the cave had been used for religious purposes, as a haven in time of distress, as an inn and as a decoy house for murder and robbery. through the widely scattered references to it in early books of travel and in magazines and newspapers we find also occasional indications that it had been, at different times and for short periods, the workshop and headquarters of counterfeiters. there are, indeed, few details concerning its occupation by bandits and criminals of any description; this is the veil of mystery that shrouds it in enduring interest. the knowledge that distinct facts about definite crimes committed there can never be obtained has challenged the imagination of various writers. facts about the counterfeiters who used it are much less in evidence than facts about those following other forms of crime; probably because counterfeiting must of necessity be more secret than other crimes.
there is nothing to indicate that any of the counterfeiters of cave-in-rock were guilty of robbery by force or of murder. the part they played in outlaw river life was in the purchase of goods from passing boats and the payment for these goods in counterfeit coin and currency. not until it was too late would the receivers of such money discover they had been duped. for this reason the counterfeiters could not long use the cave at one time. there were, as far as is known, only three counterfeiters identified with the cave. two of these were among the first lawbreakers to convert the place
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into a workshop for a nefarious trade; the other was among the last of its outlaws.
dr. frederick hall, who went up the ohio in 1839, states in his letters from the east and from the west that “this noted cavern is styled counterfeiters’ cave.” he further comments that “in times gone past, never to revert, it was inhabited by counterfeiters, robbers, and murderers.” charles augustus murray, in his travels in north america, writes of his trip down the ohio in june, 1835. he says that the current report of the country at the time of his visit to the cave, was that when this den of thieves was finally broken up “it contained great quantities of gold, silver, silks, and stuffs, and false money, with an apparatus for coining.”
it is not known what disposition was made of the coining tools and false money referred to by murray. nor is it known what became of any of the apparatus and illegal money left behind by the cave’s other counterfeiters. the person who expresses the opinion that an “upper cave” exists, is likely to add that great quantities of good and bad money are hidden in the undiscovered cavern. the counterfeiters probably carried away all their coin and coining apparatus. the only trace of suggestive evidence preserved today indicating the former occupancy by counterfeiters is the half of a double die or mold which was found many years ago in the vicinity of the cave. it has been cherished as a possible relic of the counterfeiting regime there.
implements and weapons used by the outlaws
counterfeiter’s mold, knife blade, iron tomahawk, and stone idol found in vicinity of cave-in-rock, and a flint-lock pistol of the style used about 1800
this die was seemingly hidden near the cave by one of the men who had used it for the purpose of making counterfeit half-dollars and the large five-dollar gold pieces of those days. it is a double plate of iron four and three-quarter inches long and two and one-quarter inches wide, welded together. the upper plate is one-eighth
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of an inch thick and in it are cut two discs, each being one and one-half inches in diameter and having a gap at the top, opening to a funnel shaped “feeder.” it is said that a particular local clay or some other suitable material was placed in the circle and into this pliable matrix the impression was made of one side of a genuine half-dollar, or of an old style five-dollar gold-piece, which was of about the same size. this formed, when hardened, a more or less durable mold for one side of the new coin. in like manner another mold was prepared in the other half of the coining apparatus for the other side of the counterfeit piece. the two parts of the mold were then placed in proper position and the hot metal poured into the cavity through the funnel-like opening. this process doubtless produced, as a rule, a more or less crude imitation, but since many of the genuine coins of an earlier date were somewhat crude and were still in circulation, the counterfeiters experienced comparatively little trouble in imitating the old pieces.
among the early counterfeiters who made the cave their headquarters for a time was philip alston, who looms large in the romance and gossip of the latter part of the eighteenth and early part of the nineteenth centuries. he was a gentleman by birth, education, and early association. he comes down to us handsome in figure and grand in manner, wearing broad-cloth, ruffles, and lace. he had an air of chivalry to women and of aloofness, superiority, and mystery to men. he was the “raffles” of pioneer days and legend paints him in high colors.
alexander c. finley, in his history of russellville and logan county, kentucky—a unique publication from the standpoint of its style—says philip alston was
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driven out of the south and settled in logan county about 1782. a few years later “his thirst for counterfeiting again returned.” but “feeling insecure” alston moved from place to place in western kentucky. “about 1790 he crossed over the ohio and became the fast friend and disciple of the notorious counterfeiter sturdevant [duff?] at the cave-in-the-rock. but he did not reside here long before he came to himself and wondered how he, the gentlemanly philip alston, although an elegant counterfeiter, could have become the companion of outlaws, robbers, and murderers ... and so he returned to natchez.”35
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it is quite likely that a counterfeiter named duff had been making use of the cave long before the time of philip alston’s short stay at the place. he may be regarded as cave-in-rock’s first outlaw. neither history nor tradition has preserved duff’s christian name. one version suggests that he may have been the john duff who met george rogers clark on the ohio, near fort massac in june, 1778, and who, after some bewilderment, showed general clark the way to kaskaskia. it is not improbable that the two were one and the same man. at any rate, very little is known of john duff, the guide, or of duff the coiner.
governor reynolds in my own times and collins, in his history of kentucky devoted only a few lines to duff, and these lines pertain to his death. the author of a history of union county, kentucky, prints some five pages on his career, based on traditions gathered in 1886. duff apparently lived the latter part of his life in or near cave-in-rock and procured his lead and silver along the saline river and in other sections of southern illinois. he evidently operated a counterfeiter’s den in different places. according to tradition, there were at least three places known as “duff’s fort:” one was at cave-in-rock, another at caseyville, kentucky (near the mouth of tradewater river, fourteen miles above the cave) and a third in illinois, at island ripple on saline river (thirteen miles above its mouth and about twenty-eight miles, via river to the cave). like all outlaws of his and other times, duff was obliged to shift his headquarters. it is probable that some of the localities in which he lived no longer have any traditions regarding his activities there.
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in 1790, philip alston, as stated by finley, fled to the cave and became a “fast friend and disciple” of duff. collins, in his chapter on crittenden county, kentucky, says that duff lived near the mouth of tradewater river in 1799 and then, or shortly thereafter, was killed by shawnee indians and that “there was reason to believe some one residing at fort massac had employed the indians to commit the crime.” governor reynolds briefly states that duff was killed “near island ripple in the saline creek, and was buried near the old salt spring,” and that “it was supposed the indians were hired to commit the murder.” just where he was killed cannot be ascertained with any certainty after a lapse of so many years. there are two or three coves or small caves on saline below island ripple, each of which is known as duff’s cave, and each has a local tradition to the effect that duff was killed in it.
the compiler of a history of union county, kentucky, is the only writer who has gathered any duff traditions, and since he confined his research to the stories told in and near caseyville, his life of this cave-in-rock outlaw does not branch into the many and varied claims made in local traditions of other sections. nevertheless, his sketch of this pioneer and counterfeiter is one that might be accepted as typical of what would be found in the other localities in which duff had made his headquarters. in sum and substance the story runs as follows:
duff lived in a house called “duff’s fort,” which stood near what later became the old site of the christian church in caseyville. here he dispensed a rude but cordial hospitality. on the bluff above was his meadow. the overhanging cliff near his house furnished a shelter for his horses. the shallow cove in
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which they stood is now almost filled with alluvial soil deposited by the little brook which flows near. his household consisted of his wife and a faithful black slave named pompey, who would risk anything or undergo any hardship for his master.
it is said that duff was a brave man and a good strategist; he was seldom found at a disadvantage. he often had narrow escapes in his encounters with the officers of the law and the people living in the vicinity. on one occasion, when he was closely pursued by his enemies, he ran towards his home. there he found his wife at the river doing the family washing. near her was a large iron kettle, in which she was boiling clothes. without hesitation duff upset the kettle, rolled it into the stream, where it was quickly cooled, and lifting the kettle over his head, he plunged into the water. the river was low at this point, enabling him to wade most of the way to the farther bank. before he reached the illinois shore, however, his pursuers appeared on the kentucky side and opened fire. their aim was well directed. several of the bullets struck the kettle, but rebounded without injury to the man beneath. on reaching the dry land he took the kettle from his head. holding it behind him as continued protection, he ran for safety. the pursuers increased their fire. more bullets rained upon the impromptu shield—but duff escaped unhurt to the shelter of the woods.
on another occasion when sorely pressed he took refuge with a mrs. hammack, who was an old-time methodist living in that part of the country. she treated him so kindly that he decided to let her have a glimpse of his hidden treasures. on the appointed day he blindfolded her and his wife and led them by a very circuitous route to a cave. after they were in the mysterious
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cave he removed the bandages from their eyes and, by the light of torches, the two women were enabled to see the large quantities of counterfeit silver and gold coins in boxes and chests stored by duff. he then replaced the bandages and took the two women back to mrs. hammack’s house. mrs. hammack’s impression was that the cave ran into the side of a cliff but, notwithstanding many efforts, she was never able to retrace her steps to the place. mrs. duff related, after her husband’s death, that he had taken her from their home to the cave on another occasion and in the same manner. he then promised her that he would some day show her the way to his cave, but explained at the time that he could not then do so, for his enemies might torture her into a disclosure of his location when he was in it. his intentions were frustrated by his sudden death. there are three different accounts of duff’s death given by local tradition.
one version has it that he was killed by some of the citizens of the county, near the bluff where he quartered his horses. according to this account, a number of men were pursuing him and when he showed fight they were obliged to shoot him. another says he was killed by indians with whom he had quarreled about a dog fight. the following is the version most widely accepted:
duff, three of his associates, and his slave pompey, while in illinois securing white metal, were surprised by about six soldiers sent from golconda, illinois, or some other point below cave-in-rock. the counterfeiters were captured and taken down the river in a boat. handcuffs were placed upon all the white prisoners. pompey had not been manacled because the soldiers carried only four sets of irons and, furthermore, they presumed the negro cared little whether
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his master was doomed. near cave-in-rock they stopped for dinner. when they landed, all the soldiers went ashore except one who was left in charge of the prisoners and the boat. after stacking their arms near the boat, they went into the cave to build a fire and prepare the meal.
one of the prisoners whispered to duff that he found he could slip his irons off. pompey hearing this, passed a file to him and, taking advantage of the absence of the guard, who went ashore for a few minutes, he filed away at duff’s fetters and soon succeeded in breaking them. at a signal, pompey sprang upon the guard and tied him to a tree and then proceeded to liberate the two men chained in the boat. duff and the other unfettered prisoner immediately seized the stacked arms and rushed upon the men in the cave who, having no side arms, were forced to an unconditional surrender.
some of the soldiers were tied and others secured with irons and all thrown into the boat and set afloat. they drifted down the river and, as they were floating opposite the fort from which they had been sent, they were ordered to stop, but of course could not do so. they were fired upon a number of times before the commander discovered their helpless condition. he then sent out a skiff and brought them ashore. in the meantime, duff and his companions had made their way up the river to the saline and had got safely home again.
the inglorious outcome of this expedition greatly incensed the commander of the fort and he was determined upon revenge. he accordingly hired a canadian and three indians to go up the river to duff’s fort and kill him. they were to ingratiate themselves into the good graces of the counterfeiter and watch their opportunity
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to kill him. if they succeeded they were to return and receive a reward.
they arrived in duff’s neighborhood and camped below his house. the canadian soon became friendly with duff, who did not suspect the object of his presence, and was invited to his house. the genial hospitality of the counterfeiter was fatal to the canadian’s plan, and each day he found himself less inclined to carry out his murderous scheme. meanwhile the indians were becoming impatient. one evening they informed the canadian that they had concluded to kill duff the next day, whether he helped or not. he then decided to put duff upon his guard.
the next morning, although duff was drinking rather heavily, the canadian disclosed the plot to him. duff, seizing a stick, rushed from the house, swearing he would whip the indians with it and drive them off. he met them coming towards his house, painted and armed for a conflict. pompey, recognizing the danger his master was facing, rushed to him with a loaded gun, but before it could be used the indians shot duff and his slave. “the leader having fallen,” says the author of a history of union county, kentucky, in concluding his account of duff, “the rest of the gang were speedily dispersed.”36
about a generation after the days of duff there appeared upon the scene a man named sturdevant, whose
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counterfeiting career continued in the cave-in-rock country until 1831. in the meantime the flatboat pirates who had used the cave as their headquarters had disappeared and the mysterious ford’s ferry band was drifting towards its dispersement.
the identity of sturdevant is as vague as that of duff. tradition has it that sturdevant did not counterfeit money in the cave but that, beginning about 1825, and for a short time thereafter, he used the “house of nature” as a “banking house of exchange.” there he met his confederates and exchanged, at an agreed rate, some of the counterfeit money he made in his fortified home nine miles below the cave. judge james hall, in his sketches of the west, published in 1835, devotes two pages to sturdevant. his is the best of the few published accounts. it is well worth quoting in full:
“at a later period [that is, after mason’s time] the celebrated counterfeiter, sturdevant, fixed his residence on the shore of the ohio, in illinois, and for several years set the laws at defiance. he was a man of talent and address. he was possessed of much mechanical genius, was an expert artist and was skilled in some of the sciences. as an engraver he was said to have few superiors; and he excelled in some other branches of art. for several years he resided at a secluded spot in illinois, where all his immediate neighbors were his confederates or persons whose friendship he had conciliated. he could, at any time, by the blowing of a horn, summon some fifty to a hundred armed men to his defense; while the few quiet farmers around, who lived near enough to get their feelings enlisted and who were really not at all implicated in his crimes, rejoiced in the impunity with which he practiced his schemes. he was a grave, quiet, inoffensive man in his manners,
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who commanded the obedience of his comrades and the respect of his neighbors. he had a very excellent farm; his house was one of the best in the country; his domestic arrangements were liberal and well ordered.
“yet this man was the most notorious counterfeiter that ever infested our country and carried on his nefarious art to an extent which no other person has ever attempted. his confederates were scattered over the whole western country, receiving through regular channels of intercourse their supplies of counterfeit bank notes, for which they paid a stipulated price—sixteen dollars in cash for a hundred dollars in counterfeit bills. his security arose, partly from his caution in not allowing his subordinates to pass a counterfeit bill, or to do any other unlawful act in the state in which he lived, and in his obliging them to be especially careful of their deportment in the county of his residence, measures which effectually protected him from the civil authority. although all the counterfeit bank notes with which a vast region was inundated were made in his house, that fact could never be proved by legal evidence. but he secured himself further by having settled around him a band of his lawless dependents who were ready at all times to fight in his defense; and by his conciliatory conduct, which prevented his having any violent enemies. he even enlisted the sympathies of many reputable people in his favor. but he became a great nuisance from the immense quantity of spurious paper which he threw into circulation; and although he never committed any acts of violence himself, and is not known to have sanctioned any, the unprincipled felons by whom he was surrounded were guilty of many acts of desperate atrocity; and sturdevant, though he escaped from the arm of the law, was at last, with all his
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confederates, driven from the country by the enraged people, who rose, almost in mass, to rid themselves of one whose presence they had long considered an evil as well as a disgrace.”
governor reynolds notes that in 1831 sturdevant’s fort was attacked by some regulators, and that one regulator and three counterfeiters were killed, and “the suspected gang broken up.”
james a. rose in his article on “the regulators and flatheads in southern illinois” says: “regulators descended on the sturdevant stronghold only to find that their movements had been spied upon and that they were expected. a number of shots were exchanged; finally a charge was made on the stockade and the door broken down. they found, however, that a small piece of artillery was trained on the stairway leading to the sturdevant stronghold, and a halt was called and reinforcements asked for. during the night sturdevant and his band of criminals managed to make their escape. this is one of the earliest records of the citizens of this region taking the law into their own hands.”
sturdevant was never again heard of in that or any other locality. what became of him is not known. this attack on his headquarters ended forever counterfeiting in the cave-in-rock country.36a
