[Illustration: AGE 15.
_From a Bust._]
[Illustration: AGE 32.
_From a Photo. by Maull & Co., London._]
[Illustration: AGE 41.
_From a Photo. by Van Bosh, Paris._]
[Illustration: PRESENT DAY.
_From a Photo. by Elliott & Fry._]
The Right Hon. Henry Campbell-Bannerman, M.P., is the second son of the
late Sir James Campbell, of Stracathro, Forfarshire. He was educated at
Trinity College, Cambridge (B.A., 1858--M.A., 1861). He is a magistrate
for the counties of Lanark and Kent, and has represented the Stirling
Boroughs in the Liberal interest since December, 1868. He was Financial
Secretary at the War Office from 1871 to 1874; was again appointed
to that office in 1880; and in May, 1882, succeeded Mr. Trevelyan as
Secretary to the Admiralty. On the resignation of Mr. Trevelyan he was
appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland, 1884-5, and has held the office
of Secretary of State for War since 1892.
_Crimes and Criminals._
No. III.--COINERS AND COINING.
[Illustration: FIG. 1.--BURNISHING BOARD.]
The up-to-date counterfeit-money coiner is one of the most difficult
individuals with whom the police have to deal. He is a positive artist.
He no longer cuts shillings with a pair of scissors out of brass
and silvers them over, as was done in the early part of the present
century. He employs more scientific means, and his methods are such
that only men of considerable ingenuity and inventive powers could
possibly hope to bring them to a successful issue. But, alas! as in
most things--woman's in it!--and to the fair sex belongs the first
case on record in which any person appears to have been executed for
counterfeiting the coin of the realm.
In May, 1721, Barbara Spencer had the crime brought home to her
of indulging in the--in those days--highly treasonable pastime of
manufacturing shilling pieces. She employed two other women, Alice
Hall and Elizabeth Bray, to act as her agents, or "passers," and it is
a significant fact that in almost every case of counterfeiting up to
the present day women are employed in this particular branch of the
profession. Barbara, it should be mentioned, was strangled and burned
at Tyburn, on the 5th July, 1721, her accomplices being acquitted.
The question may be asked: Is the manufacture of counterfeit coin in
a flourishing condition? The answer is a very decided affirmative.
True, the convictions against counterfeiters are few and far
between; but that is owing to the very elaborate measures adopted
by the counterfeiters themselves of preventing a knowledge of their
whereabouts becoming the property of the police. Your next-door
neighbour may be a magnificent hand at turning out "five-bob" pieces;
your butcher, greengrocer, and milk purveyor may all be adepts at the
game. In proof of this, examine this bell and its companion. One is an
ordinary electric bell--the other an invalid's bell-push.
Thomas Raven, _alias_ Cooper, Beauchamp, and "Tom the Tailor," was a
tailor in the salubrious neighbourhood of Bethnal Green. The police
made a raid upon the premises and discovered something like 200
pieces of base coin in the cellar below, and between the joists some
lampblack, plaster of Paris, and a spoon which had contained molten
metal. The coiners were fairly caught. It was the duty of the gentleman
in charge of the shop upstairs to give a certain signal with the bell,
to warn the enterprising personages downstairs. A mistake was made, and
the irrepressible Tom remarked, when told the charge: "Well, I have had
a long run; but if they had given the signals right this morning, you
would not have had me now."
It was, indeed, a long run. It took three years to run "Tom the Tailor"
and a lady who helped to get rid of the coin to earth; and it was
believed that the _pseudo_ coat-cutter had been making counterfeit coin
for the last seventeen years, and before that he had acted as coiners'
agent. If time is money, Tom is still at his old occupation--fourteen
years' penal servitude.
New Scotland Yard has every reason to be proud of its counterfeit
collection--it certainly has real and original samples of everything
associated with this glittering profession, which we shall now proceed
to specify. We do so without the slightest qualms of conscience, and
without any fear that anything we may say may lead to anybody admiring
these remarks too greatly, and seeking to imitate. We are informed that
years of practice are necessary to come up to the standard counterfeit
coin of to-day. Take this sovereign, which is accorded the place
of honour in one of the glass cases. It was made in Barcelona, and
actually contains sixteen shillings' worth of gold in its composition.
It would deceive a banker--there is the true, honest, unadulterated
ring about it. Its date is 1862. To those whom it may concern--that is,
those who happen to be in possession of sovereigns of this date--this
fact may be interesting. Beware of Barcelonas!
[Illustration: A SURPRISE FOR THE TAILOR.]
[Illustration: COINERS SURPRISED.]
But this gold piece is an exception. There are two or three thousand
gold and silver coins here--all arranged in the prettiest and most
delightful of heaps--that would not deceive the easiest-going of
individuals. Pennies, sixpences, shillings, two-shilling pieces,
half-crowns, crown pieces, half-sovereigns, and sovereigns are all
here, the most popular, however, amongst the fraternity being the
shilling, two-shilling piece, and half-crown, as people, when they
accept change, are less likely to "try" these than coins of a higher
value. There are some coins here, however, which positively call for
respect. These George IV. half-crowns are perfect. The King's head
is partially worn away by time--grit and dirt, from constant use of
seventy years, are lodged in the creases of the coin. But time did not
wear the King's features away, or constant use provide the dirt. After
the coin was in a finished state it was placed on a burnishing board
(Fig. 1) made of a piece of ordinary deal, with a few tacks stuck in
to hold the coins in position--and rubbed over with an old scrubbing
brush, in order to dull the coin and give it an ancient appearance.
And the dirt? It is here quite handy. It is in a match-box bearing a
portrait of General Gordon, whilst another deposit is in a small tin
whose label tells that it was originally intended for mustard. Both the
match-box and the mustard-tin contain lampblack. The bellows is used
for "blowing-up" purposes (Fig. 2).
[Illustration: FIG. 2--LAMPBLACK, BRUSHES, AND BELLOWS.]
But George IV. is, or was, a great favourite with counterfeiters.
There are such things in this world as lucky sixpences, and they are
signalled out as such charms, should they happen to have a hole bored
through them. Who would not give a mere paltry ordinary sixpence
for one of these bringers of luck, and a George IV. at that? Echo
answers--everybody. We hope Echo will be more careful after learning
the use of this little drill which we are now examining (Fig. 3). It
is used by counterfeiters to bore holes into sixpences, which they can
warrant, seeing that they are their own make. The counterfeit brooch
is not missing from the collection. It had its birth with the issue
of the Jubilee coins, when those who could afford it had one of the
gold Jubilee five-pound pieces--which were coined to the value of over
£250,000--mounted as a brooch, and worn or treasured as a souvenir of
the fiftieth anniversary of Her Majesty's accession to the throne.
Once again the counterfeiter had a chance. True, the Jubilee sixpences
offered him admirable opportunities in the way of giving further point
to the old adage that "All is not gold that glitters." But he went
farther. He made counterfeit half-crowns and five-shilling pieces,
fastened pins to them, and put them on the market, charging but a small
sum for the supplementary fastener.
[Illustration: FIG. 3--COINERS' TOOLS.]
"Well," argued the purchaser, "the coin will always be worth the
money!" Permit us to observe that the price realized for sham coins
rarely exceeds twopence to twopence-halfpenny in the shilling, whilst a
true, sterling shilling would buy four base half-crowns.
[Illustration: FIG. 4.--MOULD FOR FIVE-SHILLING PIECE.]
In order to arrive in some measure at the exact method of manufacture,
it is proposed to examine the curiosities of the New Scotland Yard
counterfeiting cases more minutely.
Every coiner has his "pattern" piece, that is, a genuine piece of
money, which is to give the cast of the coin intended to be copied.
The cast from the true coin is taken in plaster of Paris of the finest
possible quality. There are enough moulds here to thoroughly colonize
a country with counterfeiters! They may be accepted as excellent
examples, for the greater proportion formed part of the stock-in-trade
of the notorious John H----, _alias_ Sydney A----, who was rewarded
with twenty years; some were also found on the premises occupied by a
famous Fulham coiner--whose name we are asked not to publish, but of
whom more anon; others belonged to a worthy who made the fine and large
crown-pieces a speciality (Fig. 4). Some are quite clean, others are
burnt through constant use, not a few show the coin in its rough state,
with the edge uncut and unfiled (Fig. 5), a process performed by an
ordinary pocket-knife and file; whilst a "half-crown" mould reveals the
"get" (Fig. 6), or surplus liquid, which is poured into this receptacle
for making false impressions.
[Illustration: FIG. 5.--COUNTERFEIT COINS (UNFINISHED).]
Here are the lead and ladles (Fig. 7). The ladles belonged to a man who
was forced to submit to twelve years' penal servitude as recently as
1891. They are about one and a half feet long, and are used for melting
the composition on the fire. The ladles are similar to those used by
plumbers, costing perhaps eighteen-pence or a couple of shillings. When
a ladle is not used, then a melting-pot or crucible is called into
requisition (Fig. 8); even a saucepan would not be despised. When a pot
or a saucepan is used the glittering liquid is taken out in a boiling
state by iron spoons--and these spoons, of all shapes and sizes,
designs and prices, are provided with a special corner.
Much speculation has always existed as to the real ingredients of
a counterfeit coin. Solder here is another item in the plumber's
outfit--is often the original foundation. But such lead is very
poor in itself, and tin and bismuth have both been found to possess
excellent hardening properties (Fig. 9). But the finest foundation
for a counterfeit coin is obtained out of a certain receptacle from
which your average working man invariably blows the froth previous
to sampling the contents--pewter-pots! Here we have a reason for the
frequent thefts of the traditional holders of mild and bitter, and
when such a theft is brought home to a man, he is at once surmised, and
very properly so, to be in league with coiners.
[Illustration: FIG. 6.--A HALF-CROWN MOULD, SHOWING "GET".]
Whilst on the subject of pewter-pots, the writer is inclined to relate
an amusing incident, communicated to him by an East-end publican. Some
curious contests take place in Whitechapel and its environs, one of the
most popular of which is that of pewter-pot cleaning, when James, the
potman at the "Three Boot Brushes," meets William, who holds a similar
position at the "Laughing Lobster," in friendly rivalry, to decide who
can clean the greatest number of pewter-pots in an hour.
This particular East-end publican had such a contest at his "house" one
Sunday morning, and after a most exciting contest his own particular
potman won. This was all very comforting. But, by some mysterious
means, the same evening the public-house was robbed of a number of
pots--and all clean, too!
"I wouldn't 'ave minded _that_, sir," said the communicative publican,
with a decided emphasis on the "that," when relating this--"I wouldn't
'ave minded _that_: but what annoyed me was the remarkable number of
bad two-shilling pieces me and the missus took over the counter a week
afterwards!"
[Illustration: FIG. 7.--LEAD AND LADLES.]
The pewter having been melted, the coins having been cast--the two
sides of the mould being kept together by clamps made of strong
hoop-iron, in order to secure a firm impression (Fig. 10)--filed and
edged, and got as near the proper weight of a good coin as possible, a
very important process now takes place. We will take "silver" coins as
an example. The coins are put on battery racks. Several of these are to
be found here--a pair (Fig. 11) near a couple of batteries (Fig. 12)
will suit our purpose well. One is empty, and shows the wires made in
various sizes to hold securely the coin intended to be immersed in the
bath containing the silvering solution. The other, as will be seen in
the illustration, is well charged with coins. The process of silvering
coins is exactly similar to that of plating knives, spoons, forks,
etc., though the vat--which is usually made of iron with a thin lining
of wood--containing the plating liquid is very much smaller than those
used by men engaged in a legitimate business.
[Illustration: FIG. 8.--MELTING-POT AND CRUCIBLES.]
The "charged" rack is now put into the vat. Coins made out of Britannia
metal, tin, or pewter are not dropped into acid before plating, but
into a very strong and boiling hot solution of pure caustic potash.
The coins are then scratched with a small brush especially made for
this purpose, or at once taken from the alkali without having been
immersed in water, and plunged direct into a cyanide of silver solution
at about 190° Fahrenheit. An electric current of great strength is run
through the vat in which are the coins until they begin to receive a
thin coating. After this they undergo a treatment of ordinary plating
solution to receive the full amount of silvering required. This
completed, they are fixed on a burnishing board to relieve them of any
undue brightness.
We have already referred to a board of this kind, but there is one
at New Scotland Yard of peculiar interest. In the first place, it is
curious from the fact that it is made out of the seat of a common
wooden kitchen chair (Fig. 13), and, further, it is surrounded by
far more curiosity when it is known that it once formed part of
the stock-in-trade of one of the most scientific coiners of modern
times. His name can only be hinted at as "the Party from Fulham." He
approached coining from a thoroughly artistic point of view. His ideas
of counterfeiting and gilding were all carried out on the highest
scientific principles, and an examination of his property revealed an
extraordinary state of affairs.
[Illustration: FIG. 9.--TIN AND BISMUTH.]
When arrested he had in his possession 8s. 10-1/2d. in good money,
together with a shilling and two sixpences, which, judging from
their appearance, had evidently been used as "pattern" pieces. But
his home-made coins were as extensive as they were peculiar. They
included 1 five-pound piece, 8 two-pound pieces, 31 sovereigns, 18
half-sovereigns, 125 half-crowns, 51 florins, 101 shillings, and 171
sixpences. A capital and convincing collection! In addition, he had in
the way of manufacturing paraphernalia, 17 moulds, 1 battery, 2 ladles,
a quantity of plaster of Paris, melting-pot, plate of sand, 9 bottles
of chemicals--including gold plating solution and liquid ammonia, a
selection of which receptacles is shown in company with a Leclanché
battery (Fig. 14), made out of a common three-pound jam jar--files,
clamps, brushes, etc.; in short, everything to prove that he was the
one to whom the expression of "You're coining money, old boy!" would be
honestly applied by any enterprising detective anxious to slap him on
the back and to decorate him with "the bracelets."
Perhaps, however, the books he used are the most interesting. These
consist of a couple of standard works on chemistry, which he had
freely interpolated with marginal notes and pencil marks against
anything calculated to assist him in the pursuit of his profession.
But his "private" reference book is the good thing in his pack of
literature. It is a book similar to that which any schoolboy would use
to do his homework in. It contains the addresses of English taverns
in Paris, servants' registry offices, sewing machine dealers, shops
where furniture may be obtained on hire, house agents, money-lenders,
addresses of statesmen, etc. The newspaper cuttings in this volume
are of a varied character, and include an advertisement of "A Young
Gentleman who has a Grand Piano for Sale," "A Good Cure for a Cold,"
"Cure for Chilblains," "Furniture Polish," and prescriptions for
removing surplus hair from the back of the neck, the right treatment
of headaches, the proper ingredients for making a highly satisfactory
mustard plaster, and a certain cure for sluggish livers!
[Illustration: FIG. 10.--CLAMPS AND MOULD CLOSED--WITH CLAMP.]
"The Party from Fulham" adopted--probably in his early career--an
ingenious means of becoming possessed of useful information--a method
which it would be well if those papers who reply indiscriminately to
questions sent them would make note of. He would write to periodicals
asking such simple conundrums as, "Will you kindly tell me the simplest
way to make a battery?" or, "Would you kindly say in an early issue
the simplest way to make solder for silver?" He often got replies,
as is proved from a newspaper cutting, giving an answer to the last
query--an answer we refrain from publishing, seeing that it gives a
very efficacious recipe for the first step towards "making money."
Further, it is presumed that "the Party from Fulham" either kept
a shop, was a receiver of stolen property, or else attended sales
and purchased articles in the hopes of pawning them and securing a
profit--the latter a distinct business in the East-end of London. The
book contains an entry against the name of a well-known pawnbroker,
of "a wedding-ring, 4s.," followed by the bitterly suggestive words,
"ticket lost"! And there are entries relating to everything between a
violin and a paillasse, a brass fender and a blue beaver coat. There is
actually a ticket of admission to a cookery lecture, which all goes to
prove that "the Party from Fulham" was a most prolific personage.
[Illustration: FIG. 11.--BATTERY RACKS.]
We propose saying something as to how counterfeit coins are circulated,
with one or two instances of ingenuity on the part of those responsible
for putting them about. The coins being completely finished, they
are wrapped up in tissue paper (Fig. 15) in parcels of a dozen or
so, with a piece of paper between each coin in order to keep them
from scratching and chinking when passed from one person's hand to
another's. There are usually four persons employed in a delivery of
counterfeit coin to the public: the maker, the agent, or go-between--in
most cases a woman--the buyer, and the passer proper, the latter
individual never knowing who the actual maker is. The bundles of coins
are generally sold at street corners by appointment only or in public
houses. They are conveyed to the rendezvous in many ways, perhaps the
most original of which was that of the man who carried a couple of
bird-cages--one containing a beautiful little singer which trilled away
to its heart's content, and the other full of counterfeit money!
[Illustration: FIG. 12.--ELECTRIC BATTERIES.]
Women, more often than not, lead to a conviction, as the would-be
passer, say of a bad half-crown on a too-confiding grocer, has seldom
more than one bad coin on him. He makes a small purchase at the
grocer's and tenders the coin. The man of sugar and spice looks at it.
"Excuse me, sir," he remarks, "but I think this half-crown is bad!"
Artful one takes it back.
"Dear me, so it is! Ah! that's all right," giving a good one this time.
"Thanks. No, don't trouble to send it home. Good day!"
Had he succeeded in passing the half crown, ten minutes afterwards he
would have been supplied with one equally bad by the lady in waiting
round the corner. This is where the police find such difficulty in
bringing home a conviction to the actual passer, as anybody in these
deceitful days might find himself the unfortunate possessor of a
spurious coin. Perhaps the before-mentioned grocer would complain to a
policeman. The man would be watched. He would be seen to "speak to the
woman." That would be quite enough--and the possibilities are that they
would find the counterfeit coins concealed about her person, as was the
case with a lady whose Christian name was Harriet, and who owned to
thirty-nine years of age at Clerkenwell Police-court, who had no fewer
than forty counterfeit florins sewn up in her dress. It was sufficient
to cast her husband on the hospitality of a country, the inhabitants of
which are not inclined to grumble at being obliged to provide him with
convict comforts for a period of eight years.
[Illustration: FIG 13.--BURNISHING BOARD MADE OUT OF CHAIR SEAT.]
[Illustration: FIG. 14.--LECLANCHÉ BATTERY, AND BOTTLES OF GOLD
SOLUTION, ETC.]
A frequent method employed is to "work" a publican--and this is the
more enterprising on the "passer's" part, seeing that the generality of
publicans are men who are not often to be caught asleep.