The Chief of the Secret Service says that the year has been fruitful in that class of criminals who alter bills of small denomination to one of higher value. Any change in a bill renders the maker liable to a fine of $5,000, or fifteen years in prison, or both. The walls of the Secret Service office are covered with samples of counterfeiters' work. The history of each would sound like a dime novel, but the government is certain to catch any one who persists in demoralizing the currency. Chief John E. Wilkie, a first-class Chicago newspaper man, was brought East by Secretary Gage. He has called to his assistance, as Chief Clerk, Mr. W. H. Moran, who learned his business from Mr. Brooks, one of the best detectives any country has yet produced. Other officials tell me the office has never been more ably conducted than it is at present. This bureau is urging that for persistent crime a longer penal sentence shall be given. To illustrate the persistence of two of these criminals, the following extracts from the Secret Service records are, by courtesy of the bureau, submitted: JOHN MULVEY, _alias_ JAMES CLARK, arrested October 16, 1883, at New York, N. Y., for having in possession and passing counterfeit coin. Sentenced, October 22, 1883, to _three years_ in Auburn, N. Y., penitentiary and fined $1. WILLIAM STEVENS, _alias_ JOHN W. MURRAY, _alias_ JACK MULVEY, was again arrested June 14, 1886, at Baltimore, for passing counterfeit 25c. silver coins, and was sentenced, September 7, 1886, to serve _one year_ in Maryland penitentiary and fined $100. Was again arrested under the same name October 5, 1887, at Philadelphia, Pa., for passing and having in possession 25c. coins, and sentenced, December 1, 1887, to _eighteen months_ in the Eastern Penitentiary of Pennsylvania and fined. JOHN W. MURRAY, _alias_ WILLIAM STEVENS, _alias_ JACK MULVEY, was again arrested, July 10, 1889, at Hoboken, N. J., for passing counterfeit standard $1, 25c., and 10c. coins, and sentenced, January 22, 1890, to _six months_ in State Prison at Trenton, N. J., and pay costs. JACK MULVEY, _alias_ JAMES W., _alias_ JOHN CLARK, _alias_ JOHN W. MURRAY, _alias_ "PANTS," _alias_ STEVENS, etc., was again arrested January 12, 1891, at Pittsburg, Pa., for having in possession and attempting to pass counterfeit 50c. coins, and was sentenced, March 5, 1891, to _two years_ in Western Penitentiary at Allegheny, Pa., and fined $25. JOHN MURRAY, _alias_ JACK MULVEY, was again arrested, January 25, 1894, at Chicago, Ill., for manufacturing counterfeit 25c. and 10c. coins and having same in possession, and was sentenced, March 12, 1894, to _three years and six months_ at hard labor in the penitentiary at Joliet, Ill., and to pay a fine of $1.