, 1875-01-23
THE CRIMINAL RECORD,

| THE PRESIDENT PAROoNS CouNTERFEiTER.
| Spec7a4 Dsspatch to The Chieaoo 751oune
| PHILADELPHIA, JAM 22.-About two weeks ago
3 petition was forwarded to the President Of the
| United States asking for the liberation OF Will
lam CEegar, a counterfeiter, from the Easton
Penitentiary. The document was signed by
Disttict-Atsornsy William McM,chael, who rep
resented the United States in the issue against
the prisoner, and nine ct the twelve jurors Who
rendered q verdict for his consignment to jail.
The reason given in the petition WAS that Cregar
was convicted OF a charge OF which he was not
guilty in the opinion Of the petitioners. No re-
sponse was received from Washington until
this morning, when the pardon came BY
the first mail from the State Department
at Washington to the United States
Ma1shals office in this city. Tie reasons given
for this action on the part OF the President are
those specified in the petition, and to give the
pardoned man an opportunity OF testifying in
case now pending before the Register Of Wills
in the matter Of the contest OF the will Of the
late Elizabeth Burns, formerly wife of Cregar.
In this connection, it may be we'll to explain
that, after the last conviction OF the counter
feiter, his wife sued for divorce On the grounds
Of his being convict, and the Court
issued a decree in her favor. This
was followed by her marriage With one
Peter Burns, to whom at her death, she left the
bulk Of her property. This property, which
Was principally real estate, was conveyed to her
by her former husband after his conviction, the
purpose being to leave bis estato in the charge
OF reliable party, and in consideration Of love
aod affection: information OF the pardon was
ton penitentiary, BY Isaac HLazlehurst, Esg., /
who presented the precious document to him.
me imprisoned man received it quietly, but
With apparent contentment, and, shortly
after fdter' man hs walked attsa ont ..a..l 9t jai!
over two years. Cregar WAS arrested on the
last charge on the 14th Of August, 1879. and was
sent to the Penitentiary tho 30th Of the follow
ing November, under sentence OF three years.
The frequent terms Of service to which Cregar
quainted with prison life. His first arrest was
in Reading, about 1885,. He vas boating at that
time. aud was charged with passing counterfeit
money, which Was followed by his con-
victlon. The length OF. the" term he
served st that tim1~~ is not known
When John 8. Keyser uxs Marshal Of Police, BE-
tween the years 1850 and 1858, an arrest Uas
made OF acounterfeit TOR named Wood, who YVES
concerned in the circulation Of counterfeits. |
Upon Information obtained from Wood, or his !
was visited By the Marshal and force OF bis !
men, and implements for :counterfelting found |
there. Cregar escaped, though At the house |
when the oficera arrived. Il VAS Afterwards |
supposed that tho escape was due |
to the assistance Of . nan Who !
Ess then in public Office. On June /
20. 1883 Cregar pleaded guilty to charge Of OBJ !
structing and resisting the United States Mar
shal in the execution Of process and Was sen-
fenced to an imprisonment OF nine months. At |
the November seesion in 1866, of the United |
States Mstrict Court, he was convicted Of having
possession Of paper adanted to making United |
States fractional currency, with intent to use the
same in forging counterfeit money, and was sen