The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-05-30
THE CITY.
The Arrest Of the Murderer, Mike smith
Undressing Narrative OF as Capture
and Incidents Connected with IL.

The Arrest Of the Murderer, MIKE SnAisn
.-Interesting Narrative OF i.is Capture
and Incidents Connected with it.
We were yesterday through the politeness Of
Deputy Sheriff J. w. PRINCE. put in possession
Of the incidents connected with the arrest Of
the murderer of Trotter, by him on Wednes-
day of last week, which, as it involves quite an
interesting little narrative, We will give in full
as We received it.
Mr.. Prince after having procured descrip-
tion of the murderer, together with the papers
necessary for his arrest, proceeded at once to
Chicago, and secured the assistance of Allan
Pinkerton, one of the greatest Detectives in
the western country. Pinkerton Immediately
set his men to work to find Smith, but soon
sent Mr.. Prince the information that he had not
arrived in Chicago. Mr.. Prince then left ON
the cars for ST. Louis and while on the way
was telegraphed to by Pinkerton, with the in
formation [received after the departure of
Princel that Smith had after committing the
murder. escaped as far as Hastings in the Ca
noe, when he sunk it, and came on to Dubuque
on the Golden Era. He had then got on the
Itasca and came up to La Crosse, where he
met the Denmark, and proceeded straight to
st. Louis.
On receiving this information, Mr.. Prince
proceeded with post haste to the Chief of Po-
lice of St. Louis, Rawlings, and laid the whole
state of the case before him. Chief Rawlings
then summoned six of his most reliable detec
tives. and put them under the direction of Mr..
Prince, as we'll as giving to the whole Police
force of the city minute description of the
murderer. Stimulated by the hope of the re-
ward, nothing was left undone which could en-
sure his detection. For two days and nights,
the vast Police force of the city were on the
alert, but no signs of the guilty wretch could
be discoyered-no clue to his whereabouts oh
tanned.
Surprising it to be useless to continue the
pursuit further, or proract his stay after such
efforts had proved unavailing, fer the capture
of the fugitive, Dep. Sheriff Prince reluctantly
gave up the pursuit, and crossed the river to
the Depot of o. 4 NJ. r. R. intending to come
directly home. He had scarcely seated him
self in the cars when he overheard two per-
sons on the platform talking. One of them
addressing the other, said Halo Nike" and
made some other remarks in low tone when |
after separating, the person thus addressed
entered the car and took seat near him. There |
could be no doubt of the identity, the descrip- |!
ton was filled perfectly. Prince Immediately |
sought the conductor. made himself and his OBJ |
ject known to him, and was promised by him |
all the assistance in his power. At his request |
the conductor discovered the destination of
the murderer, which proved, from his tickets |
to be Cincinnati.
The starting of the cars prevented anything
further from being done at that time, but Mr..
Prince determined to arrest him at the first
station at which they would stop for any length
of time. Wishing to further assure himself of
the identity of the person. he directed the con-
ductor to engage in conversation within hear
ing of the supposed murderer, about the MUIR
der, while he noted the effect it would have
On arriving at Trenton, about so miles from
st. Louis where the cars were to stop some
time, the conductor stepped on the platform,
and standing by the window next which the
suspected murderer was seated, asked friend
In loud voice. ''have you seen anything of
this Mike Golden down here?" "No, believe
not" replied the other "Well want to find
man called Mike Golden, and I'm bound to
have him-he killed a man up the river and 1
want to catch him!" said the conductor. The
suspected person was apparently doing in his
seat when the conversation commenced but on
hearing his name mentioned, sprang up in the
greatest alarm, and listened brcathlessly to ev-
cry word. When the murder was mentioned,
and be found ne was pursued, he exhibited the
most abject terror and fright! He arose from
his seat, and retreated into the saloon in one
corner of the car, where he remained sometime,
peeping out once or twice, to find whether or
not he was pursued. Seeing no one watching
him, he come out, and went through the cars,
closely followed by Mr.. Prince who had watch
ed the whole proceeding, and was now as
sured he had got the real murderer. determined |
to arrest him at all hazards Smith went thro' |
the train, and seated himself on the platform of |
the last car, ready to jump off when the train |
should start. Mr.. Prince then went up to him |
and said: "Mike Smith, arrest you for MUIR
der!'' Smith drew ferocious knife, the same
with which he killed poor Trotter, and replied:
eff you lay hand on me, will cut your heart |
out" With quick motion Prince drew q |
heavy revolver from his pocket, cooked it, and |
placed it to his head and said, "If you move |
hand or foot, will blow your brains out: you |
had better not resist as shall take you dead |
or alive!" Awed by the determined bearing |
of Prince, all his bravado gave way at once.
"D-d-don't shoot, begged the wretch, 'I'll |
give up. come in" Prince then heavily ironed |
him, and in moment more was seated with |
him in the cars. He proceeded with him as far |
Sandoval, where he met the lightning train 60
ing west and brought his prisoner to St. Lou
Is.
Here he was taken before the Chief of Po- |
lice, to be tried on the requisition. But the !
steamboat Progress was lying at the Levee
and his comrades and friends appeared and by
their testimony, succeeded in proving an abb,
and the prise ner was discharged We have
no comments to make upon this episode of the
narrative. We scarcely know what to say of
this humiliating issue of the affair. We re-
feet on no one. All concerned did their duty.
1t was unfortunate all must confess, that the
eLds of justice should thus be intercepted, If
the prisoner was really the murderer. On this
point the officers of the Progress, could, of
course, give no information, not knowing any
of the circumstances. The Pilot, Of whom
Mr.. Prince speaks highly, stated in converse
ton with him, that although bnt little ac-
quainted, from the nature of his position with
any of those on deck, he felt warranted in GER
tifying to the identity of the prisoner with the
murderer, and even described the knife he
committed the murder with, so that it was al.
most certain that the knife which Mr.. Prince
took from him at Trenton, and now has, was
the same. But all this avaled nothing.
Mr. Prince, after this termination of the pur
suit and arrest, came directly home. We can
not refrain from warmly praising this efficient
officer for the admirable manner he acted du-
ring the whole affair, for The perseverance he
exhibited in carrying it through, and the bra
very in making the arrest, as we'll as the inge-
nuity in managing the plot. Mr.. Prince de-
serves the thanks of the entire community for
the manner in which he sustained its reputation
abroad. When criminals fleeing from our