Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-10-18
A Man Hunt.

THE Governor of Missouri has recently
pardOned an inmate of the Penitentiary,
under circumstances which furnish re-
markable and touching instance of what
devoted, trusting and energetic wife can
do for an unfortunate husband. The lat.
ter used to live in Toledo, Ohio, and the
facts of the case are vouched for by re-
spec able journals of that place. Some
time ago he removed to Missouri with his
wife, and early in 1870 the events fell out
that proved so disastrous TO him. 1t ap-
pears that he was not very prosperous,
and had occasion to sell-as nearly the
last of his pOssessions-a pair of fine
horses. For these he received $500 in
clean, new national currency. The stock.
dealer who bought the horses afterward
disappeared. On the next day after the
sale the vender paid out two bills of $40
each. 1t was discovered that they were
counterfeit, and the utterer was prompt
ly arrested and lodged in prison. He, of
course, directly protested his innocence,
and told how he got the money; and the
remaining $3.50 was found on his person
The horsedealer was traced and brought
forward, when, to the horror and amaze
ment of the accused man, he stoutly de-
MED all knowledge of the bad bills, and
swore the money he paid for the horses
was on an Illinois bank. No confrma-
tory evidence of the prisoners tale could
be got, and, as much counterfeit money
had lately been circulated in that region,
public feeling ran strong against him.
He was tried, and, despite his earnest
protestations, and his wiies determined
struggles in his behalf, he was found
guilty, and sentenced to five years i'm
prisonment in the Penitentiary.
But the wife never for a moment be-
lieved him guilty; and, with astonishing
resolution and perlinacity, she now bent
herself to the task of proving his inno-
cence and eflecting his release. To the
latter end she first sought and obtained
interviews with the Governor of Missouri
To him she stated her case as she saw and
believed 1t. But the Governor, although
kind, was firm, The prisoner had been
shown to be guilty. Counterfeiting was
greatly on the increase. 1t was necessary
TO make examples, and there was every
just reason why her husband should be
one of them. He could hold out no hope
save in the condemned's restoration to
his family after five years. The wife
went home, converted all she had into
cash, and thenceforward devoted her
whole time and brain to following the
householder who had given her husband
the spurious notes, with the hope of con-
victing the really guilty person OF that
otfense. Pursuing, him like shadow,
but keeping out of his sight she soon
found that when he went to a place,
counterfeit money was said to be in cir
culation there soon after. This happened at
Freeport, ILL.,, and afterward at Fort
Wayne, Ind. At the latter place she
caused his arrest. But nothing could be
proved against him, and he was set free.
She then dogged him to Canton, Ohio, to
Pittsburgh, Altoona, Lancaster, Cham.
bersburg, Philadelphia, Goshen, Bing.
hampton, Oswego, Elmira, and other
towns in New York, sometimes staying
two or three months in each place. The
man was, however, SO guarded and in.
genious as always to manage to cover his
tracks-in fact he never passed false
''paper" himself at all-and his implaca-
bic pursuer was unable to bring him to
account. At last, however, he fell i'll at
Newton, Sussex County, N. j., and she
believed and proved that her golden OPP
portunity was at last at hand.
When the horse dealer fell in, the wife
OF his victim was at the same hotel She
found out the physician attending HIN
and fraakly told her WHOLE story She