endered paper in the usual way that
press copies are taken, placing it on paper saturated with iodine and
putting the two sheets in a letter book under the press, copies being
run off as is usual in copying letters. The operation, however, must
be very rapidly carried out to be successful. As a matter of fact the
certainty of these reactions depends entirely upon the class of paper
used. Paper slightly sized or poorly calendered will not show them.

"Another point consists in knowing how long paper will contain these
reactive properties. In my own experience the fact has been
demonstrated that irregular wetting and rubbing three months old can
be plainly shown after this lapse of time. Characters traced with
glass rod tips could be made conspicuous. I have noticed that
immersing the written paper in a water bath for three to six hours
will secure better reactions, but although these reactions are very
characteristic they are considerably weaker."

CHAPTER XXI

FORGERY AS A PROFESSION

How Professional Forgers Work--Valuable Points for Bankers and
Business Men--Personnel of a Professional Forgery Gang--The Scratcher,
Layer-down, Presenter and Middleman--How Banks Are Defrauded by
Raised and Forged Paper--Detailed Method of the Work--Dividing the
Spoils--Action in Case of Arrest--Employing Attorneys--What "Fall"
Money Is--Fixing a Jury--Politicians with a Pull--Protecting
Criminals--Full Description of How Checks and Drafts Are
Altered--Alterations, Erasures and Chemicals--Raising Any
Paper--Alert Cashiers and Tellers--Different Methods of Protection.

[This Chapter was written for this work by the manager of one of the
largest detective agencies in the United States. They make a specialty
of bank work and from the number of forgers apprehended and convicted
know just how the work is done. A careful reading of this chapter will
put bankers and the public on their guard against the most pestiferous
rascals they have to deal with.]

Professional forgers usually make their homes in large cities. They
are constantly studying schemes and organizing gangs of men to defraud
banks, trust companies and money lenders by means of forged checks,
notes, drafts, bills of exchange, letters of credit, and in some
instances altering registered government and other bonds, and
counterfeitering the bonds of corporations. These bonds they dispose
of or hypothecate to obtain loans on.

A professional forgery gang consists of: