The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-07-07
-FOUR COUNTERFHTTHRS,
A Family Of Brothers and their
Criminal Records,
ESCAPE OF CHARLES JOHNSON
a Source OF Annoyance to the Au-
thoritics ut washinGton-snmc
Stories of the DoinGs of the
-Four johnson Brothers,

DETROIT, MIcu., July G.-The escape
of the counterfeiter, Charles Johnson,
alias Davis, alter his arrest here by Sc
cret Service operatives is a source of
great annoyance to the authorities at
Washington. Johnson's case had been
worked up with great care, and his cap
tire affected after considerable difficulty,
and to lose him is regarded as 4 rcilec-
ton on the service. He is an adroit
criminal, and his description has been
sent all over the country. He effected
his escape by pretending to be i'll and
having to go to the closet frequently.
| After he had made about ten trips in
company with his guide, he was allowed
to go alone once, and that was the last
seen of him.
johnson belongs to flmily Of count
crieiters well known TO the law officers,
and especially to those Of Indiana.
There are four of the johnson brothers,
all OF whom have interesting criminal
records. The oldest is Thomas Ira
johnson, who was arrested; next comes
Charles, then John, and last Elijah.
Thomas Ira johnson was arrested in
indianapolis, Ind, August !, 1864, at
the time OF the arrest OF the johnson
family. Tom, being desirous that his
sister should be released, acknowledged
himself to be the principal OF his family
aud that he owneda $50 United States
plate, which was used for the joint bene-
fit OF himself and Peter Mccartney, and
he further stated that Mccartney did all
the printing OF the so, notes and shared
with him the profits OF between ninety
and one hundred thousand dollars. He
also acknowledged engraving the
plates.
The johnson girls, Elizabeth and
Josephine, and the mother and father
were released on condition of the sur
render Of the plates. The plates were
delivered at the residence OF Johnson's
father. He was committed TO Old Capi-
tol prison, Washington d. c., turned
over to the civil authorities ut Indianap-
oils, Ind, June II, 1865, and committed
to Jail in default OF OF bail in the sum OF
5000. About May, 1866, he was found
guilty at indianapolis before the United
States Circuit Court OF Indiana, and was
sentenced to seven years imprisonment,
and was subsequently believed to have
been pardoned. October 30, 1863, hc
was arrested at Indianapolis, Ind, on n
charge OF manufacturing counterfeit
money, 50.cent fractional currency, Lin
coin head.
January 90, 1870, he was tried, con-
yicted and sentenced to ten years hard
labor in the Michigan City lInd.) peni-
tentiary. There is no record of johnson
having been pardoned or of his escape.
November 10, 1870 he was arrested'in
Cincinnati in company with Peter Nc
Cartney. When he was arrested he had
on his pc son counterfeit $50 legal-tender
plates and S42l in counterfeit 500, 50 and
iifty-ccnt notes. He was committed in
default of Sl0,00 bail was indicted April
Is, 1871, convicted July2S, 1881, to serve
four months in county Jail. August II,
1871, he broke jail ana escaped. lie was
again arrested June II, 1870, at Erie,
Pa, for passing counterfeit s. United
States notes at Dunkirk, NJ V, Scptenl-
Der 10, 1878.
Charles johnson was arrested in Gin.
cinnati September 10, 1867, for passing
counterfeit 81 notes. January q, 1865,
he was convicted and sentenced to six
months imprisonment in Hamilton
county Ohio Jail. May, 1870, he was
arrested in Detroit, Michigan, for having
in his possession paper for counterfeit
ing United States notes. July 10, 1870.
he was convicted and sentenced TO two
years and six months Imprisonment in
the Jackson (Nichigan) penitentiary,
and TO pay fine of $500. juno II, 1870
he was arrested Mt Dunkirk, n. Y, for
passing counterfeit s. United States
notes. He pleaded guilty at Buffalo, n
V, September H., 1879, and on Septem-
Der IL was sentenced to eight years anil
six months imprisonment in the Al
bany penitentiary.
John L. johnson was arrested MAY
10, 1850, at indianapolis, Ind, for pass
ing counterfeit money in Buffalo. n. Y.
in July, 1879. He was tried in the Dis
trict Court OF the United States for the
Northern District OF New York, held at
Buffalo, n. Y, and on the 10Th day OF
November, 1850, was acquitted. On jan
uary 10, 1881, he was tried and convict
cd in Toronto, Canada, for swindling n
farmer out OF so, and sentenced to the
Central prison in Toronto for eighteen
months. February 90, 1887, he was mr.
rested in Toronto, Canada, for passing
counterfeit Canadian notes.
Elijah johnson was arrested near I'm.
dianapolis, Ind, about March, 1865. for
counterfeitng, and taken to the Old
Capitol prison, Washington, u. q. He
was taken from that prison and turned
over to the civil authorities Mt Indian
apolis, June II, 1885, and committed to
Jail in default OF bail in the sum of
5000. He was found guilty at Indian-
apolis, Ind, before the United States
Circuit Court for Indiana, of tnakingand
dealing in counterfeit United States cur.
rency, and sentenced to five years' i'm
prisonment, about May 1866. In jan
uary, 1867, he was parloned by the
President. October 80, 1862 he was ar
rested at indianapolis, Ind, ON a charge
OF manufacturing counterfeit money. In
his possession was found a new set OF
counterfeit jO,cept plates.
Dynamite In Kentucky.
CwcINSNrl, o., July GA special