The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1859-11-24
The Rock Island Ceu.s,rfsseers.

We noticed, few days sinse the arrest Of q
gang OF counterfeiters ct Rock Island. BIohLow,
the chief among them, has bean engaged In tho
business Of counterfeiting for forty yeArs, aud
has been convicted at least four times, and ssrv-
cd terms Of imprisonment In four state peniten-
tia1ss. he Is one of an old time class Of outlaws
now thinned out by death,or by bsing overtaken
In their offences
The Davenport Gazette has boon furnished by
an old resident ssyssd particulars Of BiaKLow's
career: In 1889, Biesi.ow his son, and man
named Cox, were arrested at their residence, on
Csmpbell's sland about eight miles up the river.
They employed Q we'll known lawyer here to
defend them. The csse was tried boforc ma
gistrste whose Office was In tho old "brimstone
corner" on Front street. Owing to some defect
In the warrant the criminals were released, the
lawy or receiving for his foo sorrel horse. Alter
Q few days . fArmsr who lived few miles
from Ls Claire, came to town In search Of .
horse which he had lost. Hearing that BioKLow
had given horse for his fse, he took an opportu-
nifty of seeing the horse the lawyer got. Il COM
bad ' hits nee and feet. He was about giving
up the search, when he concluded TO wash the
face Of the snimal; he then found his lost horse
tho lawyer getting nothing for bis fes. The
arrest caused considersbls excitement, and tho
oifios was crowded with spectators. The man
Cox, one Of the prisonsrs seated himssH by tho
stove, and, getting SCOT from out Of tho stove,
blacked his fsos and hands, and the officer who
a. stationed at the door was reques cd 70 lot
the 'nigger man" out. TDe officer, who Is our
Informant, says that as he did not 500 any black
man 60 In the room, he concluded somsthing was
wrong. and stopping the ''nigger," he made him
wash, when the prisoner Cox wH discovered
under the disguise.
BIGELow was q notorious character, and q
very dangerous man in 1910. The Uaited
States Marshall attempted TO arrest him At one
time and found 1t necessary to call On Captain
Az or sending man on ahead Of the posse, the
company were station 81 outside the house TO
prevent an escape Tho spy found BIosLow at
home, and After stopping with him short time
came out 70 inform the "sogers who proceeded
to enter tbs house which thoy now found closed
against outsiders. After psrley they were ad-
mitted by Miss BIGEl0w, but on vainly searching
concluded that tho spy had fooled them, and
were about giviog up tho search whom another
investis alton was proposed, aud upon going into
the cslar, in whica was stored large pale OF po
| tAtoss, they concluded to "oig and sen, )" wher
their labors were rewarded by indiDg BIGELow
| who was buried In the pie, having . blsnks
In their first search he officers had walked owe
| the pile and sounded II. Of course, tho aires
was hailed with great joy, especially by tho gen
tlemsn spy, whose yerscity and bearing, had besr
Questioned.
Many othor stories are related Of this iolt
sinher," who now is in fair way TO close an Ill
spent lie within the gloomy wAlls Of peniten
tinry. He Is now CA years Of sge, and in th,
| course Of nature must soon 60 down to tn,
grave An ouieast from Soc 'sty. Tho officers witt
| made the arrest, informed us tn It for year
they have been on the hunt for thi, mtut, whiol
Is now closed. They were put on this trail bI
some persons arrested at Gslesburg a fsr weak
sgo. BIGELow's family, now at home, are hi
wife, = son aged 12 years, and daughter ago
IA years.