The Portland daily press., 1885-09-09
BOUQUET BILLY.
A Requisition Granted by Governor
Robbie.
Awrt of Habeas Corpus Issued.

Yesterday afternoon Detective McKenney
of Missouri having arrived in this city, he
and Detective True appeared before Cover
nor Robe at Falmouth Hotel and presented
the requisition from the Governor of Missouri
for Bouquet Billy, or William Beaucleigh,
on a charge of forgery in that State. At the
same time Hon. Wilbur F. Lunt appeared in
behalf of Beaucleigh and urged that the
warrant should not issue ON the ground first,
that the prisoner had not been properly
identified as the party named in the requisi-
tion and second that what purported to be a
copy of an indictment, found in st. Louis,
did not set forth in legal manner any effense
against the laws and the same was not
properly attested or exemplifed, and thatinits
form as presented courts of the State, and
the executive could not legally accept the
same as evidence of legal charge of crime
pending against the person whose surrender
was requested
He also stated THAT it appeared COM
plant against the person, requested to be
surrendered, had been made before the
Municipal Court of Portland and the war
rant issued thereon, on which the prisoner
was arrested on the 18th inst; that Beau
cleigh had been so far, illegally held under
arrest by Detective True who should i'm
mediately have taken him before the Court
for arraignment and examination. These
proceedings having been had it was the duty
of the executive not to surrender the prisoner
until some arrangement for an examination
before the Municipal Court where proper
evidence of the commission of the crime and
fhn da,ofif Of thn rarson 10
sented.
Governor Robbie being satisfied of the
identity of the prisoner, from the identified
ton of Detective Mckinney, and other pro-
ceedings, ordered the warrant to issue grant
ing the requisiti0n
Hon. w. F. Lunt then filed petition for
writ of habeas corpus and hearing will
be held before Judge Virgin at O'clock
this morning.
Mr.. John McKenney, the st. Louis officer,
who has come to Portland after Bouquet
Billy, said last evening that if Judge Virgin
refused to grant the release of the prisoner
upon the writ of habeas corpus, he should
start with his man on the noon train and
should travel night and day until he reached
st. Louis with the prisoner.
Mr.. McKenney said that William Beau
cleigh and his brother John are well known
to the officers all over the country as expert
swindlers and confidence men. They are
natives of New York and their parents still
live near Lockport in that State. Both men
received good education, John being able
to speak several languages with fiiiency. He
claims that at one time, he was reporter
upon New York daily paper. The brothers
following the fortunes of their calling have
reposed in prisons in various parts of this
country and Canada, William being released
from the Toronto Jail, where he had been
confined for shoplifting, shortly before COM
ing to this city and taking part in the robbery
at the City Hotel. Both the brothers and
confederate named Patsy Burns were en-
gagged in the crime for which Bouquet Billy
is now wanted. Mr.. McKenney told the fol-
lowing story of the swindling operation:
Simpson G. Parrett, small farmer from
Virginia, was en- route with his family to
preempta piece of land in Kansas. When
on the train some distance west of ST. Louis
he was met by Bouquet Billy. The farmer
was rather pleased with the appearance of
his new friend and was glad to learn that a
prominent physician in his native town was
an uncle to the stranger. Billy said that his
father owned ranch near where the farmer
intended to settle and that he was then re-
turning from a trip east with some $4,000
worth of goods. The engaging young man
made offers of assistance to the simple
farmer and was SO exceedingly agreeable
that when Patsy Burns appeared in the
character of an express messenger and told
Billy that an advance payment would be re-
quired on certain express packages, the Vir-
ginian readily agreed to advance the few
dollars necessary to make the payment,
Billy to his apparent modification, declaring
that he was short of ready money, but having
check to give as security. Just as the
farmer was to make the payment the whistle
gave notice that the train was approaching
a station and Bouquet Billy upon some pre-
tence took the farmer to the end of the car.
AS the man drew roll of bills from his
pocket, Billy suddenly seized the whole pile
of $780, and before the astonished farmer
could collect his wits, Billy and the express
messenger had jumped to the station plat
form and the train was again in motion.
At this junction Johnny Beaucleigh ap-
peared and was so sympathetic for the poor
farmer that that individual quite forgot to
notify the train hands or make any fuss
about the affair until the two rogues had had
time to escape any officers whomight receive
Geographic notice to arrest them.
Some time afterwards, Patsy Burns, the
whilom express messenger, was arrested in
Chicago and turning States evidence gave
information which led to the arrest'of John
Beaucleigh in Buffalo, N. Y, and the requisi-
ton for Billy. John was tried and sentenced
to two years penal servitude. He is now
awaiting a second trial, motion by his
counsel therefor having been granted by the