Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1884-02-07
IN A FELoS's CELL.

IN A FELoN's CELL.
The Downfall of A. NJ. Flagg, Caused by
His Inordinate Passion for Gambling,
Sioux Falls Press. I'd
The fates have finally descended up
on Alfred NJ. Flagg. and he occupies
cell in the county Jail, in default of
$1,000 bail for his appearance at the
next term of court. Yesterday, o. w.
Dye. agent for the Producers Marble
works OF Chicago, filed before Justice
l.. ID. Henry complaint. charging him
with embezzlement Of $500 sent him
to loan to L. w. Tenney on mortgage,
according toan arrangement previously
made. Flagg was arrested between 5
and o'clock, and taken before Justice
Henry, where he waived examination,
and expressed no desire to secure
the $1,000 bail required, and about 8
o'clock he was taken to jail.
The prisoner was arrested in the post
office, while reading book, by Sheriff
Dickson and Deputy Mcfarland. Each
took wrist before Flagg knew their
purpose, and the sheriff then wanted to
know where his revolver was. He de-
MED hayin one, but a search disclosed
weapon in the outside pocket of his
overcoat. The prisoner subsequently
declared, and the officers had been
warned thereof, that he would have
committed suicide before he would be
arrested,and their foresight prevented
phase which the case would otherwise
have taken on. His knife was also
taken from him, in spite of his ASST
rance to the officers that he "is not a
cutting man." Shortly after the arrest
he calmed down, and the relaxation en-
suing upon the terrible strain which he
has been enduring for months left him
passive and quiet. He exhibited no de-
sire for release from custody, and said
that to give bonds would not do him a
bit of good, as there are innumerable
similar cases on which he would likely
be at once rearrested.
The money taken in this instance was
sent to Flagg about January 10th, to
pay to L. w. Tenney upon the execu-
| tion by him of a mortgage. Instead of
using it for that purpose, he took 81, 100
and paid a claim held against him for
money embezzled, and on which imme-
1 diate prosecution was threatened, and
then squandered the remainder. BY
this policy in several previous cases he
had been able to stave off arrest and
Imprisonment for probably two years,
during any time of which he was mo-
mentarily in danger of being taken: but
the end finally came, and an hour ar
4 rived in which he could not get hold of
funds with which to cover his effort to
conceal some previous embezzlement
Ii he had secured $3.50 in cash this time
and given security for the remainder
he could have escaped arrest, but he
concluded it was useless to struggle
longer against the deluge which was sc
certain to ultimately engulf him, and sc
he refused to accept the proposition
The agent of the Chicago creditor tele
graphed for instructions and was di
rected to arrest at once, which was
done. Flagg knew thati was inevita
bic, but he hoped to be in his Office wher
the sheriff should come for him, in
which event it was his deliberate pur
pose to send bullet through his OWL
brain before the warrant could b.
y s.kserved-and he would have done it. i
would have been useless for him tt
have attempted to flee the country witt
any of the money lately obtained, fol
some of those he has defrauded are yer.
wealthy eastern parties, who woult
have pursued him until overtaken.
During an interview with the pris
oner he said that the long deferred eno
Rhad finally come, and the many months
of apprehension had settled into dir
certainty, which, In spite of all its dis
grace and everything SO horrible abou
u 1T, was in most respects preferable t.
n the relentless strain he had endured
"The beginning of it all" said he, "an,
{ that which kept it going,and which ha
, ended in this, is gambling" TO thi
vice and the devilish fascination it ha
r for certain classes OF minds, is due tn
wreck which IS made of a prosperou
business, an honorable reputation,
charming home, an early life of pei
!, sistent study and constant application
and all the bright hopes warranted b
the former happy and propitious Gil
cumstances of him whom the peniter
; tiary now stares in the face.
The time was when scarcely ma
: in Sioux Falls had such a chance for
n fortune as did A. NJ. Flagg. The fri
u of Kershaw & Flagg had large shar
of the legal patronage of this sector
; Flagg was prosecuting attorney, an
f the loan and collection department {
(. their business made them thousands {
dollars and all that was required wa
J. attention and integrity. All this wer
f to wreck for gambling. Collection
isl were embezzled, loans fraudulent
patched up, and multitude OF scheme
resorted to for swindling men who ser
, on their money or accounts, detection
IS followed, but by hook or crook prosecl
is tion was silenced, and the prison avoi,
ed until now There is no way of d
termining the number of these case
y, but it is estimated that the total amour
h which has been made way with cam,
NJ be less than $4,000.
PERSONAL.
T. w. Kyle made trip to Yanktc
10 | tbis traak