pulp or filter as the water drained from it.' Shellac 

 varnish and a camel's-hair brush soon solved the 

 question, and I was not long in finding what portion 

 of the wire face in connection with the wire water- 

 mark must be closed to produce the shading." He 

 then added, "Explain this to Mr. Nicholas Biddle, 

 and he will see how futile any effort at producing a 

 water-marked paper that cannot be imitated will 

 prove; there are more ways of killing a dog than by 

 hanging him." 



At this stage of the interview Mr. Wood left me 

 alone with the man, afterwards explaining that as I 

 had struck a chord that had made the man more 

 talkative than he had ever been, his presence might 

 be a restraint. After he left, I again expressed regret 

 at the decision of the Inspectors; that I had hoped 

 while working on the dies, to have seen him frequently, 

 and learned his ideas as to the best mode of preventing 

 counterfeiting, which would have been used, as I had 

 suggested, to his advantage, but as he was not allowed 

 to do that kind of work this would be the last time I 

 should see him, and that I was sorry I could not say 

 to Mr. Biddle that he would co-operate with him in 

 his efforts to produce a note that could not be counter- 

 feited, even though he believed that not to be possible. 



Naming Mr. Biddle seemed to rouse a very demon 

 within him, for he passionately exclaimed: "Nicholas 

 Biddle is the last man I would have anything to do 

 with. It was his red-haired emissary that hounded 

 me to where you see me. 1 am what is called an 

 unbeliever. There is not a particle of superstition in 

 me, and yet all the time that fellow was winding me 

 around him, helping me to perfection in my work, 

 I had the feeling that we had met before. I should 

 have seized and throttled him, and charged him with 

 having tried to trap me on an island in the St. Law- 

 rence, but I believed that I had ocular proof that the 

 fellow was drowned. I saw his mutilated remains in 

 Montreal. I saw the clothes he had on when he 

 attempted to escape from the island by swimming the 

 river. I saw some of my own tools that were taken 

 from his pockets when he was dragged from among 

 the cakes of ice in the river. If there is a devil that 

 can take a human form, these two men were the same 

 and that devil." 



After he had quieted a little. I again advised his 

 considering the possibility of obtaining a pardon by 

 aiding in the efforts making to prevent counterfeiting. 

 "No use, no use; you are asking me to do what is 

 impossible." He then added, "I know from what you 

 have said that you believe, with my ability, I might 



have had wealth and position by an honorable course, 

 but you do not know how I was wronged by men then 

 in high position, my family reduced to poverty, my 

 character traduced, nor how sweet revenge is. I 

 swore to have it, and I have kept my oath. By 

 counterfeits undetected I broke their institution and 

 reduced them as low as they did me, but at what a 

 cost. For over thirty years I have been dead to my 

 family and connections; I have lived the life of a dog; 

 I have recklessly squandered all I ever made by hard 

 work and degradation to utter misery; when en- 

 trapped I had no means for my defense, and was 

 deserted by the cowards I had made rich, and had 

 become bound to and entangled with beyond a possi- 

 bility of es-cape. All they did for me was to procure 

 indirectly the attorney that defended me, but it was 

 of no use. That $5 plate would not have convicted 

 me, but that devil had placed among my things the 

 part finished Sio plate that I had refused to work on, 

 and that I now am convinced was a genuine plate 

 belonging to the bank." 



Thinking he had exhausted himself, I was about sig- 

 naling the corridor walker to notify Mr. Wood that 

 I was ready to leave, when he stopped me, saying 

 that if I knew the circumstances that led him into 

 almost a life-course and his present position, I would 

 not judge him so hardly. He had long ago resolved 

 what was left in memory of his early life should die 

 with him; but since he had been talking to me, he 

 had been seized with the feeling that he must unburden 

 himself, not in justification, for that was not possible, 

 but in case of his death, which he hoped and believed 

 would be soon; circumstances might occur that what 

 he proposed to communicate might be used in a way 

 to make some amends for his many misdeeds. With 

 the long story that with marvellous volubility he 

 poured into my ear, we have nothing to do here, save 

 one point, showing what apparent trifles change man's 

 destiny. 



When depending on daily labor to support his 

 family, he was in Boston. Wishing to take some 

 present to his wife, he found that after paying stage- 

 coach fare for over 100 miles to his home, he had just 

 money enough left to purchase a set of silver tea- 

 spoons; but there was no time to have initials engraved 

 on them before the stage would start. The silver 

 smith gave him a burin, showed how to hold and use 

 it. told him to smooth off the face of a copper cent to 

 practice on it before attempting to letter the spoons. 

 He was so successful that his neighbors were glad to 

 have him letter their spoons, thimbles, etc. Then 



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