The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-07-25
Rirhmpnn Qispatth,
WEDNESDAY MORNING. July Is, lsso
The King of the Koniaekers Convicted

| convicted In PhliadeipHla. auu scutthceu 10
| five years. solitary confinement In the peni-
| tentiary He owned beautiful farm In
| Montgomery county, Pa. which he had pur-
| chased with money acquired by forging note
against his fathers estate; and here 1t was
| that the counierfeiters OF the North fled for
safety when pursued, or gathered for jollity
| after successful operation.
4 Cregar has perhaps done more to furnish
victims for the penitentiary Than any man in
| this country yet, by his native tact and
1 shrewdness, and by means of his wealth, when
/ driven to the WALL he has nearly always man
1 aged TO escape punishment himself by cor
| IN ptiuR police officers, aud not unfreQ Quently
| higher officials. In Montgomery county he
| has had ia his time under his patronage aud
| control lawyers, doctors. judges, farmers, and
| men of all avocations, SO that il was almost
| impossible to even arrest him when his guilt
| was more than suspected. and s,ill more diff
| ncuit TO convict him.
| He has been very successful in his operations
| pecuniarily, aud is now reported TO be worth
| at least thirty housand d sdolIars. lie owns a
| das residences snrshe K ~tfsiesn ward IN this
| city, besides his farm in Montgomery, and
| several other properties of less value His
| means have undoubtedly been considerably re-
| duced by the large sums expended in effecting
his release when arrested sundry charges.
| He has, however, notwiths landing corrupt Of
fcals, served out terms in Reading, Lancas-
| ter and Philadelphia prisons.
At one time he had certain officials of Phil
| whenever one set of officers started in pur-
sult, another set informed him of the fact and
thus enabled him 10 escape. Fortunately for
Philadelphia, dishonest men who were at the
iime in the police force have since been re-
moved.
Shortly after this, party Of the deputy
marshais of the United States Court, of this
| city, went to his farm in M lontgomery county,
wi the deter ination of arres ting him. and
taking him into custody, dead or alive. They
| found him engaged in netarious operations in
| a small shed near his residence. He immedi-
ately suspected their design, and by his un-
| common agility and t-foo tedness succeed
ed in making his escape. He was subseq uent-
| ly arrested, however, brought before the late
| Judge Kane, and sentenced to nine mon ths'
| imprisonment in the Eastern PenitentiaTy,
that being The first time as far as We can learn,
| that he has ever been confined i'll that ins titu
ton.
As soon as his term expired he resumed his
couuterfe feiting operations, and Hooded the
country with fraudulent issues on banks in
| different parts of The country. In 1854 he was
| arrested by some Philadel phia policemen for
| coun,erfeiting, and on that occasion the proof
/ against him was overwhelming. He offered
| immense sums OF money 10 the officers il they
| would release him, but all his efforts proved
unaVailing He was arraigned for trial but,
partly through the efforts of his shrewd coun-
| sci, and more particularly by some extraordi-
| nary influence brought 10 Dear upon much
| higher officials he was cquitted. AT the rem
| dItlon of the verdict, he walked out of the
=
| saying boldly to the police and crowd col
| lee led in Independence Square, s. [ am king of
| The 'koniackers' (connterteiters,) once more.
| will HE away to my native heath"
| He returned To his home i'll Montgomery,
| and subseQ uently stated that his liberty cost
| MIN over three Thousand doilars. Since then
ne has been bold as Il lion, spending most of
| his time in Philade, phIa, freq uently visiting
the police office whilst his pockets were filled
with counterfeit money. Having once been u
Colonel in the old militia of Montgomery
county, ne sported that title, and was IN the
| habit OF giving annual harvest homes TO the
| military associations of this and other cities,
at his home in Montgomery. On these occa-
| sions the most protuse hospitality prevailed,
and the companies assembled enjoyed Them
selves hugely. He was generally addressed by
the title CT Col. William Cregar, and on the
| occasion of public demonst trations, made his
| appearance in full uniform.
| When the military of this city participated
| in the late reception OF the japanese En- bas ",
| CIegar had the effrontery TO desire position
In the line, but one of the officers, Col. Charles
| Thompson Jones, of the koXborough Ora
| gouns, quickly frustrated his design. Colonel
Cregar, not TO be outdone by this treatment,
| particularly as he was dressed in mis- best reg
mentals, aud mounted on a spirited and beau
| flful horse, took u an isolated position in ad-
| vance OF the procession, and commanded uni
yersal attention by his fine bearing and elegant
equipments. many snpposing him TO be dis
| tIuguished officer from a distance, who had
been invited TO take part in the festivities.
| Heretofore he mad no scruples about carry.
| ing counterfeit money on his person. as that
| was not considered an indictabie offence
| Since the revival OF the penal code, however
| thanks to the efficient State officers who ef.
iected that change when fraudulent issues are
| found i'll large quantities on any person, and
| II Is presumed they intend to pass them such b
persons are liable 10 be arralgne0 for trial.
|
| FATAL BOATING ACCIDENT - Ttro Girl,
Drownsd.-A party OF young persons left Bos-
| ton Friday afternoon in the yacht Thistle, for
a pleasure excursion, the boat neing in charge
of an experienced skipper. The party con-
sisted of four men and seven women The
| Traveller says:
When oft Fort Independence the yacht was
| run into by the schooner Alma of Grandyille
n. S, and was so stove that IL sank almost in :
| stantly, and before any of the party could get
| hold OF any thing with which to buoy them
| selves up. O'Hallaran, the moment the colli-
| sion occurred, jumped on board the Alma a nd
| threw rope 10 the Thistle which was caught
by Jerry Murphy, who was dragged through
| the water by it, the schooner not stopping In
its course. Mary Jane Fitzsimmons got her
| arms around his neck, and chung TO him Till
| they were both saved by boat from the
stea n-tug Walpole, which fortunately was
near at hand at the time Kate Giayin caught
hold of Murphy by the waist, and was taken
along some distance, but was drawn beneath
| the water so much that she was forced to let
20, and she was drowned.
| The rest of the party, with the exception of
| boats that were sent to their assistance frum u
Cape Cod schoon and the Alma and another
| Nova Scotia vessel. The Murphy girl 10
| supposed TO have gone down in the Thistle.
| The first persons reached by boats were
| o Donnell and Lavery, who said they could
| take care of themselves, and directed the res
| cuers to look after the women. They were
| picked up last of ALL and Layery was so ex-
| hausted that he tain ted after being taken from
| the water. 1t was nearly half an hour before
he was rescued. Mary Jane Fitzsimmons
| was so weak that a physician was called whe n
| she reached the wharf as it was thought she
| was dying, but she was comfortable this morn.
| ing Thomas 8owen is not swimmer, but
| he happened TO have his boots off at the time
OF the accident, and was able to keep himself
| from sinking by threading water"
The nine persons picked up by the boats
were taken on board the Walpole and brought
| up 10 the city about six O'Clock AT that time
| II was supposed that o. HaIlaran was drown
| eo, ana MS parents and friends were mourn
| ing Tor him, when about two hours later he
| got home, having been brought no on BaIti-
| more coal vessel He says the accident was
caused by recklessness on the part of those In
| charge OF the Alma, and that they did not use
| proper Efforts 10 save the passengers of the
| Thistle.
The two girls drowned We're each about
| seven teen years Of age. Their bodies have MOI
| been recovered.
FATAL FIgK-Fies Lives Lost.-On Satur-
| day morning last, the dwelling house of Hon
| A. b. Conger, in Rockland county, n Y, took
| fire and was destroyed with several Other
| buildings The dwelling-h -honse was occupied
as a stewards lodge, and tenauted by Thomas
Patterson and family, besides several farm
hands in all fifteen persons. Thomas Long