The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-01-26
A CAREER OF CRIME.


A CRIMINAL WHO HAS ESCAPED JUSTICE FOL
| YEARS-HIs ACCoMPLICEs FROM THIS STATE
| "A LONG COURSE OF CRIME.
The Chicago Times of the 10th inst. gives
| tie facts as follows of notorious criminal
A career of crime almost unparalleled was
concluded yesterday in the conviction, ou
of his own mouth, of James Ritten
house. He has been identified with
criminal records and bsiliffs' orders time
out mind, and he has enacted the role of g
craftsman or coneyman in all the states, in
many yet answersble for tn law>he has
violated and whose penalties he has thus far
evadeO. On the I'd OF December ult., an
officer of the government secret service, en-
route hence TO the southern portion of the
state, by the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy road, recognized in the decrepit
form and aged look of a fellow-passenger
the features of the prisoner for
whom his predecessors in of
| fee have long been in search.
| When the train ieached Aurora, a country
| town in the interior OF this 81 ate, the detec-
tive effected the arrest, and returned with
! him to Chicago. Unable for one to furnish
the required security, he was lodged in Jail,
aud leTt TO commune with himself until the
action of the grand jury transferred the jur-
isdiction of the case TO the district court,
vs.
promised to fight anew the battle he had
previously won, and fed himself on the hope
of speedy deliverance from the tolls OF a
law he had
so OFTEN OUTRAGED.
His advocate was chosen to state Office at
the last election, and when his case was
| called, on Monday last, he appeared in court
manacled and deserted. Time was afforded
hin TO procure counsel, and his prosecution
temporarily delayed. Yesterday morning
his case was again called, and the old man,
tottering with age and verging on hopeless
ness, rose from his place between
two marshals, and renewed his
appeal for continuance. The
/ motion was discussed and considered for a
short time, but finally resulting in denial
the accused, who had borne up bravely, il
| thu term might be allowed in connection
| with crime, succumbed to the logic of fate,
pleaded guilty to the charge of dealing in
counterfeit money, and invoked the Glenn
ency of the court. He was rsmanded TO Jail
until doomsday shall announce his punish
ment, when he will be committed 10 Joliet.
there to remain, in all probability, until an
other summons shall cause him to plead in
! the court from whose decision there is no
appeal. Since his arrest
"A NOTORIOUS PARTICLES
of the prisoner, Pete Mccartney, was ar
rested in st. Louis, where his confinement
at the Four Courts is accompanied by that
of the wife and brother OF RittenhoHse, and
it is believed that he was journeying
thither himself to engage in the nefarious
plst they were detected in. His crimes, in
augurated years ago, was committed in the
Southern part OF Indiana, where gang, con-
sissing of hipself, the Reno brothers, Dan
Cummings, Mike Rogers, and others had
a rendezvous from which they sal
lei forth to prey on the community. Sack
ing towns indifferently defended, robbing
banks, blowing safes and raiding express
messengers in transitu, were deeds that
electrified the advocates of law and order
by these felons committed. Finally, be-
coming objects of the well-directed efforts of
vigilantes, they were put to flight, not, how
ever, till the Reno boys had been gibbeted,
In the darkness of night, from a tree in an
adjacent forest, and the remainder ofthe car
riOn crew, escaping by fortuitous circumstan-
COS, wandered of, separately, only to be re-
united for the commission OF similar
crimes. Later in life, he, in conjunction
with others of like kidney, robbed the
safe of Trueth Il Jacks, at Chillicothe, in
this state, where they succeeded in securing
a large amount, and fed. Subsequently he
was indicted for felony at Cincinnati, but,
being the possessor of money, he gave ball.
spond, and the trustee of his person was
mulcted on the bond. In 1865, he, in COM
pany with Nike Rogers, Miles Ogle, alias
the count, and
PAL FROM INDIANAPOLIS,
started on forsging tour through Iowa,
leaving their mark in every quiet
hamlet and more populous town through
which they passed. They spared none in
- TO-
more pretentiOus abode of the wealthy were,
in turn, made to pay tribute. They obtained
q very large amount. including the contents
of two safes made the repositories of county
taxes, and. after attracting the united pur-
suit of their victims, fled to Cam
ada. For two years they remained
numbered among the citizens OF her
msjesty's dominions, plying their vacations
ana escaping punishment. At the expira-
ton OF this time, Rittenbouse returned TO the
states and soon after became involved in
crime at Detroit; was arrested and indicted;
after which the drama was played in the alb
sence OF the hero, tor, when wanted, it
was discovered that he had demoralized the
confidence of the Detroit citizens in the same
| manner he had deceived the primitive and
| credulOus citizens of the "Queen city,"
bWhen arrested, some $500 in counterfeit
money was found on his person, which,
| though we'll executed and calculated to de-
ceive, were but illustrated evidences of his
guilt. He resides ia Osgood, Ind. where bis
/ wife aud children comforted him until her
arrest, and he is worth upwards of $4,000.
He has long been known TO the police of
prominent cities from the Pacific coast 10
the gulf. but thus far has elnded all
| effort at conviction. he has, in company
with Peter Mccarthy, been leading spirit
among the bands OF outlaws that have in
| tested the West, and his home, refuge tor
pursued convicts. has scarcely ever been
tenantless. At an age whom man is Won't 10
| look to futurity IS haven of rest, bowed
down with age and the weight OF crime, he
contemplates an inhOspitaDle cell in the
state penitentiary, from which he will, in all
| probability, emerge finally, clasped in the
! embrace Of death.