Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-03-02

Il W eAAS INV
Farmers" delivered that amount of bonds to
the Company, and placed them in possession Of
the foregoing facts.
1t appears that, in the meantime, Pinkerton Of
| Chicago, chief of detective force of two hun
dred men, had for some time suspected that Fell
ker was not an honorable detective, but that he
was playing into the hands of criminals when
he could make itpsy. He had accordingly en-
ployed Love, one of his detectives to entrap
him. Love approached Felker and told him
that he had 81, 600 of stolen bonds which he
wished him (Felker) to negotiate for him, and.
that he had $ls, 900 more at the express office.
Felker accepted the proposal and appointed a
meeting that evening to complete the arrange
ment
Love supposing that his plans were meeting
with success, met Felker according to appoint-
ment in room suggested in the city of Chica-i
go and renewed his proposal; but it appears
Felker supposing Love to be what he represent
ed himself to be, had concluded to arrest him
and had stationed policemen to overhear the
conversation. By them Love was arrested and
brought to trial Towards the close of the
trial, when the evidence against Love seemed to
be conclusive, Pinkerton steps forward and tes-i
titles that he had long suspected Felker of be-
ing rascal-that he had employed Love in
the transactions of the business for which he
was on trial-that the s., 900 offered by love.
and the $l8 coo referred to by him, were funds
belonging to him, Pinkerton, and that the Sl6 )
900 were then in his, Pinkerton's possession.
Upon Felkers prOnOuncing the assertion a
d-d lie, Pinkerton drew pistol to shoot him,
but was prevented by others present.
Pinkerton by this time had learned of Eel
kerr negotiating the stolen bonds of the aOhio
Farmers to Price of Milwaukee, and imme-
diately arrested him for being implicated in that
burglary, brought him to Medina County, this
State, and lodged him in jail
1t was soon found, however, that no evidence
could be obtained against him for being eugag-
ed in the burglary, and although he was clear
ly guilty of negotiating stolen bonds-a pene-
tentiary offense-nevertheless it was necessary
that he should be tried for that offense in the
United States District Court, and that in the
district in which the crime was committed; and
therefore, that he must be sent back to Chicago
or Milwaukee.
Felker represented to the officers of the Com
pany that he was a detective Of Chicago; that
there was large and regularly organized band
of burglars throughout the country, by men,
bers of which their safe had been robbed; :
that McRay, Tor NJ M'Crea,) of Springfield,
Illinois, and Wilkinson Of the same state were
leading members Of this organization and were
two of the persons engaged in the "Ohio Far
mer's' robbery; that he himself was conf.
dant of the gang; that he had received some
SIG, 600 of the ''Ohio Farmer s stolen bonds
from Wilkinson, and that he was seeking for
evidence to convict them, but in order to retain.
the confidence of the gang it was necessary for
him to negotiate the bonds. He also stated
that relative of Wilkinson's, s, whom we shall
hereafter style B., an agent of the Company
living but few miles from the Company's Of
flee, had given information to Wilkinson in re-
gard to the safe and its surroundings.
| He returned $4,000 more of the bonds or
their equivalent to the Company and gave as
surance that, in a short time, he would be able
to secure the remainder and bring the criminals
to justice. Upon these considerations, he was
permitted to return, with a statement from the
legal counsel of the company published in the
Chicago papers generating him from all guilty
completely in the matter thus far.
Prior to this, articles had been published in
the Chicago papers commenting upon the inn
portance of the matter and stating that circum-
stances implicated Chief of Police of Milwsu-
kie and their own police as well as detectives
in conniving with burglars in their operations
| Efforts were made to arrest both Wilkinson
and McRay. Love on one occasion visited
Wilkinson at his home, threw down his carpet
sack filed with burglars tools and sought to
secure Wilkinson s confidence; but Wilkinson
sharp enough to see through his designs, told
him that he might as well take up his tools and
leave-that he had mistaken his man.
Subsequently finding Wilkinson's wife weep
ing over an article in a Chicago paper detailing
Felker's operations, and as she claimed his
treachery toward Wilkinson in negotiating the
bonds, Love told her that he was a friend of
Bills (Wilkinson) and that if Bill had got into
trouble he would do what he could to assist him.
/ She informed him that when his services were
needed they would call on him.
McRay was arrested, brought to Cleveland
and placed in jail by members of his own gang,
we understand, to keep him from being arrest
ed in Illinois on another charge. Although his
acknowledgements left little doubt of his guilt
vet for want of evidence he was discharged.
Shortly after Felker's return, Burlison, de-
tective of Akron, charged B, before re-
fsrred to, with being engaged in the burglary,
hoping to induce him to turn Estates evidence" !"
but elected nothing from him except protesta-
tions of innocence and his ignorance of the
whole affair. A few days thereafter Felker
wrote from Chicago to the Company, stating
that Burlison had been charging B. with the
crime, thus indicating that there was commune
ication between B. and the gang in Illinois
from whom Felker claims he received the in
formation.
B. finally arranged with the Company to
90 to Illinois and use his influence to induce
Wilkinson to come to Medina Co., this State,
for the purpose of an interview with the Off
GERS of the COmpany-they giving their pledge
that Wilkinson should not be arrested on his
way thither nor on his return. =
b, in accordance with this arrangement
in company with detective Coulter, went to IL
inois, obtained an interview with Wilkinson,
and laid before him the proposition of the Com
pany.
Wilkinson, it appears, is a blacksmith by
trade, and lives in retired place in the coun-
Il try, well supplied with hiding places and well
calculated as retreat to escape justice.
Upon the guaranty of exemption from arrest