Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-07-24
New York World. July IL.

~''"'h Albany PeIiitentiarr. ,--,
~ H3 New York World, July IL.
Thomas Ballard. known as the "line
of the Counterfeiters," committed sui
eide IN the Albany penitentary yester
day morning by stabbihg himsel with
a shoemaker's' knife For some time
! he had been Respondent, the efforts O
his friends to secure his pardon proving
unsuccessful. The criminal career of Bal
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
llln's Glen, n. Y. their father being an
! ex-cOnvict. 4 Tom Ballard was the
smartest member of the family. He
WAS apprenticed tOothel trade of carriage
painting, and soonsmastered the bust
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 Workmenf ia the
country. He" e&ecttted"a number OIL
counterfeit plates fois western g 4" conf
ack ers," but his first appearance in this
J city was on the light ofthe memorable
arrest Of Joshua D, Minor, the contrac
tractor. He had been suspected fol-
some time by the United States secret
service Officers of lcounterfeitihg,g and
q small operator named Harry Coles
was induced to betray him. On The
nightfof'October rs, 1871, ! allartii hand
4, ed q package, of counterfeit money tic
Minor on the boulevard and was ar
rested, and Minor also was caDtufed
Ballard confessed TO Colonel Whisky,
chief Of the secret service bureau, that
he was the 'engraver, and surrendered
several printing presses and plates, and
an iron tank foil Of strawy pulp used in
initiating the United States fiber paper.
He was cohi}nitted tob LUDLOW street
jail, from which he escaped on the
night Of November 70, 1871, rinrcom-
pany with Billy Brown, Of Cincinnati
and James Qaimby,to of Phiadel phia,
also noted counterfeiters., A reward OF
! s., 900 was offered by the government
for his apprehension, but nothing fur
then WAS heard of him until October 10,
1874, when detective. Perkins arrested
| him in a lonely house on the outskirts
of Buffalo. Ballard, whouhad $115, 00O
| IN counterfeit money, on his person., Of
fered a desperate resistance, and was
severelywOunded before he SURRENDERED.
On the evening of January 16,, 1875,
he escaped from the Albany peniten-
taryt 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 twas sentenced to
Twenty years 1impTisOnmen 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 pententary, and proved
himself an orderly and Woodworking
man, Thefailure ofJthe 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 a shoe-fn-
| isher's knife up his sleeve. When the
keeper opened his cell door yesterday
morning he found Ballard in 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 Wotnds 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.