides the above counterfeits, there are five, ten, twenty and fifty dollar bills of the United States Bank, in circulation Those acquainted with bills, can easily discover them from the genuine.

There have also, within a few days got into circulation, spurious ten dollar bills of Verona Bank, dated July 20, 1805, signed James M'Kinley, President, and M. C. Sterry, Cashier. It bears a handsome looking bill—but no such bank exists—There are no such banks as Burlington, Richmond, Strafford, or Philadelphia Union Bank; bills of which are in circulation.

POSTSCRIPT

Since our publication in the Centinel stating the number of counterfeit Bank Bills in circulation. we have seen four other kinds, not enumerated in our statement, viz—Three Dollar Hartford Bank, altered to Thirty Dollars, and extremely well done—Three Dollars Cheshire Bank, also altered to Thirty Dollars

—2, 3, 5, and Ten Dollar Bills of Gloucester Rhode Island Bank, many of which are in circulation. They are a tolerable imitation of the genuine ones.—Also, Five Dollar Bills of Lincoln and Kennebec Bank, poorly done.—

From motives of public good, we have been thus particular in describing all the counterfeit bills in circulation: and the several printers will doubtless render a service to the community, by inserting the above in their papers.

GILBERT & DEAN.