Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-04-06
THE BIDWELLS.
Interesting Sketches from the Lives Of
the 1--WE Noted Criminals, George
aud Austin BidWell.
Their FOsays on Different Departments
OfBusiness in This COuntry-Preaeh-
ing ResOrted to as a Convent
ence.

CHICAGO, April 5.-The Tribune in
the morning will contain an interesting
account of the careers of George and
Austin Bidwell, recently arrested for
heavy forgeries on the bank of Eng
land. They lived at Grand Rapids,
Michigan, and their first crime was
committed in Cincinnati in 1859 or 1860,
on which occasion they leased a store
on one of the most prominent wholesale
streets, and laid in on credit a large
stock of goods, chiefly teas and spices.
| They also solicited cOnsignments, to be
disposed of at the customary percentage.
Not a cent was advanced on anything
purchased. Their creditors were re-
quested to meet at their place of bust
ness for payment on a certain evening.
All came at the hour, and were
paid with checks on various banks Of
the city, the aggregate amount of which
was sixty thousand dollars. That night
the goods were whisked out of Cincin-
natl, and when the checks were pre-
sented at the counters of the banks on
the following day, it was discovered
that Bidwell had not cent on deposit
| in any financial institution in Cincin-
natl. One of his victims, more energetic
than the rest, traced his goods east, and
| found a portion of them, valued at thir-
teen thousand dollars, in the hands of a
New York lawyer. George Bidwell
next appeared at Grand Rapids with
a third brother, in the role
of a Baptist preacher for which his
clerical appearance well-ftted him.
Stories of his misdeeds had preceded
him, but he was wont to speak of them
as slander, and to berate his traducers
~, a ;,f
of service in the Lords vineyard,
George, in company with some brother,
opened a grocery store at Grand Rapids,
purchasing goods in New York. They
failed soon afterwars, swindling their
creditors out of their entire
dues. In 1864, they appeared in
Chicago. Here they sWindled q candy
man out of four thousand dollars and
then jumped the city. About the same
time Austin Bidwell was obliged to
leave New Orleans for committing
frauds, and he and George united their
fortunes in Wheeling, West Virginia
Here they met with temporary misior-
tune. They purchased a stock of goods, |
and for attempting to make payment
with bogus deeds on property never
theirs and drafts indOrsed with fictitious
names, were arrested, tried and sem
y
fenced to Oimprisonmentin the cOuntyia
for one year and two months after they
escaped and came to Chicago. After
looking around circumspectly for awhile, |
they visited Quincy and obtained from
firm there large stock of goods, chief |
ly tobacco, upon fraudulent representa-
ton of high financial standing in Chi |
cago. The goods were traced to Chicago
and recovered in the freight depot of the
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy rail-
road, and Austin Bidwell was arrested
by q private police agent, and then the
handsome rascal was subjected to the
process of squeezing the detective who
held him in custody without warrant.
Austin was boarded in luxurious style
at the Briggs house, and was taken every
day by the officers to see his wife, who
lived on Eighteenth street, near the
lake. Having at last communicated |
with a lawyer, he was told that he had |
legal right to escape by any means at
his command. Weapons were furnished |
him, and one evening when he reached |
his home on Eighteenth street he !
drew pistol, and turned on |
the detective who accompanied him, |
and told him he had no further |
use for him, and ordered him to leave on |
D6I1A vi LIS lllCs 4nc hdNluE uO
legal right to detain him, his prisoner |
hastily departed. Austin entered the |
house, where he found his brother George |
waiting for him. He babe farewell to his |
wife, and both left for New York imme- |
diately. This was in 1867. George went |
to Boston, leaving George in New York, |
by prearrangement. Under assumed |
names George drew a draft on New |
York and Austin drew one on Boston. |
George was arrested, tried and convicted |
and sent to the Charlestown penitentia- |
ry for five years. Austin was sent to |
Sing Sing for two years. The
trial and conviction were in 1862 JUS
tice followed speedily and equally upon |
the crime, for the brothers were sem
fenced within ten days of each other. |
George was pardoned by the governor of
Massachusetts soon after his incarcera-
ton. Austin served out his full term.
George came west soon after his release,
and was in destitute circumstances.
When in pressing need of money,
he would make his talents
as a swindler available under !
any one of his half dozen aliases,
and by preaching. The last mentioned
occupation seems to have been a never
falling resource up to his final departure
from America, his labors being generally
confined to Michigan, Indiana and New
OrtaaOS