The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-03-30
McLure House Yesterday about noon

Mcclure House. Yesterday about nooi
q gentleman came into the hotel. Th'
gentleman very nearly il not quite re-
sembled this one pointing to the largel
prisoner). l saw him but twice; wher
when 'roomed him and once after
wards. He asked for parlor with bed
room attached. Said be Was looking
for his wife and child to meet him. !
could not give him then the rooms he
asked for but gave kim others. and said
l would change him 10 the evening. |
asked him il he had any baggage. He
said yes, and that it would be up directly
After dinner he asked for writing mate
rial, which sent to him. lie said
come friends would call ou him. The
gentleman refer 10 had dark whiskers.
although perhaps not as long ~ this
gentleman's. He was very nearly the
size OF this gentleman, but wore a dit:
ferent hat (rhe prisoner had seal
skin cap).
Older Prisoner-"Then YOU will not
swear was the man.
Mr.. Goodwin" No, not positively
but you look like the man, and answer
very nearly my recollection OF the one.
1t was three clock when sent up the
writing material. When first saw
Archer, I heard some one talking. 1t
was Archer. He was standing in front
OF a large mirror at the end OF the hall
and talking 10 his reflection, evidently
thinking he was talking TO some one IN
the next room. Archer said he had
been swindled. Showed me the bonds.
Two $1,000 Colorado bonds. and one
$1,000 Southside railroad bonds, neither
OF them signed | told him they were
worthless. | asked him TO show me
the room the men were in, and he took
me to No. l23. He said they had all
walked down street together and parted
at the corner. and one OF the men had
gone to see his sister-in-law. Archer
said the men had been with him three
or four davs One OF them had gone
with him TO the Grant House, and one
W llOiSS - css"
the three men together.
Older Prisoner" Why is the man on
whom it is said | played this confidence
game not hereH
Mr.. Goodwin-'tI don't know
J. P" What kind OF money did the
men get from ArcherY'
Mr.. Goodwin" don't know.
But it is unnecessary 10 detail aay
more of the proceedings at Cumber-
land. The account given by the Cum
berland Nccs and republished yester.
day in the IntclEgcnccr is admitted by
all to be substantially correct.
Capt. Co nant with Gen. Burke, Capt.
Costello aud Mr.. Goodwin arrived here
about halfpast two on Thursday morn
ing. Their promptness and Willingness
in consenting to return 10 this city, and
his knowledge that such men ~ they
themselves TO be had been
IN Wheeling on the previous Saturday.
lead Capt Conant to think that there
was possibility that it might be a case
OF mistaken identity, and that they
might be making truthful statement
of the case, and he resolved to give
them the benefit OF the doubt and yet
make himself secure if il should turn
out that his first idea WAS correct. ln-
stead, therefore, OF locking them up in
jail, he took them To Dailcy's City
Hotel to pass the night, taking the
precaution to place ther in charge OF
two policeman, in case OF accidents.
On Thursday morning Capt. Conant
went to see John Nolan, Esq, in order
to learn if it was true that they were
Glen. Burke and Capt. Costello. OF
course as soon "a Mr.. Nolan saw the
gentlemen he testified a. 10 their
identity. The guard WAS at once dis
missed and the gentlemen were in
formed that they were at liberty. Capt
Conant endeavored to explain to them
his sorrow at the mistake that had hap
pened, but assured them that while he
deeply regretted the annoyance and
trouble he had unwi,tingly caused
them, that he considered he had done
nothing but his duty in the matter. and
that he would, under the same cireum.
stance, do the same thing again. He
begged them 10 understand that he did
not know them al all, and that Gen.
Burkes resemblance 10 the man cali
ing himself Dunlap was 30 close that
every person who had seen both had re-
marked it.
The gentlemen, with the deep wrong
that had been done them still ranking
10 their bosoms, and feeling that their
had been jeopsrdized, did
not take Capt. Couan,'s explanations
and apologies in very good part and
seemed to feel that it was a personal
matter and that they had been made
victims OF the officers tyranny. In a
we had with Geo. Burke.
on Thursday evening, he could hardly
be convinced that Capt Conant had not
known him and that there was any
mistake in the matter. We looked
upon this prejudice as the natural result
Of his indignation at being suspected Of
the crime, and that with coolness would
come that sense Of justice entertained
by every high-toned gentleman, that
makes allowance for mistakes Of this
kind however hard il is To bear their