Evening Star Newspaper, May 2, 1891, Page 9

GRACE BAPT IST CHURCH. & NEW BAPTIST CHURCH, A Handsome Structure in Course of Con- struction in East Washington. At the corner of South Carolina avenue and 9th street southeast there is now in course of erection what promises to be when completed one of the handsomest church structures in Washington. The congregation of the Grace Baptist Church, who for more than six years and until quite recently have worshiped in Baum’s Hall, at the corner of East Ca pitol and | 4th streets, commenced some three months ago the erection of the above structure. The plans are by the well-known church architect, Hubbard of Utica, N. Y. | Messrs. leone for the purpose. ia just above Pennsylvania avenue and bas © t street fr on South Carolina ave- je, 9th street and D street. The chapel front of triangular reservations that mia avenue from 7th to 9th Will necessarily make the stately visible for @ great distance. ‘ontage on Sth street, including be about thirty-nine feet. ne the entire frontage is et it is about 142 feet. is now building. It has tage—thiriy-nine feet—on feet on South Carolina 134 feet and on D The chapel part the above-st: ilding some 1,500. It is built of select red brick, with trimmings of Ham- melstown stone. The cost of the chapel will be about €19,000. The church was organized in December, 1884, with thirty-three members, and was known until recently as the East Capitol Street ptist Church. Rev. W. M. Ingersoll, now of veland, Obio, former fastor of the Second and of the Metropolitan Baptist Churches, served the church as supply for several months and was succeeded in August, 1885, by Rev. Owen M. Miller of Russellville, W. Va., who served the church with great acceptance until October, 1838, when he was compelled by fail- | ing health to resign the charge of the church, | going to Colorado Springs, Col., in quest of heaith, where he died in January last, never having preached after leaving Washington. He was succeeded by Rev. Frank Gardner of Waterloo, N. Y., who remained with the church a Little more than a Fear, resigning to accept call toa church in Elizabeth, N. J. The pres- ent pastor, Rev. J. D. Smith, recently of Sharon, Pa, has been with them ‘since early in February ‘last, having permanently taken charge on the first of last month. The church is a small one, with a mombership of less than ninety, nearly all poor or in moderate circum- stances, but is a courageous body, as the enter- ing upon this building enterprise denotes. The Sunday school bas an enrollment of 100. J.R Bradley is the superintendent and hai been from the organization of the school. It i expected that the chapel will be ready for oc- cupancy by the first Sunday in next month, when the dedicatory services will probably be held. The building committee is composed of the followin, ev. James D. Smith, W. R. Greon, J. F. J. R. Bradley. ‘The gables on the streets and avenues are fin- ished at the peak with rosette brick cluster, alvanized iron cornices and massive castings. wo handsome towers are on the 9th strect art. The roof is of steep pitch and the ridge Is forty-six feet in height. ‘The basement is to contain dining room, pantry, kitchen, closets, &c. The windows of the auditoriuum are of |eircular head with cathedral glass of hand- some design. The vestibule and front entrance | are arranged so th.: the house can be vacated in a very few minutes in ease of fire or panic— the vestibule doors being furnished with flat hinges ard the exterior doors opening out- ward. ‘The chapel is such an improvement on what was known in old times as “Shinar's Lake” that the entire neighborhood is pleased. Bartlett, J. E. Seroggin and PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OPPOSED. Preservation of Oyster Beds Discussed by a Mass Meeting tn Baltimore. A mass meeting was held in Baltimore Thurs day night under the auspices of the Canton oyster exchange to discuss the temporary scarcity of oysters in Chesapeake bay and the Potomac | river and to taxe measures for recuperating the beds. Delegates were present from Somerset, Wicomico, Dorchester, Talbot, Queen Anne's, Kent, St. Mary's, Anne Arundel and Calvert counties and Baltimore city was well repre- sented. J. Frank Tyler, president of the Can- ton oyster exchange, calied the meeting to or- der and Mayor Davidson presided. There was 8 list of five hundred vice presidents, incleding the names of Gov. Jackson, Senator Gorman, Congressman Barnes Compton, ex-Congress- man Charles H. Gibson, Congressman William ‘McKaig, ex-Postmaster Frank Brown, ex-Mayor Hodges, Congressman Rusk, Rev. Royal H. Pullman, ex-Gov. Henry Lloyd, Postmaster W. W. Johnson and ex-Mayor Latrobe. Mayor Davidson, in the opening address of the meeting, said that heretofore the publie had stood aloef from the discussion as to pre- serving the oyster beds, but, he said, “ at last it has awakened to the consciousness that the oyster industry ic one which concerns the peo- ple of the whole state, and that there is baad | Fepresentative of the people from any portion | of it, how remote soever from salt w: ean afford to remain in ignorance of i Representative Henry Page of the first con- gressional district spoke emphatically against selling or leasing the oyster beds. He thought that the decrease in the oyster supply was more fictitious than real and resulted from an in- ¢reased demand which could not be satisfied as easily as formerly. He opposed any step that | would throw the oyster men out of work. He said: “To reduce these oyster people to peaury, to disregard the fair claims of this deserving, hard-working, god-fearing people fot auy pur- would be an outrage which we are confi- Boze the good ‘people of the state will aever countenance! State's Attorney Monroe of Anne Arandel county followed in the same strain, making a strong plea for the oystermen. He believed in enforcing existing laws—the culling law for one—aud thought that if that were done , Who . Weeks of Baltimore took issue with those who thought the oyster beds were going to dry up and gave figures to sustain his sition. Among other things he said: “T Enting of of the catch this season is duo also to the operation of the ‘cull’ law of 1890. The Doate have come up laden with oysters which have brought good prices, and the small ‘owth left on the grounds, as the result of Geo rm ana proper ngislation, promisca, with & still more stringent enforcement of the law, an abundant suppiy for future seasons.” Col. Wm. H. said that there was law enough to protect the oyster if it were only enforced. Mr. AS. J. Owens opposed all Inws confer- ring on individuals exclusive rights in the oyster lands. He favored planting the barren oyster lands by the state. the money to be raised by an annual tax, and charging so much & bushel for oysters afterward taken from these fo planted places, ‘utions that were then adopted by the meeting controvert the derogatory state- ents made by the Concert Hall meeting last . and ascribe “the present temporary scarcity of oysters to the effects of the great freshete and floods of the spring of 1939,” and de- clare that the devasta: ‘are rec Dy the same hand that depleted them. The Fesolutions oppose selling, leasing or giving ‘away any of the sub-marine grounds of the state, either in whole or in part, and declare in favor Of @ strict adherence to the culling lawand the extention of its provisions by the concurrence of Virginia to oysters caught in the Potomac Crazed on George Washington. Yesterday © neatly dressed man wearing @slouch hat appeared st the city hall and his strange conduct attracted general attention. He talked religion and devoted considerable of his conversation to George Washington, repeating “First in war, first in peace and first im the bearts of bis countrymen” several times. The unforturate mon, whose mind is evi- dently affected, said his name was Frascis Gridin and that he was from Annapolis. He also said he was from Beltsville. Lieut. Kelly took charge of him and escorted him to police heedquarters, from where he was sent to the sixth precinct station. He con- tinued to talk about George Washingicn and said that he had just come from the Washing- tou mouument, where everybody will have to 60. He will be held until his friends can be noti- fled or he can be examined. Pi ‘Says the Money Was Owed to Him. & perating | HOW OF THE CAMERA CLUB. Some of the Good Things Contributed by Its Members This Week. The palm at the exhibition of photographs | made this week at the Cosmos Club by the Washington Camera Club has unquestionably been carried off by the only lady member of this picturesque organization—Miss Frances Benjamin Johnston. Most remarkable of the specimens of her work shown are portraits of Private Secretary Halford, Secretary Noble and Secretary Windom, taken in their offices at work. These are not instantaneous views, but each one was given in the neighbor- hood of a quarter minute's exposure. Nev theless, they are admirably sharp; the lighting ia especially fine. Secretary Windom's like- ness is lifelike, and, in view of his death re- cently, it is much to be prized. There are other most excellent genre pictures on large scale, by Miss Johnston. Among them a ‘Swiss milkman with his cart and dog and a lazy negro taking his ease in the sunlight. Wonder- fully effective interiors, representing apart- ments in the Hearst, Wanamaker atid’ Morton houses, complete this artist's display. PRESIDENT HAUSMANN'S WORK. Next after Miss Johnston the most successful exhibitor this year is Mr. Max Hausmann of the light house board, president of the club. He places on view a considerable number of works of his own, the best of them carbon prints, which represent a method that is said to produce the only really permanent pho- tographs. One scene, showing a lake with brooding clouds retlected in the water, is par- ticularly striking, though others may vie with it fairly—among them a picture of the Wash- ington monument refiected in the water of one of ‘the carp ponds near by, a mili dam also, a village street and a lake with water lilies in the foreground. A night-blooming cereus, taken by Mr. Hausmann, is rendered with surprising delicacy and tenderness. Mr. B.Waite makes an excellent showing with several picturesque canal-boat scenes, with | bridges and picturesque buildings by the | Water. Also vistas of stream and woodland, and a steamboat plying by moonlight on the | silvered waters of the Potomac. j REMAUKABLE TRANSPARENCY. | One very remarkable transparency is shown by Dan Fraser—a view from beyond the ar- senal looking toward the Capitol in the distanee, | with the Potomac winding along in the fore- ground and two cows standing up to their | shoulders in the water. The whole scene from | the nearest point to the farthest, miles a | isaa clear ax daylight could make it to the eve, | and no more beautiful prospect exn be imag” ined. Itis really a work of art in the highest | sense. Mr. Fraser also shows a number of v: y good platinotypes,representing the Smithsonian institution by moonlight in winter. a mountain stream, a mill race anda lake on the agricul- tural grounds. BY MR. BB. WionT. Another transparency of very unusual excel- |Tence, by Mr. E. B. Wight, is from an en- | graved stecl portrait of George Washington. | There is » snake iying on arock, by Henry | Talbett, that is a curiosity, and the same artist | exhibits « aumber of other good things—a por- trait of apretty woman in a long coat with a | fur collar full length; a colored newsboy, © | dog holding « milk can in its mouth by the han- | dies and giving opaw for permission to drink the contents, &c. Some good landscapes are shown by Alviu M. Lothrop. George 8. War- ren has afew striking pictures of the Capitol, | State Department and Treasury. Fred Perry | Powers shows a first-class likeness of himself, | by flashlight without assistance; also a funny | picture of “Our steamed contemporary. the jode Island clambaker.” Philip H. Ward has | cunning child, with @ leafy branch in ite | hands. There are some admirable works in this exhi- bition, but the general impression seems to be that, on the wi the Camera Club did better last year. — Removing Kestrictions on Newspapers. Some time ago the postal authorities caused | the Pecit Journal and other French journals to | be excluded from the United States on the ground that they contained lottery advertise- merfs. Minister Roustan called the matter to theattention of the Department of State and | after hearing his representations Secretary Blane took the necessary steps and has advised | the French minister as follows: The Postmas- ter (ieneral has given instructions to the | matters at all et yy = eign news ud " coutee, thar do not contain the advertisements | of iny regularly orgenized end well-known | lottery schemes. Newspapers containing ad- | verdsements of premium government and murtcipal bonds are not disturbed.” ‘The res- | exvation above noted will, it is believed, meet plaining newspapers. 4 young man named William A. Sheldon was| The|Codman building in Boston, adjoining arrested yesterday by Detective Gallagher and locked up on « charge of embezzling $6.10 from Meredith Jenkins, » milk dealer. The | Ai 20°95, B25 Nes employed by Mr. Jenkina, ard | bat that bis employer owes him some | men the American House, was burned at | Thursday. | | | FORGERS NOT FEARED. Chief Engraver for the Government Casilear Has Something to Say. THE SMITH-BROCKWAY FIRM. ‘The Bureau of Engraving and Printing De- lares That Photographic Processes are Not Dangerous—Only Engraving Can Counter- felt Engraving—How the Great Counterfeit- ing Conspiracy Was Broken Up. 667P\HE UNITED STATES TREASURY IS in no alarm respecting any danger that may be imagined to threaten the country's finances at the hands of the counterfeiters,” said Chief Engraver Casilear of the bureau of engraving and printing yesterday. “Reports have been circulated to the effect that photo- graphic processes of new invention have ren- dered counterfeiting so easy that itis a mere Dagatelle to reproduce our own notes with such ‘accuracy that wo ourselves cannot distinguish the real from the imitation. So far is thatfrom being true that we were never so sure as weare today of the fact that such processes are not to be feared, and that our work can only be dan- gerously imitated by the art of the skilled e: graver. Against the accomplished workman with the graver's tools, whose facility in the art is equal to our own, we can never be en- tirely secure, although nothing that he has done yet has been beyond detection. The sys- tem by which forgeries are discovered and the forgers themselves hunted down has been so far developed that since 1869 only three suc- cessful counterfeits of Uncle Sam's paper cur- rency have been issued—one of them the $2 silver certificate which has occasioned such « disturbance of late. A FORMIDABLE COMBINATION. “The most formidable combination of eoun- terfeiters ever known in the world’s history ‘was composed of two men who are at present é residing in New York city—Charles H. Smith and his old-time col- league, Brockway. For twenty years this pair of experts kept the United States authori- ties in a fright by their forgeries. From 1862 to 1881 counterfeit after counterfeit of the most marvelously accurate character appeared, and no one could surmise R whence they came. In ain it was asked who is this genius that isable to produce work like this, unapproached by anything in ite line OmaS. H. SMITH. previously attempted? First-rate engravers are rare birds; there fare. onl; few such in the world. And yet it is not surprising that no sus- icion should have attached to a man well Enown in the profession, of unassailed reputa- tion, in the employ of the bank note companies in New York city, whose daughter was the wife New York banker of solid worth. evertheless, it was this man who employed his leisure hours for twenty years in the per- petration of an unparalleled series of imitative crimes. During this period, while working for the bank note companies as @ skilled en- graver, he produced an admirable counterfeit of anationa! bank note for €100, which, by jedicious changing of the title, was made to serve for the issue of national banks in seven different cities—Boston, Pittsburg, Pittefield (inss.) and elsewhere. ‘Another piece of bis work was a 250 legal tender note of the series of 1862 and 1863, with the head of Alexander Hamilton. This was followed by a $1,000 note with the head of Robert Morris, likewise of the issues of 1662 and 1863. About that one I will tell youa curious story presently. Next, he roduced a wonderful counterfeit of 7.30 United States bonds, which occasioned the treasury a vast amount of trouble. Another job of his was a 2500 United States note of the issue of 1869, but his most remarkable feat was the execu. tion of plates for reproducing the $1,000 6 per cent bonds of 1861. "Be. P ing then in the employ of a bank note company in New York, he was civen to execute the original plates of the bond for he government, while engaged “upon them, gy similes of them at home. # When the treasury issued the real bonds ‘he and /'\ Brockway, wlio was asso- | ciated with him, printed $208,000 from ‘the du- plicate plates and sent them on to Chie: their confederate, chance on suspicion of COUNTERFEITER DOYLE. another offense. Thus the bogus bonds were captured in Dorle’s valise and confis- cated, although the Chicago banks were so con- vinced of their genuineness that they expressed a desire to purchase them even after they were seized in this manner. TWENTY YEARS OF UNSUSPECTED GRIME. “Smith's twenty years of unsuspected crime reads quite likes romance, culminating as it did ir his arrest, ia 1881, which was like an ex- plosion from a clear sky. It came about more or less by chance. I had sagge: of the secret service that perhai as well to keep an eye on Brockway, who had been in jail, but was out again, living an ap- perently respectable life. So detectives were put on to shadow him, and one day he was seen to enter the house at No. 42 Herkimer strect, Brooklyn. It seemed desirable to as- certain who lived there, and so the Brookly directory was taken and gone through, begi ning at A. At last the address appeared— “Charles H. Smith, engraver, No. 42 Herkimer street.’ By Jove! That was the key to the en- tire mystery. Charley Smith was Brockway's pal, bite: the extraordinary forgeries which ad been going on for so many years were ex- plained. A'raid was made upon the house and everything was discovered. Smith, the hitherto respected citizen, made a full confession, owning up iu detail to the $100 national bank the $50 legal tender note, the the 7.30 United States £500 United States note, and the $1,000 6 per cent bond. The whole mystery was made clear ina moment; he had been the author of ull these dangerous and un- paralleled counterfeits. It was a great weight taken off the minds of the authorities at Wash- ington. Smith and Brockway turned state evidence, gave up their piatos of all sorts, i cluding a great variety of imitation money, and both escaped imprisonment by this means. Thus came to an end the most formidable counterfeiting ey recorded in history. But mark me when attention to the fact that it was the consummate dexterity of the engraver that made it successful; there were no photographic ‘processes’ employed. Notwith- standing his long career of crime, Smith has never spent one day in jail and is‘a free man now, with no legal perils hanging over him so long as be refrains from further offenses. When the trial came on he and Brockway = each other like two mad rats in a trap, each trying to secure his own release. To dis credit Smith's testimony Brockway went so far as to accuse him of having murdered his first wife. Brockway is pursuing an existence of more or lesa elegant leisure in New York, hay- ing accumulated » satinfactory pile, as it is sup- the same city posed. Smith is employed now as an eugrayer. SOME PLATES NEVER CAPTURED. “The plates for the $1,000 notes, with the head of Robert Morris, of which I spoke, have never been captured. This is one of the most perfect counterfeits ever produced and when it appeared a number of copies were un- questioned on the banks. For all the govern- ment knows, the plates are today in criminal hands, bat there is « curious story, quite goner- ally believed, to the effect that they were buried years agoat 4 spot on Long Island over which railway was subsequently constr filling in ‘the roadbed with many feet of earth and ballast; 80 that the rascals were never able todig them up and today the locomotive peacefully tooteabove these vaiuable relics of a scientitic crime. The n United States bonds referred treasury, in tho usual course of business, for redemption. At tho treasury their gennine- ness was questioned and when they were sub- mitted to me as an oxpert I declared them for- 80 admirably were they executed that it was claimed by Jay Cooke and many other that, though duplicates, they been ‘printed from the orig- inal tes and were therefore gen- THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON. D.C., SAT, Fesponsible, Thover shall forget how, when I given my opinion a had of bare eg eminent iy at bi spect every one, worl wuietly at his craft for the bank note companies for twenty Years and spending ‘his odd 'time during that entire period in the production of a series of gigantic and unparalleled forgeries. SOMETHING ABOUT BROCKWAT. “Brockway, you must understand, is not an engraver; he iss plate printer and one of the most expert men in that line living. It wae not merely in print- ing the notes and bonds after the plates were made that his work was serviceable 8 fective aid in the making of the plates themselves. Look at this dollar note. You observe, the border is made up of a repeti- tion of the same de- sign: ‘United States, One, U. 8." and 80 on, allalong, Smith would make a ving Dy of © single section of this border, and, by the simple mechanical CHARLES DROCKWAY. process known as stereotyping, Brockway could produce any number’ ef’ others jast, ike “it, inthis manner ® whole border could be made with only half an inch of work done by .\: ) Y hand. a method =~ app! oe other parts note, even geometric lathe work, one little piece of hand engraving serving by multiplication to compose large rigof the design, Nowadays we evoid ron Pe this so easy by setting the lathe differ- ently for each different piece to be executed, whereas formerly the same setting of the strument wae made todo the entire surface. As for the engraving, there is no other man living who could accomplish such counterfeits as Smith's, owing to his astonishing versatility. Such a degree of skill is requisite in this sort of work that ithas become vory highly specialized. It is almost impossivle to find any one who can do both square and script lettering, and an engraver who can do either one of the two can- not attempt portraits or vignettes; but Smith is equally facile at all four, and with Brockway to help him in the mechanical business, there was a firm fully equipped for turning ‘out as handsome counterfeit money as can be pro- duced. THEY COUNTERFEITED PRIVATE SECURITIES. “But this wonderful combination was not content with attacking the government money and securities: it even produced counterfeits of railway and other = bonds. For more than twenty years Smith and Brockway Isbored | in partnership at this bus- Incas of ‘scientific for- gery, beginning from the 'time when they fore employed together % yy the same engraving firm in New Travent Conn. It is not known, what were Smith's first} efforts in this line, but Brockway began, when¢) bankers in the old days brought their private plates to have printing done, by slip- Ping sheets of lead foil surreptitiously through the press while he was working off the notes. These sheets, of course, retained Perfect improssions of the plates, and it was only necessary to make electrotypes from them in order to obtain absolute copies of the originals, all ready to print from. Doyle, who was caught with the bonds in Chicago, was merely employed as a ‘shover,’ and in that line he was something of » genius himself. In Appearance he resembled @ cattle drover—a very big and jolly looking man—with a per- ceptibly rural air and » manner that was hearty and ‘taking.’ His method was to dro} into a bank, extract half a dozen 1,000 bonds from a huge wallet, shove them across the counter and say that he wanted a few thousand dollars on them. Would he not sell them? Ob, no; he guessed not. So he would get the cash, shake hands with the cashier and walk out. The bonds would be locked up safely in the vaults where nobody could see them and all was well. If he had sold them they would have circulated and their numbers might have be- trayed them as duplicates. THEY MAY BE CROOKED Xow. “You ask what security exists that Smith and Brockway are not at present once more in cahoots and engaged in the production of new counterfeits? My answer is that we cannot be sure that such is not the case. The best that can be done is to keep a sharp eye upon them. It would be very difficult for Charley Smith to accomplish anything in that line now without getting caught. You must remember that his security in times past lay in the fact that he was beyond suspicion. It/has been surmised in some quarters that Smith is responsible for this now 2 silver certificate, but I do not believe it for a moment, simply because the work upon it is not at all up to his standard. Brockway has likewise been suspected, possibly with jus- tice. My opinion is, however, that such busi- ness would be too sinall game for him. He and Smith have been the aristocrats of the pro- fossion. Neither of them would be likely to fly so low. And now, as to this samo $2 certificate, I want to give emphatic correction to ® most erroncous impression that has gone abroad. In the first place, it is not a photo- graphic counterfeit. Secondly, it is not a very dangerous counterfeit. With the notes issued PETE u'CARTNRY. by Smith and Brockway it bears no compari- son whateve: Not only is it untrue that we le to discover any flaws in it, , nd the experts at the treasury recognized it asa forgery before it was ever submitted to our judgment at the bureau of engraving and printiag. We ourselves could not have been for a moment deceived as to its character. It is a dangerous counterfeit ccr- tainly, because what we call its ‘general effect’ is good; but it wiil not bear examination at all. PHOTOGRAPHIO PROCESSES NOT DANGEROUS. “Much excitement has been occasioned lately by the dangers that wero alleged to threaten us in theshape of photographic processes, by which forgers could copy Uncle Sam's money with ab- solute accuracy. It is alla bugaboo. None of the processes now in existence will produce a decently successful counterfeit. The reason why this is so I will explain to you presently. “It is only as an accassory that the most skillful counterfeiter is able to utilize mechan- ical processes of any sort. One plan that he has is to take o real treasury note, soften the ink by soaking it for s while in « weak solution of potash and lay the piece of paper money down flat upon a steel plate that has been pre- viously covered with a very thin film of white wax. Then he subjects it to pressure, and, ‘upon removing the note, the imprint of its de- sign in every detail is left upon the wax. Now he pr to goover every line and dot of this imprint with « sharp-pointed tool that ecratcl the performan: and finish it by hand with graving instruments. ANOTHER PLAN USED. “Another plan of the forger's is to steel plato with the thinnest possible Yarnish, | On this he lays the real note thes | want copy an lies Taking the plate out of press, be. mois the note, which sticks to the’ varnish, an gently rubs all the fiber away from the until nothing of it is left save ink 28 FEE es ae Hi out the steel wherever it removing the varnish, he has a design on the plate. But only » guide and he must with hand tools. * our own work. The geometric lathe isa mvcteflciont defense. “Wheskould hot the forger get a lathe of his own? is son: but it would be of no use to him whatever, Ddecause it is imy iesueneastee ke it pl i of = but the most ignorant and be deceived by them. Henry Sa epee forgeries rinting from, but more clumsy can ardly be imagined than thove sovexceuted, You may set it down as « fact incontestable that nothing will imitate steel en- graying but steel engraving. i@ WELL NIGH SUPPRESSED. “The fact is that the government authorities have been eo watchful and the laws have been drawn so tightly within recent years that counterfeiting in this country has been well nigh suppressed. Since 1869, as I remark there have only been three really successful imitations of Uncle Sam's money issued. Counterfeiting of money has been going on more or less ever since money was invented. ‘The first bank note ever forged, was executed by a young linen draper in ngland. He was in love with the daughter of an ambitious woman of the middle who wanted to make a rich match for her To convince her that he had means. the young man manufactured @ batch of Bank ‘of England notes and placed them in her hands. Her funds ran short one day and she used one of his notes. It was discovered to be a counterfeit, and, the offense being capital in those days, the linen draper was The first forgeries in this country were of centinental money, made in England; and it was believed at ti time of the revolutionary war that the British government winked at the offense, hoping that our finances would be ruined. When the state banks came inte existence many excellent counterfeits were made of their issues, the de- signe being crude and easily imitated, because tho art of engraving was in ite ‘infancy. When the rebellion came people hoarded their specie and millions im fractional currency were issued by the gevernment. ‘That was tho harvest time for the counterfeiter. Imitation ‘shinplasters’ flooded the country. Saloon keepers would accept the bad as readily as the oon, faving that is ‘made no Siferonce. verything wen’ oe times, and it wasn’ the fashion to sorutinise money closely; suspicion is vulgar any way. ly the shinplasters became so defaced in the hands ef the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker that brown paper parailelograms of equal size might have passed as well almost. At that epoch even postagestamps circulated as currency until heir mucilage was worn off and their designs impossible to make out. How different is all this now, in this era of fine engraving, when overy note is a work of art. Portraits, admira- bly executed, have taken the place of the old crude vignettes, representing landscapes with trains of cars and safes with dogs guarding them. The geometric lathe has contributed ite beautiful and inimitable ornamentation and the designs in every respect present msur- mountable difficulties to the forger. And, by the way, did you ever realiy examine a treas- ury note of recent make, considering it in the light of an art work. ‘Take the next new o1 that finds its way into your i pocket, scrutinize it from this point of view and withhold your ad- miration if you can. SOME ENOWN COUNTERFRITERS. “There sre no othe great counterfeiters living besides Smith and Brockway. All the rest are second rate. Of these latter Tom Bal- lard is just out froms long term in prison. Charles Ulrich is in Europe somewhere—he, too, has been suspected of having something todo with that g2 slver certificate—and Pete McCartney is dead. Pete was certainly ad- mirable at one performance. His act was printing his counterfeits on real treasury paper. He would washall the ink off of a €1 note and print a $20 note upon it. The process is simple, but it requires great dexterity. First the note must be plunged into sulphuric acid for just a moment, to loosen the ink, which is Promplly removed with » dry nail brush by alf a dozen quick strokes, upon which, to pre- vent further action by the acid, the paper is thrust into a bath of ammonia, from which it comes out white and ready to print anything upon up toa $10,000 note. Forgers, however, do not attempt such high denominations; they are too difficult to negotiate. It bas been sug- gested that, as a protection t this wack ing process, each denomination of United States should be printed upon a different dis tinctive paper; but I shoul of doubttul ity, inasmuch asi necessary the education of sixty-five millions of ple in the quality of the papers employed. here occurs to me, merely by the way, a story about a Parisian lady of fashion many years ago, who showed to the celebrated chief of police and ex-detective Vidocq a wrongful imi- tation of @ 1,000 franc note which had been executed bya clever friend of hers. Vidocq persuaded the friend, who out of vanity was Yery willing, to make him one like it, Then he said: ‘My dear entertain no criminal propensity; but, never- theless, I shall be obliged to have you watched by my’ police from this time on.’ You may draw from this the conclusion that counterfeit- ing, even as an amateur, does not pay. “We observers in this field of forgery take notice that the vice of counterfeiting is a cific weakness, like that for alcohol. Ite tims have an inborn propensity for it, to begin with; secondly, they are unable to resist tho it crime when it is placed them. The weakness is one of moral titution. Charley Smith could make $5,000 a year at his regular business, but he could not keep clear of crime, and, once having estab- lished association with Griminals, to break away is almost an impossibility. ‘Thus you find the counterfeiter drawn back almost inevitably into the business after he has once been caugit ana made free by the law. a genius in his craft like Smith with his weakness and you have an incarnate threat to the financial safety of a nation.” ir, im well aware that you a WHERE JEWSHARPS ARE MADE. A Family of Smiths Do All the Manufactar- ing Outside of New York. From the Albany Journal. The village of Bath-on-the-Hudson, though {te manufacturing interests are few, can boast of possessing the only factory in the United States outside of New York city. Simple as the jowsharp is it requires, nevertheless, no little skill in construction. The proprietor of the factory in Bath is John Smith, and he has perfected himself to such cn extent that his work is recognized as among the best in the world. The factory is ssmall build- ing situated a short distance off 3d street, and although unpretentious contains every facility for the manufacture of jewsharps. ‘Twenty years ago, in England, Mr. Smith began his spprenticeship at e trade. Hear- ing from friends in country that here ould be found a bettor market for the ele of 8) ty he determing te. Ar- riving ia New York be. failed “to secure employment and deciding to start in business for himself he went to Troy and oponed @ factory there. He was but moderately successful in Troy, and after a short time moved to Bath, built @ factory and is perfectly satisfied with the location.” Th Smith je ts sold princi to firms it Now Yerk, Boston ana, Gutega. = th to edo @ goods to retailers throug! United ‘tates, it; tr = day pane . gapacity over two grossa day are turned out. ‘The busiest time of x that Jaet reced- fac- Y, MAY 2. 1891—-SIXTEEN PAGES. THE TRANSIT OF MERCURY. ‘The Little Planet Will Be Projected on the Sun's Disk Next Saturday. THE TRANSIT WILL BEGIN HERE JUST BEFORE SUNSET—ASTRONOMERS PREPARING TO MAKE ORSERVATIONS—DATA TO BE OBTAINED THAT MAY HELP SOLVE SOME PUZZLING ASTRONOM- 1OAL PROBLEMS. NCE IN AWHILE—THE ASTRONOMERS at the naval observatory might calculate the time down to a minute—the inhabitants of Jupiter, if they give any attention to what cccurs in the heavens above and around them, may observe a tiny round black dot seemingly move slowly across the face of the sun. That dot might be the earth, and the event would be known to astronomers, from Jupiter's point of view, as a transit of the earth. It would afford the observers of Jupiter an opportunity to verify or correct their figures regarding the earth's movements, and perhaps to gain some knowledge concerning the physical aspects of the earth. It is just such an opportunity that the earthly astronomers, or many of them, are to have next Saturday, with the planet Mercury ‘as the subject of study. Mercury will pass be- tween the earth and the sun and appear for a time projected on the bright disk of the sun. Mercury being an inferior planet—that is, re- volving in an orbit within that of the oarth—it sometimes happens that the relative motions of Mercury and the earth bring theso planets and sun in nearly the same straight line, Mer- cury betwoen the other two. When this ocours wo havo what is known as a transit of Meroury. ‘That is what will occur next Saturday. TOO LATE IX TRE Dar. Unfortunately for observers in the eastern Part of the United States the transit will begin 0 late in the day that no more than the begin- ning of it can be observed, and it is doubtful whether any observations of value can be made of that, The exact time for Washington when the planet will apparently touch the sun is Gh., 47m. and 17s. As the sun sets about 7 o'clock, it will at the time of the boginning of the transit be almost touching the horizon. Even under the best conditions the atmos- pheric effects when the sun is so low would make it impossible to secure any observations ‘that weuld be valuable. On the Pacific coast, however, the transit will begin at 3:54 p.m., ‘and observers will have opportunity of watch ing nearly the wholo course of the planet acrors the sun's face before sunset. ‘The best points of observation will beon some of the islands of the Pacific. Dr. Marcuse, the Berlin astronomer, and Mr. Preston ef the United States coast and Ferdetio survey, who, as stated in Tux Stan, we gone to the Sandwich Islands to make observations to settle the question as to whether the arth wobbles or not, will, it is expected, arrive there in time to observe the transit next lay. MERCURY Pasa auiusd Lie SUN. When in transit Mercury appears about 12 seconds of arc in diameter, or about 1-160 the apparent; diameter of the sun, the planet ap- proaches the limb or edge of the sun on the east. The accompanying diagram indicates the path Mercury will follow across the sun next Saturday. The planet will first appear at the pgint marked A and_ will traverse the face of B@ sun in the direction indicated by the dotted line to the point B. ‘The observer watching the circular ontline of the sun’s border notices its regularity broken by the dark body of Mercury. This is known as contact Ior external contact. The round black spot gradually enters the sun's disk ai soon is tangent thereto internally. This contact II, or the first internal contact. After crossing the sun Mercury is finally seen to leave the disk on the western border, and hora contacts III and IV are observed similar to those at ingress, but in the reverse order. SYN omen ey frre CONTACT z CyEsTeRuas conpacy THE coyTacts. If these four contacts could be observed with absolute accuracy the observations would have much greater value. But the external con- tacts are difficult to note, while the internat contact is rendered uncertain on account of a faulty atmospheric and faulty optical effect, known as the “black drop"—a distortion of the image of Mercury. If the orbit of Mercury and the earth were both in the same plane the transit would be seen at each conjunction. But that of the innermost planet is inclined some seven degrees to the ecliptic (the earth's path around the sun), which plane it crosses twice in each revolution, at points termed the “nodes,” and only if the conjunction happen when the planet is very near a node willa transit result. Itcan only happen about May 7 for one node, and November 9 for the other. In theformer case Mercury is moving toward the south (at the “descending node”) and in the latter he is traveling north (the “‘ascendi: node”). We might expect th vember au May transits to occur with similar frequency, but in point of fact the November transits are nearly twice as frequent. At the time of the May transit Mercury is very near oe its greatest distance from the sun, and the relative parallax being Breater conjtnction must happen at « time when the planet is very close to the node in order to have s transit. That is why May transits do not occur as often as November transits. OBSERVATIONS. The first actual observation of s transit of Mercury was made in 1631 by Gassendi; the first record of any scientific accuracy was made season tory employs five the proprietor, his | thirteen, people—the proprie two sons and two n, who live near the factory. ‘The manufacture of the “harps” isan in- ing process and but few are aware the large amount of work ¢: pened making 8. jewsharp of good tone. trument are not made by ‘ Ht z F ea = 3 i iP : t ? F if if i | = s iF E H al lite i i i Bi Hee F He i i : i iE fit ; iL and Rit journey sround the sun, or, as in the case of the moon, in its revolu- tion about the earth keeps the same face turned comparing the results of observations of tran- tite made before 1848, found thet the peribe- in 3 counted for by the calculated effect traction of all the known planets of the solar system. Leverrier assumed that the motion referred to was due to the presence of a group of small planets between Mercury and the sun. These supposed bodies are known as the intra- merci lanets, but trained astronomers have never been able to see them. A mace ree or four times that of Mercury te req fo produce the observed effect. The light arises, it is held from a vast array of small bodies—a cloud of star dust—revolving around the sun, and it is thonght by some writers that this matter, having considerable mass in the aggregate, is what allects Meroury’s course. NEWS FROM ROCKVILLE. Interest in the Repair of the C. and O. Canal —Other Items, Correspondence of The Evening Star. Rockin, May 1, 1891. Mr. Adrian Epping of this county has this week sold lot 6, block 1, Autrey Heights, for $200. Also two acres adjoining said subdivis- son to Dr. Wm. 0. Bohrer for $800 cash. Dr. Bohrer will shortly commence the erection of a fine residence on his purchase. Mr. Epping has also sold lot 21, block 2, Autrey Heights, for $200, and about one-half acre adjoining to Mr. Rufus A. Morrison of the patent office, who hhas resold the land to Mr. John O. Johnson of Washington. The very backward spring has had rather « depressing effect on the real estate market here, but the bright weather of the past two weeks is making business in that line look up considerably and there are many inquiries in rd to investments. ir. Edgar R. Perry and Miss Bertha Ball of Potomac district were married here Thuraday by Rev. L. L. Lloyd of the M. E. Church South, Mr. D. N. Keast of Newcastle, Pa. and Miss Sophie F. Stonestreet of this county were mar- Tied at the residence of the bride's parents near this place on the 15th ultimo by the Kev. P. P. Flournoy of the Presbyterian Church. Messrs. Waters & Mannakee of Burnt Mills, this county, have received a flattering offer for their mill property from Mr. C. O. Bryant, and should the sale be consummated it is the inten- tion of the purchaser to use the water power in part for operating adynamo for tho of electricity to propel cars on a built from that locality to Prightwood, D. C. Mr. Henry N. Copp of Washington bas for some time been engaged in beautifying the ounds adj it to his new residence in West nd Park by planting shrubbery, Sowers, fruit trees and vines. His family will take posses- sion of the premises in a short time. The extension of ime until August 1 for finishing the repairs to the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, granted by the circuit court for Washington county. is something that the peo- is county interested in the work have expected ever since the canal was placed in th hands of the Baltimoreand Ohio Kailroad Com- pany. Thoze who live near the canal and know e actual condition of the ruins of that noted waterway have always contended that it would be impossible to put it in navigable order by May 1, as required by the original decree of the court, and even with this further extension of time if the work is finished by August 1 they will be very agreeably disappointed. ‘The address issued this week by the demo- cratic editors’ convention in Baltimore has been the subject of much comment in political cir- cles here. Ite great similarity to the address recently issued by the Reform Club appears to be its striking feature. The second month of the free delivery of mail matter at this place closed yesterday and continues to give entire satisfaction to the peo- ple. During the month the following number of pieces of mail matter were handled: Kegistered letters delivered, 15; mail letters, 2,952; postals, 559; second, third’ and fourth- class’ matter, 2,730; local letters collected, 51; mail letters, 1,303; local postals, 7; mail postals, 257; second, third and fourth-class matter, 22; total number of pieces handled, 7,89. Total ostage on local matter collected and on all [ocal matter deposited in’ the office, inclading second, third and fourth-class matter, 9605. There are two carriers employed at €106 each Pirie repala 1 of the Teac: ie regular quarterly meeti: ‘each- ox Anotiation af the commis was abd bow today and was largely atten After the transaction of routine business the regular gram was taken upand commenced with a recitation by Miss Mima Hobbs, which was well ved. The first question for discussion was, ‘hat Faculty of the Mind Should be De- veloped First?” ‘The consideration of this question occupied considerable time and was ticipated in by Messrs. Layman, Baggerly, irs. 8. D. Higgins and others, after which an essay On the same subject was read by Prof. Stout. On account of the absence of some of the teachers the subject of the advantage of diagram work in teaching was postponed. Af- ter the close of the exercises, at the request of Mr. Heed, the Washington photographer, a pie- ture of the members of the association was taken in a group. Mr. Archie Young of Clarksburg district was brought here last night and committed to charged with attempting to take the life of « man named Mobley of the same district by shooting at him withagun. Previous to the shooting the men had been engaged in » quar- rel and there is said to have been enmity exist- ing between them for sometime. SAM. —_———_ HOW MAY DAY PASSED. Little Disorder in America, but Troops Called Out in Europe. As the dispatches to Tux Star from through- out the country yesterday indicated May day passed in this country generally without dis- order. The Pennsylvania miners deomed the time inopportune for a strike and remained at large demonstration for eight hours. go Cypser y ogee ville had s big labor parade and strikes id 5 s . i E i il ii dH i Ese | iff iit ane ff i] ei 5 t i i SEE i i if Fi § ae jroo re SITETATA noe a | _ MAGN. gtd T. INS LE, ‘ ona Me ty piece: ar Lise o en i 3.30pm. daily = fans ALTIMORE AND MAO Ri Foe Kane, Cutatvinugn. hooesier and Magee Pate dally except . ‘ | For En, tal and For Wills | 2 Wissnanaten so | Por Willisnmy-ort | pate excess Sunty jor Wilasnusfort da = BORPHILADEL PML ORE AND TRE! 4 w Ahem. .1P LA 20 ieee at peikge t = Bits ined Btayees of Pullntas GS Socios For New York only, Limited. Fo hay homiy. ‘Lapres with Diming Oe, £OK PHILADELPHIA ONLY. Faxpress & 104.in. weet and 4p. m. daily, (press, Bunday only, 5 4 p ‘or Boston, withor 1 jor Brookiya. N.Y. ali turowst trai ET See Lee ris except Sunday For Annapolis, 7:20an4 9:00 Wy day, eXoept Sunday. Pm WASHINGTON SOUTHERN RATLWAT. LN EFFECT MAMCH & ISOL ineton 8 “Sato. i036 43, 6215, 70 yonday at 10 10 Cad 70S, T40, chetsand information at the office, « vortheas Ber of 1th etreet aud }enusyivani avenue, and at) Station, WLece orden con ie eft for the checking rer a to New Orleans ia and AY 6p.m.—D ark sind intermediate stations 425 p.m.—Daily, runs to Lynchburg: om Pu‘iman Sleeper to Memphis via Lyuchbun Bristol —Southern Fxpres daily f bum, rt ‘Charlotte, ‘Col ana divimon leave Waste dil a S.'L. TAYLOR, Gen. Pass. Agent. BAL TPIOEE & OMI RAILROAD. Schade ia effect April 1%, 1801 Leave Washington from station corner ef New Jeresy ayenue and C For Chicago and Northwest, Vestibuled Limited sa Press daily, 11:308.m., exp ‘Cincinnati, $30 and 11-30 p.m. a.m. and 5u ‘For Lexi 10:40. 10. For W For New on, East. *4:05, $8: 73000 a.m., Dini 22: = GE oity obits Sa, Soke Ss weet juffet PariorC Bleeping Car cobalt PaiorCur onal ay trai. For Bestor MOP... © “100 Baffet Bleep. ine trois te Boston Boke” aiding “Peaeoneere 3S ge ane “fo a0, v iimngton ead $5and 10:000.m., 12:00 noom, Sundays, 4050 u,b oe - For Cine oi suburban trams see time tables, to behead ofa cket acerca cept Sunny, “Dally. onty. Caived for and checked from lod. reat- Union Transter Co. on ervere ett st tickes (CHESAPEAKE AND OnTO RAILWAY, Scheduie tp offect April 1, 1801 Leave nion Det, oor aad Bee 10:87 a.m. for Newport News. Old Point Comfort am Norfolk, ‘Arrive at Old Point at 6:30 p-am xpress daily for stations in Vie est Virginia, Kentucky and (peinmstl, Sleepers and entire train run tirouch hanye to Cin-innati, arriving at 7:50. FN. vuie Limited, daily. sol trains, “with dining cars, run through without nse to Cincinnati. Vestibule Sleeper for on, Louievisie, and thn to wend. Va. Pulinan Care are open to receive pa angers at 9 p.1n. Office, O15 Pennsylvania avenue. W. FULLER, HORT HOUTE TO LONDON. ‘NOKDD, RUTSCHER LLOYD 8. & 00. em ibe, Welt, 13, 100.m. 16, noon. \aeng ee Ft SEE FROM NEW YORK EVERY WEDNESDAY. LRA OXFORDS. PATENT LEA OXFORDS “ VESTING TOP OZFORDS. roel, doul vi ae LEA. TIP OXFORDS att Mile ive KD Oxyoaps. OOVER & sxYDER tel 2217 Pennayivenis ove. ide tinerierinannmninemeraenseliapemanarena Coxsomrrtox. with e —aeponnnay wafferer who will cond me thetr trees Ra 276