New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-04-07
A SERIOUS MISTAKE.
general Burke and Captain Costello Ar
rested as Confidence Men.

! From the Pittsburg Commercial
The friends of General Thomas Francis
Burke and Captain A. Costello, the gentle
men who, in company with Mr.. ODonovan
Rosa. addressed the mass meeting at the
City Hall, in this city, few weeks since,
will be surprised to learn that they have
been arrested on charge OF swlndHng.
The Post has been telling its readers that
Rosa, Burke and Costello are confidence
men," in this, that they are travelling about
the country endeavoring to inveigle Irish
| Democrats into the Republican party by
preaching protection doctrines. This IS had
enough, but some of the police of Wheeling
have gone a step further, and absolutely
| caused the arrest Of the distinguished
stumpers on suspicion Of having swindied a
verdant Ohio farmer, named Archer. out o.
| $3.50. The Cumberland -Nc,rs tells the
| story of the arrest as follows:
| On Wednesday morning. in response to a
| dispatch from Captain ConapV, of the
| Wheeling police, Captain Shatter Of this
place, arrested two men, described in the
| dispatch, who came from the East on the
| fast line. They We're found in the sleeping
| car, occupying separate berthS, and when
| informed they were in arrest appeared quite
surprised and indignant. On being taken
from the cars the prisoners were escorted 70
the station house, and placed under guard
to await the arrival of persons from Wheel
eight o'clock, Captain Conant. accompanied
by gentleman to identify the prisoners,
came to Cumberland. One of the prisoners
is described as well dressed. good-lookirs
young man. apparently about twenty-five
years Of age, evidently an Irishman, OF lair
complexion, curly hair, and rather delicate
sE!oustache. He carried an overccat and
valise. The other is mentioned as q stout,
well-dressed man, apparently about thirty
five years Of age. with long heavy black
whiskerss, carrying al oyercoat and travel
ing satcnel.
The men were brought before Justice Ho-
brock for a hearing, and appear to have
carried themselves very independently.
They refused 20 give their names or say
anything about themselves until the case
against them had been developed. but stig-
matiZed the charge as preposteroEs and
their treatment as an outrage. One OF them
said that so absurd was the ease lie did not
know =. whether to be indignant or merry"
Captain Conant, of Wheeling, testified
that Mr.. Archer, in detailing the swindle to
him, described one of the men as a stout
man. with large black whisllers. the other a
small man, with sandy mOustache both
gentcelly dressed. Went and saw Mr..
Goodman, proprietor of the Mcclure House,
as Mr.. Archer had said the man got the
money from him there. They all went to
the room, and found the men gone. Mr..
Goodwin said large man of the description
given had occupied the room. From the
descriptions given, witness believed that
the prisoners were the parties described.
Mr.. Goodwin. Of the Mcclure House,
Wheeling. testified that the stout prisoner
very nearly, ii not quite, resembled the sus-
pected party who had stopped at his house.
The prisoners beard might be little longer
than his guests, he couldn't tell.
There was 70 other testimony, and the |
prisoners protested vehemently and indig |
nantly against being held on this testimony. |
After much talking had been done, they |
were again asked for their names. The |
stout one said:
Il am Thomas Francis Burke-General
Burke And the youn ger one saiC. 'And |
am Augustine L. Costello. If these Wheel
ing gentlemen had looked as much to public
interests as they do to justice they would
have known that we spoke III a public
meeting in Wheeling on Saturday night |
last"
In default Of bail, in the amount of $4,000
each, the prisoners were committed for
hearing, and We're taken on to Wheeling by
Captain Conant.
General Burke wrote. While at the station
house, before the bearing, dispatch, which
he afterwards tore up and threw on the
floor. The pieces were secured and put TO-
gether, and were found 70 read as follows:
CUMBERLAND STATION,
March p, 1871.
Q Donovan Rosa New York:
George Francis Train outdone. Cos. and
l arrested on a charge of being confidence
swindlers. BURKE.
The distinguished prisoners, after reach
ing Wheeling, proved their identity to the
CT the authorities, and were
promptly discharged. They have taken
legal advice. and will undoubtedly prose
cute those who insisted upon their impris-
onment after 5aying been made aware OF
vino they We're.