Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-04-03
Death ofa Celebrated Character.

Intelligence has been received cf;he death
ty, Pa, who was directly responsible for tie
famous anti Masonic political revolution Of
sixty years ago. Sixty years ago Evans was
prominent Free Mason and hotel keeper
of vide reputation. At that time Hunting
don county and other centrally located
counties in Pennsylvania were being flooded
with skiIfully executed counterfeit coin. aud
1t was ascertained that David Evans was re-
sponsible for it. He had two ccnfederates,
Frank Beck, his brother-in law, and Robert
McP The latter was wood chopper
and had his cabin in an isolated spot In the
mountains. 1t was here that the spurious
coin was made. Warrants were sworn out
for the arrest OF these three men, and Evans
was taken while he was entertaining party
OF prominent people at his inn. Evans
brother-in-law having got wind of the ims
pcndng arrest, fled ss far as Birmingham, {,
where be was captured. He was fairly load
ed down with counterfeit money. MoPes
sen was found in his cabin surrounded by
dies, cruoibles, moulds, and ali the parapher'
MALTA OF the counterfeter's trade. McPes-
sen was tried first, convicted, and sentenced
to long term ofinprisonment. Evans and
Beck were tried together, but when thejury
came in with their verdict of guilty
Evans was nowhere TO be found. He
was subsequently located by the sher
iff at his tavern in Franklin town
ship, but the lettor, deciding TO wait
until the following morning 10 make The
arrest, Evans in the meantime gave him
the slip, and WAS never again seen iu that
State. This caIeiessness on the part of the
sheriff aroused much public indignation, ,and
gave rise to the feeling thst Evans had
been permitted 10 escape punishment for
his crime because he was q Mason. The
sheriff who pursued him was master of the
lodge to which the fugitive belonged This
prevailing feeling led to the most intense
public excitement, and fiery handbils were
posted throughout Huntington county,
calling on all who were opposed 10 the
shielding of criminals because they were
Masons to meot in mass meeting in Hunt
ingdon to protest against it. The meeting
was a memorable one, the excitement run
ming TO fever heat A series of anti Ma.
sonic resolutious-the first ever drafted for
adoption at public meetiUg-were adopt.
ed, expressing the indignation of the meet.
ing and calling for public expression of
hostility to the order at the polls. An anti
Masonic organization was effected then and
there, and full county ticket placed in
nomination. The ticket was elected
by an overwhelming majority. The agi
tation thus begun soon attracted the at
tention of Thaddeus Stevens and others
of equal prominence, and spread to other
States notably New York, before tho Nor
gan excitement at Batavia gave the anti.
Masonic party its impetus, under the direo
ton of Thurlow Weed in that State 1t
resulted in the temporary overthrow of the
old political partiesinPennsylvania and made
certainty of the public school system-all
resulting from the escape of David Evans,
the counterfeiter, from the custody of the
courts 10 that county, Evans fled to Cana
da, where bis wife, q most estimable woman,
with her two sons and q daughter. joined
him. He remained in Canada until the
Mormon excitement in Nauyoo, ILL.,, and
then went thither and become Mormon,
afterwards emigrating with them to Utah.
When he joined the Mormon Church and
became poygamous member OF the sect
his first wife left him and returned to her
old home in Franklin township, Penn,
where she is still living. Evans became the
father of very large family of children.
having married five wives. His three child
rem by his first wife remained with him at
Salt Lake City, the sons having also joined
the Mormon Church and married four wives
each. Evans was eighty-seven years old.