The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-13
LEGISLATOR AND CONVICT.
REPUTABLE MEMBERS or THE ONO
LEGISLATUR AMAZED.
Their Fellow Member from Montgomery
County Proved to be the Notorious Three
Fingered Jack " OF MIchigan Prison.

Their Fellow Member from Montgomery
County Proved to be the Notorious " Three
Fingered Jack" OF MIchIgan Prison.
CGNC1ENAT1, Dec. l1.-John O'Connor, for
merly member Of the Ohio Legislature. was
convicted in the United States Court yesterday
OF forging an affidavit In support of n claim for
apension. He WIS sentenced to ono year in
the Montgomery County Jail in Dayton.
O'Connor astonishcd and chagrined the poo
pie Of Ohio some time ago. lie wns elected to
tho State Legislature. which organized on tho
27th OF January last, rs the representative Of
Montgomery County. In the House roster his
residence was put down as ut the National
Military Asylum. in Dayton. and his occupation
that Of student at law. IA an inmate OF an
asylum for wounded United States soldiers, he
WAS held worthy Of honor. and was warmly
welcomed by the Democratic members. IA one
OF whom he had been elected He was appointed
Chairman OF tho Committee on the Soldiers and
Sailors Orphans Home in Xcnia. and shortly
aiterwnrd he introduced a bill for tho reorEnn7a-
ton OF the institution. AS Chairman Of the
committee he pushed his bill zcalously for pas
scge. regardless Of n lively opposition, 1t WAS
charged by opponents Of the bill thut OConnor
from very unworthy motives. was endeavoring
TO cripple the Home. and then tho inquiry was
set on foot Who was this member from Mont
Eomery y for nobody knew aught OF his life
prior to his election to the Legislature. and he
had been accepted with open arms simply upon
his claims uS specimen Ot wounded ana GRIP
pied loyalty. 1t was not long before replies to
this inquiry began to be received.
At the Soldiers Homo O'Connor had been en-
tored on account Of disabilities incurred in the
naval service but Ne also claimed recognition
a. soldier who had served in tho Twenty
fourth Michigan Regiment. The AdJutant-
General Of Michigan. accordingly, was written
10 and asked for O'Connors military record.
Tho prompt answer was that the record read:
Enlistment. brief service. extending over only
a few months und-dCsprti on,
THIS news WIS published i brought O'Con-
nor TO his feet in the House. He endenvOrcd to
explain that after n sunstrOkc in battle he WIS
sent to the hospital and that before his recov-
cry his regiment was discharged. But before
he had explained away the charge of descrtion
another charge when was thunderbolt. fell
upon him. member went TO Michigan 70
spend his three weeks vacation. and returned
with q letter from the Chief Of Police OF Saginaw.
describing one John OConnor. commonly
known as " Thrce-F Fingered jack" who had
served a term in the Michigan penitentiary for
larceny. Tho letter noticed the absence Of two
fingers from the SUBJECTS right hand lost it
WIS said. ia attempting 10 blow open u safe.
And this description of Three-F fingered Jack
Tailed exactly with the honorable legislator
:. A photograph Of the legislator was sent on to
Saginaw 70 the Chiei Of Police, and he telc-
gruphcd hack: positively identity this as
nv man. Three Fingered Jack"
OConnor wrote letter denying that he
was the Three, Fingered Jack described by
the Saginaw Chief of Police. and this
denial he reiterated In the House: but
when pressed by his fellow members to
then he deded them to undertake an
Investigation. But the evidence came in hotter
and hotter. and OConnor. toward the close OF
tho session. handed in his resignation a.
Chairman OF the Xona Home Committee. II
was not presented TO the House aud AN inquiry
into the truth Of tho allegations foregoing was
ordered. Corncred, the Montgomery member
then grew defiant He demanded what right
the House had 10 10 behind his certificate Of
naturalization. which was Of u date sub
ssquent To the time Of his release from prison.
He found lawyers who on this plea. undertook
the presentation of his case. But witness after
witness positively identified him as Three
Fingered Jack." and he gave over denial. The
question OF his dismissal from the House was
raised. and his seat WIS declared vacant 66 to 10.