The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-05
The Leader of the CounterfeiLing
Gang Arrested by Hobbs.
A Skiilrul Piece of Detective Work and n
Daring Bit of Police Duty-Executed
by One Man.
Plans Laid for the Capture of Conner,
the Manufacturer of the Stuff;
How They Were frustrated, and How De
tectivo Hobbs Played 1t AIone-Inci-
dents in Comer's Career.
Special to the 1neianapolls Journa,.

! Special to the InGianaDoIs Journal
| EVANSVILLE, Nov. 3.-In the raid which
was made by the United States marshal and
the secret-service officers, on Wednesday
night upon the counterfeiters in the coun-
try above here, the leader and most danger
Gus member of the gang-the man who had
been manufacturing the spurious coin-was
not arrested, as the plans which had been
made for his capture were frustrated by the
wounding of Jack Killian, the
detective and the officers had
grave fears that he would make
his escape. The name of the manufacturer
of the counterfeit is Tom. Conner alias Tom.
Condor an old and dangerous criminal, who
has served one or two terms in the peniten-
tiary The place where he conducted the
business of manufacturing was located
in the hills of the wild country
between Huntingburg and New AL
bany, near the village of Frenchtown, in
Harrison county, several miles from the
nearest railway station. The house in which
ne lived and worked was a rude two-story
log-cabin situated on the top of a hill, from
which he commanded a clear view of the
approaches in any direction for aquarter of
mile or more. In this house he manu-
factured the coin which was circulated by
the members of the gang in Indiana and
nelghboring States, giving no attention to
the cultivation OF the farm, as his business
in counterfeiting had grown until it occu-
pied all his time. The utmost vigilance was
exerted, and no person was admitted to the
house who could not give the countersign
known to the members of the gang. The
house was something of an armory, and the
weapons were always kept in convenient
places ready for use. Comer's wife was an
expert in handling the revolver, and had
been trained in its use for defense should
any attempt ever be made to arrest her hus-
band in the house. Conner had determined
not to be captured alive, Il will die before
l will go to the penitentiary again." he had
often said to 'the boys" and the officers,
therefore, had planned his capture with eau
ton.
Last August Jack Killian. the detective,
was taken to Comer's house by "Lum"
Houchins and introduced as his brother.
They were told then that whenever they
came to the house they should never rap at
the door, but to call out Tom" The plan
| for the capture of Conner had been to send
Killian, who was known to him as one of
the Houchins boys to the house. aud thathe
should take Hobbs with him, whom he
would introduce as friend. They
were then to take advantage OF the
first opportunity for seizing Conner,
v-ifa c1Ou1I oil
any attempt to shoot, one of the detectives
should give her a blow that would for
time render her unconscious. In the mean
time the officers who were to be lying in
concealment on the outside would upon
the signal being given by Hobbs and Killian,
rush to the house and make Conner and his
wife captives. The wounding of Kllian in
the fight on Wednesday night with the
Houchins boys made it necessary, however,
to abandon this plan, and it was the inten-
ton of the officers to make no attempt to
capture Conner at present He was known
to be desperate and dangerous man, and,
| if given an opportunity to shoot, it was be-
lieved that he would make his capture cost
| the life of at least one better than his own.
HoBBss WORK IN ARREsTING CONFER.
After all the other officers had returned to
Indianapolis, and it was supposed no more
arrests would be made Robert Hobbs, the
young detective who has shown such remark
| able shrewdness and bravery in his work
upon the case, boarded the L. e. e. ST. L.
train at Huntingburg, on Friday morning
before daylight and went up to Milltown,
the nearest station to French
town, with the intention of cap
| turing Conner, dangerous as it had
seemed. At Milltown he left water proof
| coat, which he had taken with him, and
! when questioned about his business said that
| lie was going into the country to buy tim
Der, but would probably return to the place
| in two or three days. From Milltown he
walked to Frenchtown, and from there
started out to find the place where Conner
| lived. He refrained from inquiring along
the road, fearing that possibly, word might
| reach Conner i'll advance that a stranger was
| looking for him, and, if he had heard of the
raid on the members of the gang. it would
alarm him. From the description of the
! house that had been given him
| by Killian, Hobbs succeeded in locating it,
and then concealed himself in the woods to
watch. While lying in concealment near
| the roadside, man, carrying valise, came
| along, whom he supposed, from appearan-
ces, was Conner. He drew his revolver and
was almost IN the act of springing into the
road to command him to surrender, when
the thought flashed across his mind that if
he should make a mistake in the man. it
would probably defeat any chance Of effect
| ing the capture He hesitated an instant,
and then resumed position in his hiding
place The man carrying the valise walked
up to the house and entered. Hobbs was
satisfied then that the man was
| Conner, and he began accommodating
the premises from the woods,
Getting around to the opposite side OF the
) house. he climbel q tree in the woods and