Page:Memoirs of the United States Secret Service.djvu/70

 thing to induce him to expose his confederates in crime. Some of them were known counterfeiters, and all his associates were marked scoundrels. But they were too vigilant, and too experienced, to place themselves in a position where legal proof could be adduced to convict them; notwithstanding the police well knew they were guilty utterers of forgeries almost innumerable.

Once McCartney was taken, prior to the appointment of the present Chief. "I was not then dealing in coney," said Mac to us. "But I knew where there were large amounts of counterfeit notes and plates of National Banks, and I offered to give up all I had concealed, or which I could get—of money, plates, dies, &c., and I would agree to live anywhere that Government might designate, and would pay the expenses of one of its own officers to watch me, for one year, if they would promise not to pursue me further, but give me the chance to follow some honest business, and give up 'coney' traffic, of which I was tired. But the men then in the Secret Service didn't want me to go out of the coney trade. This was evident to me. They would agree to anything, but would perform nothing, satisfactorily—and so I paid—and run away from 'em. I had done this before, and I repeated it. They couldn't catch and hold me—and they didn't."

"I went to Missouri, then to Minnesota, then up and down the west. I lectured in many places on the art of detecting counterfeit money, and did well. Then I shoved a good many notes, as I travelled—and the officers got upon my trail again. I knew it. I watched them, while they watched me. I practiced dentistry, a while: but this was too slow for me. I found that everybody was down on me. Government officers, police, lawyers, all hands. I had no peace for long at a time—anywhere. And I wanted to get out of the business. But I couldn't see my way."