The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-04
A SCHEMlNG CRIMINAL.
An AdrOit Rascal Puzzles the Chicago Jail
Physicians by His Many Shams.

f CHICAGO, April 3.-The officials of the
Cook county Jail are finding out daily more
and more, that they have an extraordinary
case on their hands in the person of Jam es
Egan, a strikingly handsome young fellow,
who, with long criminal career. combines
good education, polished manners and
the muscular development of an athlete.
Egan is locked up under the alias of j. H.
Hammill, on the charge of forgery. His
remarkable conduct since his arrest here
gives renewed interest to his previous sem
sational record. AT Denver, three years
ago, Egan secured entrance to the first So
cial circles, and was great favorite until
he was arrested on two charges of forgery.
He was sent to the penitentiary at Bowl
der for two years. 1t was then ascertained
that he had previously done time in the
penitentiary at Jackson, Mich. When
Egan was released from the Colorado
prison he came to Chicago, and last OctO.
ber was arrested for forging promissory
note. purporting to be drawn by James H.
Walker & Co. in favor of James H. Ham
MILL" for S4,675, in payment for
the steam fittings in the firms
new building Egan, or, as he
called himself Hamili, endeavored to ne
gOtiate the note with the Security Loan
and Savings Company. While in jail
awaiting trial he, endeavored to induce
STATED Attorney LOngenecker to be lenient
with him. offering in return to give valu-
able evidence against the bond thieves:
Shaw, Plessner and COrbett. When placed
on the stand Egan told an ingenious story
to the effect that G. ID. Taylor had given
HIM the bonds subsequently received by
however down nn6pr
crOSS-eXaminatiOn and convinced the State
Attorney that he was a rascal.
When taken back to Jail he suddenly be-
'ap,e insane. but, falling to convince DR.,
he he changed his tactics and be.
came very ill. For days he lay on
his cot in a semi-comatose condition. and
the most careful watch failed to show that
he was shamming.. His aim was to be sent
to the hospital, and the doctors
go there when he spelled hiscances.
He was seized with violent
fit of coughing, and when the. physician
next made his rounds Egan showed him
coughed up. AT glance DIR. Egbert saw
that the blood was arterial and not lung
blood. He carefully searched the prisoner,
but could not find the sign of wound
from which the blood had been drawn. The
shrewd fOrger had probably drawn 1T from
either his mouth or nOstrils.
DIR. Egbert is of the opinion that Egan is
very sick, though by no means in the dan
gerOus condition he assumes. He is an in
veterate morphine eater. and has taken as
much as twenty grains day. The physi-
clan allowed him some morphine in grad
ually-reduced doses until a daily dose OF
one grain was all he was allowed. This
was suddenly stopped, as DR.. Egbert be-
came suspicious that Egan was holding
out some of the drug from each dose, with
nf or fO
make a suicidal dose. in case of emergency
The supposed missing morphine cannot be
found, but the Doctor is afraid of his willy
patient. and wishes him safely out of his
hands. Egan is too sick for trial, and not
sick enough to go to the hospital. He has
apparently made up his mind not to 60 to
the penitentiary again, and in all probable
ity has the means at his disposal to commit
suicide. The officers are all anxious to be
well rid of such champion rascal.