Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-26
A REMARKABLE CAREER.

Suicide Of the Most Notorious Criminal IN
america at the Massachusetts State
Prison.
Boston Special, April %.
Spence Pettis, the most notorious crimi-
nal in America, hanged himself to-day in the
State prison, where he was serving a term
for forgery. He was thief from cradle to
death, and was the terror of honest men
everywhere. His career was a remarkable
one. He began pocket-picklng when child.
Graduating at Columbia college, he soon re-
sumed thieving in and around Fulton mar
ket, but came to grief in Philadelphia, where
he committed BURGLARY. Then he became
a hotel thief and shoplifter, an associate of
first class ''screwsmen," and in short time
committed every crime but murder, and was
punished in various ways, including impris-
onment in London for pocket-picking at the
Crystal palace, and public fogging and
branding at Columbia, s. G. On his return
from the South he stopped at Washington,
and with an accomplice, robbed the govern
ment paymaster of $4,000. Alburtus, his
pal, escaped to Europe, and Spence turned
States evidence.
In the early years of the war, Spence be-
came acquainted with small band of forg
ers who taught him their art He was con-
cerned with Ira Girander and Walter Patter
son in $4,000 forgery on the Bank of
Commerce. With the proceeds of this crime
he bought United States bonds, and forth
with became the most dangerous bond fOrg-
or in the country. He was connected with
the robbery of the United States treasury in
1862, when $4,000, 900 of certificates of in
dehtedness were carried away.
He returned the papers to the government
on condition that ne should be employed as
United States detective. Processing to
know the parties who robbed the Brooklyn
Navy yard, he caused the arrest of a citizen
of Long Island. For this Pettis was in turn
arrested, and committed to jail, being dis
missed from the government service.
He came East and was ar
ties, and after the fercest legal fight ever
kaown in the State was sentenced for ten
years in 1874. Daring his confinement Pet
tbs confessed to stupendous plot against the
Bank of England, and tremen 1ous pressure
was brought to bear to secure his removal to
New York on these cases, but the effort was
successfully resisted by Detective Pinkham.
The Sturm plot was put up by Pettis and
600 was placed upon vessel and cargo worth
500, 900, and the ship was Intentionally run
on the rocks and was lost. In order to show
that Col. Sturm owned large portion of the
cargo, Spence Pettis procured a paid check
made by Sturm. The paper was skillfully
altered and raised to $4,000. The insurance
companies were sued, and the case finally
went by default.
The Bank of England forgeries were COM
mitted in 1871, when $35O,O00 were pro-
cured by gang of sharp operators, who fled
with their booty to this country. Pettis
confessed to manufacturing the dies, plates,
and all the necessary tools for the commits
sion of this great crime. The bonds, etc.,
were to be placed In his hands for such
alterations as might be necessary before dis
posing of them.
Another crime of his was breaking into the
Bank of England, for which Bidwell and
Mcdonald were sent to prison for life.
His wife, who was loyal TO him through
his troubles, died of broken heart a
year ago. since when Pettis has become q
wreck.