Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-07-24
: THE COUyTERfEITERS, KING,
Shocking Suicide Of Tom Ballard in tho
Albany Penitentiary.
New York World. July u


Albany Penitentiary.
New York World. July IL.
Thomas Ballard. known as the +" King
of the Counterfeiters, committed sni.
eide in the Albany penitentarv vester.
day morning by stabbing himself with
a shoemaker's knife. For some time
ne had been respondent, the efforts of
MS friends to secure his pardon proving
unsuccessful. The criminal career of Bal.
lard was most extraordinary one. He
was the eldest Of four brothers, the
other three being John, Benjamin and
George Ballard, all of whom were coun-
terfelters. They were born near Wat
kin's Glen, N. Y. their father being an
ex-convict. Tom Ballard was the
smartest member of the family. He
was apprenticed to the trade of carriage
painting, and soon mastered the busi.
ness. He then took up printing and
soon became an adebt at that. Finally he
learned engraving, and is said to have
been one of the finest workmen in the
country. He executed a number of
counterfeit plates for western "coni-
ackers," but his first appearance in this
city was on the night ofthe memorable
arrest of Joshua ID. Minor, the contrac.
tractor. He had been suspected for
some time by the United States secret
service officers of counterfeitiny, and
small operator named Harry Coles
was induced to betray him. On the
night of October %, 1871, Ballard hand
ed a package Of counterfeit money to
Minor on the boulevard and was az
rested, and Minor also was captured.
Ballard confessed to Colonel Whi.ly,
Chief of the secret service bureau, that
he was the engraver, and surrendered
several printing presses and plates, and
an iron tank full of strawy pulp used in
initiating the United States fiber paper.
He was committed to Ludlow street
Jail, from which he escaped on the
night Of November Is, 1871, in com.
pany with Billy Brown, of Cincinnati,
and James Quimby, of Philadelphia,
also noted counterfeiters. A reward of
200 was offered by the government
for his apprehension, but nothing fur
ther was heard of him until October IL,
1874, when detective Perkins arrested
him in lonely house on the outskirts
of Buffalo. Ballard, who had $4,000
in counterfeit money on his person, Of
fered desperate resistance, and was
severelywounded before he surrendered.
On the evening of January 16, 1875,
he escaped from the Albany penten-
tary in company with four others.
They cut through two floors to the roof
of the Jail and lowered themselves to
the ground with sheets. Ballard, less
fortunate than his companions, was
recaptured two days after, and on jan
uary q. 1875, having been found guilty
on two indictments was sentenced to
twenty years imprisonment by the
United States court at Albany. On the
following day his wife was found guilty
and sentenced to five years in Onondaga
county jail. He was placed in the shoe
shop in the penitentary, and proved
himself an orderly and Woodworking
man. Tho failure of the efforts of his
friends to procure the pardon
of himself and wife preyed on
his mind and he grew morose
and disagreeable. On leaving his work
Wednesday evening he hid shoe-fin-
isher's knife up his sleeve. When the
keeper opened his cell door yesterday
morning he found Ballard in n dying
condition, his throat cut almost from
ear to ear, and several stab wounds
in his chest and abdomen. Medical as
sistance was Immediately procured, and
the wounds were pronounced fatal.
Billiards. two brothers. John and George
Ballard, live near Gratiot, Wis, and it
is said that his daughter lives in forty
fifth street. The secret service officers
here say that at one time Ballard made
money by the thousands, but that when
arrested he was found to be penniless.