1837-09-02-New York Herald-Beauties of Paper Money

Beauties of Paper Money

New York Herald, 2 September 1837, p. 2

Police, Sept. 1st.—Beauties of Paper Money—A man, named Joseph Bartlett, was brought up, charged by Mr. Eugene Ferris, with passing upon him a $20 bill, purporting to be of the "Kirtland Safety Society Bank," in Ohio, which bank the complainant averred to be brokein and that the note was good for nothing, and that Bartlett knew this when he paid the note to complainant. Bartlett had previously passed two other notes of the same description, to a Mr. Lewis, a tailor, in payment for clothing, but upon a representation of his case, he gave up the property purchased.

We have been informed that this Kirtland Safety Society Bank is not a broken bank, and that Joe Smith, the Mormon Prophet, who is the cashier of the concern, is quite as responsible as one half the shin plaster gentry whose names figure so largely on paper at this particular time.

A witty authur, Rabelias says, the public is every man's donkey, and to be ridden by every knave who has the courage to mount and spur. This was said some time ago before shin plasters were in vogue. In all probability, if Rabelias had lived in New York at the present day he would not have been quite so satirical. Reader, don't you think so? The bills of Joe Smith are elegantly executed. They look almost as well as those of the New York Exchange Company. Were we asked the question, it would puzzle us to say which were the best.

It is rumored, Matthias is having a plate for notes engraved—good again. We'll take them for anything—but payment.