Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-22
A couNrERFE1rER,s LUCK.
The Wife of the Notorious Pete Mccartney
dPp<ies for Dirorce in Chicago Co,&rt
The Career of the Coney Man.

The Wife of the Notorious Pete McCortaey
APpttes for a Dirorce in a Chicago Govt
The Career Of the Coney Man.
lCnicago Times, Dec. 10.
bill for divorce was fled on Yesterday by
Martha Mccartney, in which she states that
she was married to Peter Mccartney in Octo-
her, 1864. In October, 1875, her husband, nm
der an alias of Charles Lang, was convicted of
counterfeitiug at La Porte, Ind, and was SEN
fenced to serve fifteen years in the Indiana
State penitentiary. She therefore asks to hay e
release from him, and also that she may have
the custody of her three children.
Mccartney, or "Old Peter" as he was called
had a wild and checkered career prior to his
being jagged. He was one of the shrewdest
and mast dangerous counterfeiters that infest-
ed the western country, working principally
IN illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Wis
consin, and even in Minnesota. He was
probably the only 'coney' man VINO ever did
complete and thorough ':coney" business on
his own hook. As an engraver his record stood
high. There have been better hands at this
branch of his professionally Nelson briggs
and Tom Ballard could get up better plate
but none OF them were capable of engraving
printing, and showing their own money as
old Pete in the habit of doing At one
| time he owned a farm and considerable prop
erty at Neo.a, ILL.,, where it is believed he did
great deal of his work. While there he cot up
the celebrated $40 treasury note which, at the
time, was the most perfect counterfeit in circu-
lation. But Mccartney did not
ana dealing IN paper monev He haId
| money man as we'll greenhacker. He had
complete sets of dies for making standard gold
coins, and he did something IN silver, which,
however was rather small business for him.
For great many years Old Peter operated
without being serlously molested by the secret
service operatives. Up to Washburns admin
| istration, although he had been arrested several
times, he always managed to square accounts
by turning up some plates, dies, tools, or coun-
terfelt money, probably crossing the palm of
the sagaclous detective with some genuine
chink as well. At time Peter was nearly
run down in Missouri, and he agreed to meet
| the detective at midnight the edge
| of a corn-held. According to the story the
operator told of the interview, Peter came to
| the place OF meeting armed with q shotgun, d
| brace of pistols bowie knife, and other i'm
| PIGMENTS of modern warfare, took up posi-
tlon on one side of the fence and kept the de-
| tective on the other. Under the circumstances
the operator did not try to modest Mccartney,
| who gave up soma dies for the manufacture of
counterfeit money and an old plate which was
of no earthly use to anyone since the bills
printed from 1t were of SO imperfect charac-
ter as to be easily detected. Subsequently
| Charley Anchisi, who one of the sharpest
! blades IN the secret service, happened to be
in Southern Illinois, and heard that Mccartney
was on his farm at Neoga. AS there was suf-
! tclent evidence against him to secure d convic-
tlon, Charley conceived the idea of getting
Peter To Chicago and arresting him. The de
! tect;ve went into the Office of the operative in
this city. The assistant was the Only occupant
at the time, and Anchisi had very little trouble
10 inducing him to go out for a couple Of cigars.
! Whlie the supernumerary was absent Charley
np Soatt i
! aud came across letter from Peter to the
effect that he was ready to come To
Chicago whenever he was wanted
Anchist telegraphel him to come at once ar
rested him at the depot, and turned him into
Jail. he then sent dispatch to the depart
lnent at Washington, and was very much sur
prised two or three days afterward to receive an
order Tor the discharge of the counterfeiter
NO explanation was given for this action.
| Peter always seemed to have some peculia,
| influence with the secret service department a,
Washington, by which he managed eithe,
10 eluoe arrest or to escape pun
lshment after he arrested Early
IN Washburn's administration he vas arrested
In st. Louis by George Alfred Mason who was
subsequently himself arrested for Showing
counterfeit money. He had had dealings with
old Peter, but a dispute arose between them,
and Mason took this means of getting even
with his former pal. Mccartney was incar.
cerated IN the city prison of st. Louis He
| made several efforts to trade with Wasbburn
but without effect In a short time, however,
he found some other parties who
served the same purpose. and on
| the night OF the 9th of February
1875, although suffering from wounds received
at the time Of his arrest, and being unable t.
walk without a crutch, he managed to get out
OF his cell, break hole through the wall of the
jan, and escape. He was recaptured in Texas
but escaped from the United States marshal h,
jumping from flying railway train. This was
reported at the time but people who do not
place i'm piicit trust in such yarns were inclined
to believe that he fixed his custodian. Old Pete,
also escaped from train in Pennsylvania in q
similar manner, only his feet were in irons
and 1t was never satisfactorily explained how
he was able to make the leap. He was again
arrested IN Wisconsin and succeeded in making
another escape. Finally, through the shrewd
operations OF Detective Rathbone, of the secret
service, ne was taken in Indiana, tried and
convicted. and Is now serving out his term OF
fifteen years in the Michigan City penitentiary
Since then nearly everyone who has worked
with Old Peter has been run down and mpris-
oned