The Washington correspondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer says:
A few days ago the Government detectives found that an ingenious Yankee was printing a large amount of rebel treasury notes, of different amounts, mostly, however, of large denominations. They arranged a time, and made a descent upon the “Yank,” when he was surrounded with all his Confederates, papers, &c. He seemed surprised at the appearance of the officers, but quietly went with them. He said he was engaged in crippling the rebel treasury, and thought it very strange he should be molested, as he thought that was their weakest point. “How is this?” asked the astonished officer. “You see” said the Yank,” “these are better than the original article; the originals are worthless; they are unauthorized by law; so I am not counterfeiting. I have not attempted to pass them for money, and really cannot see how I am doing wrong.” “Ah!” said the detective, “of course you were not going to pass them, but you are going to furnish them to the enemy.”
The “Yank” then owned up that he was sending them down to flood the South, and destroy the confidence of the people, when they suddenly found the whole country flooded with a spurious issue, and their only circulation rendered worthless. An investigation showed that he had really sent several hundred thousand dollars through the South, via Tennessee, and sold them at from thirty to fifty cents on the dollar. The case was duly reported to Secretary Seward, the whole apparatus seized and the man allowed to go on his parole for the present. The Secretary frankly admits that this is the toughest case he has met during the war, and he forthwith turned it over to the Secretary of War, who has not yet concluded what to do with the case. Samples of genuine and bogus are here, and it is freely admitted that the “yank” has got up a superior article, which is very difficult to detect.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, March 18, 1862, p. 2
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