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Richmond, Virginia
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Matthew Norton, a counterfeiter and spy from Memphis, Tenn., was arrested in Atlanta, Ga., on the 14th inst. with $7,000 in fake Confederate notes. He confessed to passing $3,000 in Charleston, S.C., and had papers showing U.S. allegiance. Descriptions of the counterfeits provided for recognition.
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After his arrest Matthew Norton confessed that he had passed about $3,000 of these counterfeits in the city of Charleston, S. C. We append below such a description of them as will insure their recognition:
$100, 2 Cents Per Day.—This counterfeit is of the issue of J. T. Patterson, Columbia, S. C., dated July 4, 1862. In the genuine but one of the masts of the ship run up to the telegraph wire; in the counterfeit both masts run up to that wire; in the genuine the woman's hand is flat on the pail she is carrying, in the counterfeit she holds a knob or handle of the pail; in the genuine the signature of J. F. Grayson is in a round hand, in the counterfeit the same signature is in a running hand; in the genuine the numbers rest on a line made for the purpose, in the counterfeit there is no line for the numbers to rest on.
Yellow Ground, 2 cents per day $100.—The date of this counterfeit is September 1st, 1862, and is nearly one-eighth inch narrower than the genuine. The engraving of the genuine was done on stone, that of the counterfeit on wood. The face of Mr. Calhoun is badly executed, especially about the eyes, they having the appearance of a very heavy frown. The cotton the negroes are working on is darker in the counterfeit than it is in the genuine. The medallion in the upper left hand corner, in the counterfeit, is open and light, in the genuine the same is dark—as dark as that which contains the likeness of Mr. Calhoun.
In the counterfeit the words "one hundred dollars" are printed so close together as to appear almost like one word. The word "with," in the phrase "with interest," is badly done.
$10 Bills.—The third and remaining class of counterfeits which were in possession of Norton is of the denomination of $10. In the counterfeit of this issue the two XX's are printed in solid red, in the genuine the same letters are in open work. The faces of Mr. Memminger and Mr. Orr (we believe) is badly executed, being much lighter than in the genuine. Mr. Memminger's eyes appear in the counterfeit rather popped instead of sunken as in the genuine. The date of this counterfeit is September 2, 1861.
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Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Atlanta, Ga.
Event Date
On The 14th Inst.
Key Persons
Outcome
arrested with seven thousand dollars in counterfeits; confessed to passing about $3,000 in charleston, s. c.
Event Details
Matthew Norton from Memphis, Tenn., possessing counterfeits in Confederate Treasury notes, arrested in Atlanta, Ga. He is a spy observed inspecting fortifications about Charleston, with papers including oath of allegiance to U.S. Government and passport from Memphis. Detailed descriptions of the $100 and $10 counterfeits provided.