Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-18
Saturday Evening, Jan. IS, 1879.
THos. CONYEGHAMs ARREST
A Strange Story from the FOruer's For
mer Home.

A correspondent of the New York
Times telegraphs as follows from
Wilkesbarre, Penn:
The capture at Rio de Janeiro Of
Thomas d. Conyngham, the famous
fOrger, who fed from this city in Au-
gust, 1877, under the shadow Of a
great crime, involving the forgery OF
more than $250,000, is the exciting
theme Of gossip in this city. The
social position Of the fugitive, who is
the son Of an eminent jurist, the late
Judge Conyngham, together with his
former unspotted reputation, as well
IS the startling deed by which he
shook most of the moneyed institu-
tions of this city, all tend to invest
the case with absorbing interest. But
what most engrOsses public specula-
ton Just now is the fact that after such
a long and successful %elusion of the
detectives in England, Spain and
Italy, he should be captured in Brazil
Immediately after the election of his
fellow-townsman and former friend
General Henry NJ. Hoyt, as governor
of Pennsylvania. This conclusion is
all the more remarkable from the fact
that the pardoning power is vested in
the governor, upon the recommends
ton of the State board of pardOns.
which consists of the Encouragement,
secretary of the commonwealth, seere-
tary of internal affairs and the lieu
tenant-governOr.
Now, while no one doubts the pro-
bity Of Governor-elect HOyt. or that
he would do his duty even to the dis
advantage Of his dearest friend, it is
claimed in some quarters that Conyng-
hams arrest has been made all the
more easy because of his election, and
because of the additional probability
that Henry w. Palmer, a member Of
the Wilkesbarre bar, will be appoint
ed attorney general of Pennsylvania.
These things give the gOssips an OPP
pOrtunity of INDUCING in speculations,
no matter how improbable they may
be. 1t has been given out that the
arrest Of COnyngham has been pro-
cured at the instance Of the Second
National Bank of W~ilkesbarre, whose
officers are said to have been specially
jealous in hunting him down: but
this is in some measure ~eOntradicted
by Mr.. Thomas Nesbitt, the president
of that institution, who is authority
for the statement that, although the
bank had detectives employed at one
time, it never offered a reward for
COnyngham s capture, and does not
know who found him in Rio de ia
neiro-in fact, did not know he was
there or had been captured until
the matter appeared in the newspa-
pers. This, the gossips claim, lends
added color 10 their surmises, and is
strengthened By the somewhat sin
guar circumstance that lawyer Lam
berton, who had been travelling in for
eign parts for some time, is credited
with planning the arrest of Conyng-
ham. 1t is said that he was armed
with the necessary papers on leaving
here a few months ago, aud here
again the gossips come in with their
don't tell anybody, but it is our
opinion LambertOn is the agent of the
fugitiye's friends in this whole bust
ness" The brother of the forger.
William l.. Conyngham, Of this city.
admits having been in regular CORE
spondence with him ever since bis de-
parture, and has received letters from
him all the time. He says. somewhat
sadly, that his brother has been a
wsnderer on the face Of tho earth, and
he would prefer being in the peniton-
tiary to living such a life. The fugi-
tive had unlimited credit, and availed
himself Of il by giving notes on New
Haven, Conn, New Jersey, Philadel.
phia, Pottsville and elsewhere. What
he did with his money is . mystery.
His brother says he was a wild specu-
lator, however, and propably lost II
in that way. IL was rumored that
he put seventy thousand dollars in a
banking scheme, set on foot by a man
named Laser, in Hayti. Lazer, since
then, turnes out to be a Spanish Jew,
whose real name is Lazarus. and who
was more concerned for his own fnan.
eial welfare than that Of Conyngham
The question which most concerns the
public at present regarding this re-
markables case is whether it is the
prospect Of a pardon or a lifetime in
the ~penitentiary that has contributed
most 10 Conynghamis capture. The
pardoning power in Pennsylvania has
recently been so lavishly employed
that it is vigorously denounced in va
rious quarters, and there are those who
unhesitatingly declare il 10 be a fail
ure. 1t is not likely that Conyguham
can profit much in this connection by
his acquaintance with Governor Hoyt.
The latter will do bis duty, no matter
who suffers, and unless some better
grounds can be laid than the bare fact
of Conyueham's being 3 native of
WnkesbsrTe II is not likely that he
viii find a speedy release from the
peuitsntiary.