Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-08-15
The ClncInnnrl swIndIers.

The Cincinnati Swindlers.
McDougal, the chief of tie Cincinnati
swindlers, delivered himself up at Toronto
after the discharge ef Montague, the Clerk of
Messrs. West & MeDougal, who aided in the
embezzlement, McDougal was also dis
charged by the Canadian authorities, his
crime not coming under the provisions of the
Ashburton Treaty. It is stated that the
scamp has the coolness to threaten prosecu-
ton for the $25, 600 taken from the trunks of
| the embezzlers, and returned to the parties
who had been swindled out of it in Cincin-
natl
The Commercial has published an interest
ing history of the fight of McDougal and
hisaccomplices the pursuit of them, capture
of Montague, escape of McDougal, recovery
of the money, and its return to Cincinnati
The fraud has but few parallels in audacity,
and the subsequent events form readable
chapter in police annals. The Commercial
says:
| 1t will be remembered that it was not IN
! til ten clock on the evening of Friday, Aug.
Sd, that Mr.. West communicated his suspi-
cions to the Mayor. Early the next morning
| Saturday officers were dispatched in every
| direction seeking for traces of the defaulters.
Detective Blealzs had been dispatched to Day
ton, but like the others, returned as ignorant
as he went.
During Saturday, Mayor Bishop had been
/ trying his skill as a detective, and learned
that a man had checked two trunks on Fri
day afternoon for Hamilton. This informa-
/ ton he communicated to Bieaks, who took up
the trail and sought the Baggage Master. By
| this interview he learned that man answer
| ing the description of Montague, had brought
| two trunks to the G. II. and D. Depot about
! five o'clock in the afternoon of Friday, sta
| ting that the owners had gone by mistake on
! the 800 Accommodation train, instead ofthe G
/ o'clock through train, as they had intended,
/ and that they would call on the Conductor at
I Hamilton for their checks. The Baggage
/ Master refused to make this arrangement, and
after much conversation, Montague said,
''Well you know me, I'll drive out to my
house at Cumminsville and get on the train
there, and take the checks up myself" The
conductor of the train being found, he de-
scribed the parties as having gone on to De-
troit, and thither Bleaks prepared to follow
by the 7.3O train, on Monday morning.
! 1t appears that in consequence of tree
having fallen across the Dayton & Michigan
Railroad track, near Toledo, McDougal and
his party missed their connection, and were
obliged to lay over at that place. This was
fatal to their plan, for they met Mr.. Baker,
/ of this city, to whom McDougal represented
that he was going on trip East. They
reached Detroit at 7.3O on Saturday evening,
but the men very shrewdly left the train, a
few miles out of the city, leaving Mrs. Nc
| Dougal alone to look after the baggage,
which she did, in the face of a detective, who
had received a despatch mot describing her)
and was watching for them. She removed
the trunks across the river to Canada, where
the men Joined her, and the whole party
took the o clock train on the Great Western
Railroad.
In the meantime Mr.. Baker had arrived
from Detroit, read the papers, and commune
Gated his information to the Police, and when
Bleaks arrived on Monday evening, he was
advised to strike for New York, under the
supposition that they would take Wednesday
I
garded this advice, but sent merchant who
was accompanying him to that city, and took
passage on the Grand Trunk Hamilton, G
W., being the residence of Mr.. Breslin, anC
also a point from which trains diverged il
several directions, he concluded to stop there
He was now forty-eight hours behind thu
runaways. 1t was three o clock on Tuesday
morning when Bleaks entered Hamilton, haV
ing had no sleep for forty hours; he went Il
bed directing the call boy to awaken him a
six; this he failed to do, and it was half pas
9 when he opened his eyes. Rambling aloni
the town, he went back to the depot, and fel
upon an Irish cabman, who described the
parties exactly, and said he had taken then
to the Royal Hotel.
Thither he went, and found upon the regis
ter ~. W. Wallace and lady, st. Louis"
, ~. Delay, St. Louis"
He asked for them, and learned that the.
had left.
stAin't you a policeman ?" says the clerk
EtNot particularly"
{ 'fWeI, if you are, say so, and maybe l cal
tell you something. Well, they came her
f and took the rooms prepared for the Prince
and lived like lords; by Cd they put al
even peck of money into the safe"
He also said they had gone on the steame
Bannarville, which was then just about start
4 ing. Bleaks legged it for the wharf, an
, saw the boat push of, with Montague stand
: ing on the hurricane deck. McDOugal, VIII
: was, by far, the sharpest peeped out of hi
s state room and recognized the officer, bU
Montague swore that he knew him to be
D Canadian. As soon as the boat was of
Bleaks telegraphed to all the intermediat
# points between Hamilton and Toronto, an
9 hired a special locomotive, which made th
= distance Between the two places, fifty-thre
: miles, in sixty-three minutes, exclusive {
t stoppages. In consequence Of an accider
{ the last mile and half had to be performe
Y on foot, and good time, it is said was madt
e McDougal, whose suspicious were aroused b
s seeing Bleaks at Hamilton, was on the watcl
Q and when be saw the locomotive, enquired {
e the captain if that could55be the regular traiI
{ ,.No." saws the captain, i'that is special, an
- they are after some fellow" McDougal il
:, stantly sprang ashore, jumped through Il
door Of cab, cutting himself badly, e
, says the driver, and made his escape. Nor
: tague and the lady landed, and with the
9 baggage were taken into custody by Ofic'
y @. Magellogan, of the Canadian police. 81
y u was searched, gave up the keys and allowe
j to depart. The arrest was made on Tuesds
g at four aclock. The trunks were searches
: and fifteen thousand dollars in gold VI
: found, together with ten thousand six hund
! red in paper money. Bleaks' testimony WI