New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-07-24

when pursued ty the officers Of the Law.
IN don tons ". ssy tSs ,Ss
than any man In this country, vet by his nanVe ~.
ard shrewdDess, and ty means Of his wealth, wnen
driven to the wall he has nearly ALWAYS managed 70
escape punishment himself BY corrnping poll - ocers,
aud Lot unfrequebuy high Officials. In Montgomery
County he has bad In his time under bis patronage
lawyers, Doctors judges farmers, and men Of a svo
cstions, 20 that almost impossible to even srres,
him when his guilt more than suspected, and sui
more difficult To convict him.
He has been very successful in his operations Pecu
DlaIiy, and Is now reported TO be worth ~ ies,'
so 600. He owns fine re-ideoce in the Twentieth
Nsrd IN this city, bfsde his farm In Montgon cry ana
several other properties Of vslne. His means have
undoubtedly been corsiderabiy reduced by the large
suns expended in eeciiDg bis release when arrested
on sundry charges HehAs, however. notwithstanding
corrupt officials served out terms In Reading Lancas
ter, aid Philadelphia prisons.
Some twenty yea ago he WAS tried at Resnio8 on
the charge of counterf ting, but escaped punsnmen.
by turning States evidence At that time he Disclosed
great deal of interesting information In relation 70 the
manufacturing of cOunte'f-i coin. His aocompce the
notorious Washington Taylor, who was tired ut the
time, finding that CTegar bad dess rted him. en-
deavoTed to take his lie by cutting his own throat
He was fortunately discovered before bis attempt
proved successful and convicted and sent to the Peni
Tertiary.
In 1913 Cregar was arrested in this city on the
charge of beiUg concerned in series of robberles ana
counterfeiting operations at the Gap, in Lancaster
County in npany with the notorious Clemson gang
who infested that region for 30 many cars Clemson,
readers will remember was convicted low
YEAR, ego the charge of passing counterfeit money,
and TO the Penit~Dtary after having escaped JUS
tce On many charges If much serious natu e,
az terminated his existence by hanging himself IN his
cell at Cherry Hill q short time after being admitted
there.
In 1851 a notorious horse thief and counierfeter
named George Burton was arrested by Officer Same
Goudy at the lap rendezvous, in Lancaster County,
who started with him for this city. He had Barton
heavily bsndcufied and iroDed. When they reached
a point near West Philadelphia, and while the cars
were travelling at the rate Of forty miles an hour,
Burton Jumped from the train, and before it could be
stopped, 90 sudden and unexpected was this move
Dent to Mr. Gouldy, he made bis escape. Every ei-
fort was made TO effect his recaptare, bnt 70 no avail
Some time after no wever, Cregar entered the Mayor
Office of Philadelphia, and returned the irons and
hardcufs which had been used for Burton. 1t aP.
pears that the latter escaped injury when he jumped
from the cars, and made his way TO Cregars house,
where he relieved of his pinons, and sent on bis
way rejoicing.
in IS52 Cregar was extensively engaged in coun-
terfeitng tie coin Of the United States at his farn Ia
Montgomery County, and when arrested an exceed
ingly fine lot of connterfstipg Implements ana Dur,
glars tools recovered. The police discovered
these tools while fearchipg the premises for notorious
burglar named Charles ClaIk. While they were max
ing their search in Cregsrs barn they found barrel
Of boots Some months previous the store OF an nom
est oemaker residing IN the old District OF kensiog
ton had been broken into and robbed OF nus entire
stock.
The goods had been carried away in q wagon by two
thieves who tecreed them at Cregars house. All OF
them bad been disposed Of except this barrel full,
which was valued at 500. They were rscogn 1ed by
the officers on accoun of certain stamp waich was
not quite obterated, but nearly 80, as acids had evil
IDENTIFY been used for that purpose.
AS an instance Of the sirewdDess Of Cregar, and the
dishonesty of portion of the police force at that Pc
Rod we will late the in which CregA acted
On this occasion. When he found that the boots were
disoovered, he became exceedingly affection .te, hug
gipR one of the officers aud inviting him from the
barn to his house to partake OF some ssiresnnen.s
The officer agreed to the proposal and after eislng
orders from bis cowrade to keep strict watch on Gre
gsrs movements accompanied the latter to his house
While there, Cregar by the aid of bride OF sev
eral hundred dollars induced the ocer 10 permit MIN
TO go through the back door. He then ran across
coIn-feld and only 'tced by the honest onioer
who remained in the barn, when he bad gone consld'
cradle distance from the house. He gave chase how
ever and pursued him for several miles but was una
BILE TO capture him. true bill was found against him
on This charge and bench warrsnV were issued; but
40 great was the il uence no exercised In Montgomery
that 10 official in that region could DO induced ~ arrest
him,
At this time he had certain officials Of Phlade pha 80
completely under his control that whenever one set OF
ocers started in pur sut another set informed him OF
tie fact and thus enabled bin to escape Fortunately
for Philadelphia dishonest men who were then In the
police force have since been removed
Shortly after this party of the deputy marsha' oil
the United States Court Of this city, went to his farm
in Montgomery county, with be determination OF ar
rtstipg him. and tkOg him into custody dead or awe
They f und him engaged in nefarious operations in
small shed near his residence. He Immediately sus.
pec,.d their design and by his uncommon agility and
az -foos dnees succeeded in making bis escape tie
was subsequently arrested, however, Drought 9eiore
the late Judge Kane aud sentenced 20 nine mouths ln-
rrisoDmen In the Eas'e Penitentary that being the
first time far can learn, that he has ever been
confined in that Institution.
As his term expired he resumed MS counter
81. t1a Il
lent issu on banks 10 different parts of the country
In 1854 be was ares ed by Philadelphia police
m for counereiLing and on that occasion the PROOF
against him overwhelming. lie offered lmm -nse
sums of money TO the Office If they would release
bin, but all biz efforts proved unavaitng. lie was
arraiped for trial. but partly through the efforts OF
his shrewd oouDsel, aud more particu AIRY oy sos eA
traordnsry influence brought TO bear upon much hSher
officials be WAS acquitted. At the rendition OF the
verdict he walked out of the court house with proud
air Of satisfaction saying boldly to the police aud
crowd collectd in Independence square, AN KING
Of the 'Konackers' (cOun. rfeitersl once more -
will bic away to my naive heath.
He returned to his home in Montgomery, and subse-
ouenily stated that bis liberty cost him over three
thousand dollars. Since thea he has been as boa rs
lion, spending most OF his tune 10 phadr,pna, ire
ouently visiting the police office while his pockets were
filed with counterfeit money. Having once been =
colonel in the old militia of Montgomery Coanty, ne
sportsd that title ard WAS in the habit OF giving annual
harvest homes 10 the military assocaious OF TINS ann
other ces. al bis home in Montgomery. On shere
oc aasons ,he moot profose hospitality prevailed and
the comp anies assembled enjoyed themselves hugely
He az gene ally addressed by the title OF Col M
CreRar ard on The occasion of public demonstrations
mad. his appt arsnce in full uniform.
When The military of this city participated IN tns
late reception of the Japanese Embtssy Cregar mao
the eroptery TO d. sire position In the ne out ono
of the officers Col. Charles Thompson Jones OF the
RoxborouRh Dragons, quickly frustrated his design.
Colonel Cregar not to he outdone bv this treatment
particularly he was dressed IN his efs
=, oupttd on spirited and beautiful hore, took up
An isolated position advance Of the procession ana
con,n, d-d universal attention by bis fine bearing pnd