Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-03-08
OR0rrY.
Mccoy has all the while been Feeling for him
and at Last Caught Him-How IL was Done,
and Where--Cro COnfesses.

and at Last Caught Him-How 1t was Done,
and Where Crotty COnfesses.
Tom Crotty is caught Ex-Sherff Mccoy
caught him. Tom is a reckless cuss. He with
two others of the worst desperadoes in the
West had a take out of Mr.. Bayley's safe in
Platteville, last Summer. Tom only went
away as far as Dubuque There he told his
wife all about it and then quarreled with her
aud was about to start off to enjoy his money
with another dove when his W ife 'blowed' on
him. The result was Sheriff Mccoy caught
him and soon afterwards captured his pards
in Chicago. Mccoy kept them all three here
in Jail, making several trips with them to
Platteville for legal examination and down
into the Southern part of the county where
they pretended to have hid valuable papers
stolen from Mr.. Bayley. Very likely they were
irving a confidence game to make an escape
while Mr. Mccoy was using their confidence
for their conviction. By agreement between
District Attorney Carter and Sheriff Mccoy,
Crotty and his pards were not allowed to
communicate with each other. With this OBJ
iect in view Crotty was kept in the wonan's
cell One day when the Sheriff was away
Tom climbed up through the flue and got out,
aud almost let his pards out. His going cree
ated breeze. The Sheriff had caused Grant
County considerable expense in capturing and
keeping these notorious rogues and when
Crotty was gone it was said that proof was
gone and the other two could not be convict
ed Then more expense must be incurred to
look after Crotty and no one believed he
would ever be caught Because of this es-
cape much expense made by Mr.. Mccoy was
not allowed by the County Board to be retund>
edto him--or rather he was not allowed the
pay he claimed. But, although the people
never expected to hear of Crotty again and
had nearly forgotten there was Il rogue of that
name, Mccoy was still feeling around for him.
He found that Crotty had been III La Crosse
and there pawned the revolver ne took when
he made his escape. Some other tracks were
discovered. A week ago last Monday Mr.. Nc
Gov started after him. At Lacrosse through
Capt. Frank Hatch, Chief of Police, he found
to a certainty that the pawned revolver was
the one Crotty had. He tracked the fellow
through Black River Falls and Eau Glare. To
make long story short he finally satisfied
himself that Crotty was away up IN Chippewa
County near the end of the Wisconsin Central
He wanted to be located on railroad that
goes tax free He was in little village called
Phillips, in the dense pine forest 80 or 60 miles
this side of Lake Superior. There he was
employed, by a man to run bagnlo ana
| whiskey sho p. Tom Crotty was fixed behind
| counter where if approached by an officer
be could suddenly throw up the top of the
counter, which was on hinges, between him
and the officer, and then pass out at con-
eealed door behind. 1t was understood by all
those about the bagnio, bawds and doves, that
Crottv was liable to be taken and was to be
protected Mr. Mccoy, by an arrangement
with the conductor, got off the cars outside
the village and approached the hotel where he
had planned to stop, by going around through
| the woods and in the back way. The landlord
took him up to his room and there he romans
ed until next morning. Sheriff koenig of that
county happened there, sixty or hundred
miles from home, which was bit Of good luck
for Mccoy. Koenig had warrant for man
who had sold forged note. Mr.. Mccoy
planned for him to so and arrest Crotty as the
| forrer. take him to the hotel for the man to
! whom the note was sold to see ard if Crotty
was not the man he could 60 Crotty was
| tins easily taken in. He knew he had not
handled the note and was in no danger on that
charge When they got to MeCoy's room
| Crottv passed in first AS he entered the
door Mccoy took him by the collar with his
left hand while holding revolver in the 9TH
err Crottv surrendered, was handcuffed and
nut on the train in a few minutes. At first he
tried hard to persuade Mccoy that he was
mistaken in the man, but Mccoy told him Il
was no difference, he was going TO take him
ANYHOW. They arrived here last Sunday.
Crotty IS a very gabby fellow and told the
Sheriff the romance of his escape. He said
he cot to the Mississippi river, near Clayton
the night he left here. There he found two
logs dashed them together and crossed on
L
them. into Iowa. Then be took rest Al
McGregor he saw his wife, who had given him
away at Dubuque His stopping places were
always at the houses of prostitutes. He is q
strong. burly fellow and it was a risky job to
| capture him But with tie help of Sheriff
Koenig, to whom he gives much credit fol-
his gentemanly assistance, Mr.. Mccoy took
him al easily as if he were pet lamb. He is
now preparing for confession and sentence
Thus these three notorious eharze ters, known
among detectives as among the worst In the
| West ana who are said to be guilty of many
| daring robberies, have been brought to the
only place they are fit to occupy in this world
: the itentiary-through the determined
and persistent efforts Of ex>Sheriff j. B. Me-
| Gov. He has beaten Grant at letting no gull
Is man escape. Such thieves viii now be
afraid to come into Grant County to follow
their profession. Sure conviction and punish-
ment is in the end certain reform
Read the Inaugural OF President
Hayes.