Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-03-21
A w s Devotion.

The Governor of Missouri has recent-
" pardoned an inmate Of the pcnitentia-
ry. under circumstances which furnish
remarkable and touching instance Of
what a devoted, trusting, and energetic
wife can do for an unfortunate husband.
The latter used to live in Toledo, Ohio,
I and the facts Of bis case are vouchcd for
/ by respectable journals Of that place.
Some time ago he removed to Missouri
with his wife, and carly in 1870 the event
4 fell out that proved so disastrous to him.
1t appears that he was not very prosper
GUS, and had occasion to sell--as nearly
the last of his possessions IA pair of fine
horses. For these he received $500 in
clean, new national currency.
The stock-dcaler who bought the hurs-
es afterwards disappeared On the next
day after the sale the vendor paid out
two bills Of $40 each 1t was discover
ed that they were counterfeit, and the
uttcrcr was promptly arrested and lodged
in prison He, of course, directly pro-
tested his innocence, and told how he
got the money; and the remaining $3.50
was found on his person, The horse
dealer was trnccd and brought forward.
when, to the horror and a,lazement Of
the accused man, he stoutly denied all
1 knowledge of the bad bills and swore the
money was in bills of an Illinois bank.
No confirmatory evidence of the prison
er's tale could be got, aud, as much
counterfeit money had been circulated in
that region, public feeling ran against
him. He was tried, and despite his
earnest protcstatons, and his wifc's de-
termined struggles in his behalf, he was
found guilty, and sentenced to five years
imprisonment in the pententiary.
But the wife never for u moment be-
lievcd him guilty; and with astonishing
resolution and pertinacity she now bent
herself to the task of proving his inno-
ccnce and cffecting his release TO the
latter end she first sought and obtained
interviews with the Governor Of Missouri
To him she stated her ease as he saw and
believed it, 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 everyiust
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 thence forward devoted her
whole time and brain to following the
householder who had given her husband
the spurious notes, with hope Of convict
ing the really guilty person of that Of
fence.
Pursuing him like shadow, but keep
ing out Of sight, she soon found that
when he went to place counterfeit mon
ey was said to be in circulation soon af-
ter. This happened Mt Frceport, Illinois,
and after that at Fort Wayne, Indiana.
At the latter place she caused his arrest.
But nothing could be proved against him
and he was set free. She then logged
him to Canton Ohio, to Pittsburg, AL
toona, Lancaster. Chambcrsburg, Phila.,
Goshen, Binghampton, Oswego, Elmira.
and other towns IN New York, sometimes
staying two or three months in each
place. The man was however 50 guard
ed aud ingenious as always to manage to
bbhfi bi9 u ibh5 III ldHl nc ltFFi Ildbb-
ed false paper himself at all and his i'm
placable pufsuer was unable to bring him
to account At last however. he fell i'll
at Newton, Sussex county, N. j.. aud
she believed and proved that her golden
opportunity was at last at hand.
When the horse-dealer fell i'll, the
wife Of his victim was at the same hotel
She found out the physician attending
him and frankly told her whole story
She described how she had tracked the
cause Of her husbands misfortunes, and
begged the doctor for the sake Of right
and justice 80 help her The physician
was moved by her tale, and agreed TO do
what she asked, which was to give his
patient some depressing but safe mcdi-
cine, and adroitly to lead him to think
that he was in II very critical condition.
This was accordingly done and worked
to charm The patient begged Mt once
for a clergyman, who arriving, pointed
out the necessity of full repentance, and
at this iuncture the wife entered the room
aud mplored the supposed dying man to
repair the great wrong he had done her
husband
The result was that the sufferer made
a deposition before magistrate, confess
ing that he bad passed the five hundred
dollars, as described, and, Furthermore,
that he was member Of an extensive
gang Of counterfeitcrs, his special bust
ness being not to utter bad money. but
to spread it among confedcratcs in differ
cut parts Of the country. He also said
that on the occasion Of making the trade
in question he happened to have no other
money, and greatly wanted the horses.
Armed with this document the now hap
py woman FASTENED back TO Missouri.
laid her evidence before the Governor,
and had the satisfaction of carrying a full
pardon to her husband almost Immediate
ly after. The two are now living Joy
fully together on a farm in South Illinois,
and their case is naturally attracting
abundant comment and congratulation.
N Y Times.