The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-06-10
TAKEN IN ON THE FLY.
4 SLIPPERY SwINDLER WITH A
SHREWD SISTER,

BY THE AID OF SAID STSTER-HIs FINAL
CAPTURE AND ARREsT-A DEFAULTER AND
BIGAMIST ON HIS TRAVELS.
The Cincinnati Enquirer tells the moving
story as follows: Some six or eight weeks
ago Colonel SheIlbaker, chief of police, had
call from one of the secret agents of the
post Office department, to ask his assistance
in hunting up and arresting one Captain H
Il. Mancker, an ex-postmsster OF Winona,
Miss, who was a defsulter to the govern
ment to the extent of $4,000, bigamist to
the measure of three or four wives, a sus-
pected forger, and bad lot generally.
He disported himself under a variety
of names, also Sometimes he appeared
es Henry MsDchers, at others, as
Henry Eaglip, and at still others as Harry
Eggleston. Mancker, it seems, had had
origin somewhere down in western Massa-
chusetts, IN the neighborhood of Pittsfield,
or Lennox, or Great Darlington, or some
other of that group of pleasant little noun
tain towns. He had mt in the late cruel war
and through it, and, taking his little carpet
bag in his hand. had gone south to grow up
with the country. Then when Andy john
son became president, he had been made
postmaster, and here his trou bles began. On
going south, in the year 1865, he had left bis
wife and two children at Pittsfeld, Mass,
bis new home, and instead of
bringing the family he had already
to cheer him in his loneli
ness, he concludedfto start another by mar
rying one of the reigning bellies in the town
he postmastered. From this second alli-
ance he became the father of three more
children. And then his troubles began. 1
seems that in the course ofsix years Mancker
succeeded in manipulating accounts of his |
Office so as TO be ahead between ten and
eleven thousand dollars. Then he skedad
died, leaving another wife and three chill |
dren, besides numerous creditors to
bewail his absence. And so the
government detectives were put on his
track. He next turns up out in Chicago as
Harry Esglin this time, with considera
bic sum OF money and desire to enter
INTO THE WILD LIFE OF SPECULATION
that pervades that town. This was ten years
ago. He started by handling grain in the
abstract, that is by purchasing it in the form
OF warehouse and elevator receipts on a mar
gin, but soon drifted into dealing with it in
tho concrete, that is in the shape of whisky
and beer and other stimulating potables,
which he dispensed across the bar of fash
ionable State street saloon. While thus en-
gagged he again became lonely and pined
tor family ties. So, to avoid the
tTfSIa trouble "a and expense Of sending for
concluded TO marry another, and
nafry he did. He stayed there year may
be after this last matrimonial venture.
Then his troubles began to close in on him
again. The detectives were still engaged In
looking for him, and he learned that his
whereabouts was discovered. So he got up
and skinned out again, leaving Mrs. Name
ker the third to add her tears to those OF her
well, her sisters-in-law we might call
them, perhaps. This was, perhaps, six or
sight months ago. Then he came TO CIncin-
natl to try his fortunes. With good ad
dress and considerable money, and plausi-
| BILE, business-like air about him,
he wasn't long in making ac-
quaintances under the new name
wnicn he had adopted of Henry Eggleston.- :
He boarded at one our downtown hotels,
paid his bills regularly, representing him
self TO be wealthy Southerner, only spend
| ing few months here for his personal eu
ioyment. He lounged around the horee
market on Fifth street good deal, occasion
ally bidding on fine team as Peter Funk
but never becoming the actual owner OF the
horse flesh. Here the detectives somehow
traced him again, but by the time they
rived he had been warned, and had left.
They discovered, though, that he was 10
communication with somebody, and applied
to the chief of police to work up the case.
This somebody, the officer intrusted with
the case, soon discovered was
| NONE OTHER THAN HIS SISTER.
This sister bore the name OF Mrs. Mancker,
an employe in the paper bag mandatory,
and remarkably cool, quick-witted young
widow. She was shadOwed by detective
and followed TO her rooms at No. - East
| Fifth street-a large thres-sto building,
divided up into living rooms on the Eu-
| ropean plan. When her identity thus be-
came known and her whereabouts was dis
covered, Col. Snelbaker set watch on the
premises, in order, If possible. to capture
Mancker, as it was believed that he was still
in this vicinity. For four weeks
this building was watched whenever
sine was in it, and was followed whenever
she left il, bus sil without avail. Her brother
didn't make MS appearance. One thing,
however, vas found out, and that was that
Miss EggleSton took frequent trips to Gov
ingtoD, and JhitEer she was followed one
dav. The man who was watching her got
into the same car, stayed there until sAe got
out, and then followed her to No. - West
Tenth street, COvingtOn, where he saw her
enter the house. This was another link in
the chain of Information they were trying to
make up. They had. found out where she
went to while across the river. The very next
day Colonel Shelbaker's spy struck on
a lead bv mere accident. ae was
standing at the corner of Fourth and Wal
nut streets when boy with an envelope in
his hand came up To him, asking where
Chatfisld IL Woods establishment was.
Without answering the boy ne took the en-
} yelope from his hand aud read the address
on it, "Mrs. Mancker." The envelope had
| Just been sealed and the paste was still
damp. He opened it and read: 81 must
, see you tonight; tell me where TO meet
, you. HENRY" The spy put the letter back
into its envelope, closed it again and showed
the boy the place be was hunting and
, waited tor his return. In few minutes he
came out witt an answer and
TIE SPY BRIBED HIM
this time to let him look at it. He opened
, it and read, 81 am watched both day and
. night. Don't come over here. VIII see you
there" And here the spy made bis mistake.
He felt sure be had his man now. The
woman he knew, the house in Covipgton he
knew, aud ali that remained was to follow
the one to the other and the game would
|, fall into their nets Oyerioved at his good