The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-01-13
THE SIDNEY
and Morgan Worked Their Lille
Game-How They Were Caught.

1885,
upon paying the box rent the party
handed in the name of his friend on a
slip of paper, to be pasted on the box
as is usual, the name of the friend be-
ing given as John F. Wilson.
This party stated at the time that
Wilson was likely to receive a large
amount of important correspondence,
and that the postmaster would be ex-
pected to give the matter some little
attention-more than he would to ordi-
nary correspondence-for which care or
attention he might expect to receive
occasional remuneration in the shape of
a fifty or a hundred dollar bill. The
postmaster thus had his suspicious
aroused, but awaited developments be-
fore reporting.
Wilson received up to the date of
the postmaster's letter to Furay but
very few letters, but the postmaster
had received several letters from points
in Tennessee and Ohio, making inqui-
ries that further awakened and cOn-
firmed his suspicious of foul play on the
part of Wilson. one of the cores
pondents enclosed to the postmaster a
letter, a copy of which is about as fol-
lows, the heading of the letter being
printed:
"SIDNEY House, NEBRASKA,
j. +. Wilson, Proprietor.
CDate), 1877.
DEAR Sm:-I beg leave to state that
on the date, a party by the name of
- giving the name of the party adj
dressed) arrived at this house on the
Black Hills stage, very sick, having
contracted Il cold on the trip. This
cold resulted in pneumonia, which ter
minated in his death in just one week.
| procured for him the best of medical
attention and treatment.
After his death, i'll examining his
effects, as he was Il stranger, | found
among them what seems to be very
valuable mining property in the Black
Hills; also a pair of very superior
mounted pistols; n very valuable gold
watch and chain, etc.
1 also found among his papers your
name, which leads Inc to presume that
you must be a relative, and l have
therefore to say that l will forward to
you his baggage by express or freight,
as you may direct, upon the receipt of
your reply. l should also add that he
owed me for one weeks board, SO; for
amount paid undertaken, SIS. so; total
$2S. 80. Upon the receipt of this
amount | will forward baggage.
Respectfully yours,
join +. WILSON.
p. 81 should also add that he ow-
ed at the drug store for remedies, S4.66
and to the physician, S14.50. But as l
am not individually responsible for this,
you may or may not remit, as seems to
you proper. If you do remit L will en-
close the receipt of these persons with
my reply. J. F. WILSON"
This seemst to have been the substance
of all the numerous letters sent out by
the aforesaid Wilson. 1t at once be-
came evident to Special Agent Furay
that this party Vas playing the old
game known to the postofIice depart
ment rs the trunk and baggage swim
de-"
On account of sickness in his family,
Special Agent Furay could not attend
to the business, but telegraphed to
Special Agent Seybolt, who is now
working under the Chicago office, to
come on and ferret out the swindlers.
Mr.. Seybolt obeyed the summons,
and proceeded to Sidney with a war
rant for the arrest of Wilson. On
Monday last Seybolt telegraphed to
Furay that Wilson, the party aforesaid,
vas zone other than John c. Lee, for
merly of Omaha, and of Pattee lottery
fame, and who is more usually called
Capt. Lee.
On Monday evening Seybolt arrested
Lee and a nan named L. w. Morgan,
and telegraphed that he seemed to have
a sure case on them, as he had captured
the printed letter heads used by the
swindlers in writing to different parties
in the east.
United States District Attorney
Neville and Deputy Marshal Ball, went
out to Sidney on Tuesday to attend the
examination of the parties, who were
examined before a United States Com
missioner and held for trial at the next
term of the United States District
Court ut Omaha.
The punishment for this oifense is
very severe. The Government can al
lege three offenses within six months,
and in each case there is Il heavy fine
and eighteen months Imprisonment,
making a total Imprisonment of four
years and a half in the penitentiary.
The cases are to be pushed to the ex-
treme penalty of the law. [Omaha Bee.
Ellis sells candies at reasonable
prices. and don't RIM away IN esrane