After nearly two years’ search to find the man who was making the most dangerous counterfeit half dollar ever manufactured secret service officers arrested William B. Schwartz, a well-known lawyer of Indianapolis, and an hour later he is said to have confessed. The molds at his house were given up, and an electric battery and a spurious half dollar were found at his office. Schwartz once had a fine practice, but neglected it to care for a deranged wife, who is now in an asylum.
“Minor State News,” The Plymouth Tribune (Plymouth, Indiana), 7 June 1906, p. 3, col. 8; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 4 April 2014).
I got a chuckle too out of the word “dangerous” ! This little news item captures so much of the tragic Schwartz story.
I know this is ridiculous and I understand what they meant but even still when I read the phrase “the most dangerous counterfeit half dollar ever manufactured” I couldn’t help but facetiously wonder if these simple coins did something dangerous like explode. 🙂
LOL!! I believe they are saying they were dangerous because they were so well made. It was hard to tell that they were fakes. But exploding coins would be cool….
Yes, I’m sure that is what they meant but still, funny what it made me think! 🙂