Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-15
DETECTIVE .s.RElLLY'S STORY
Chill and All Her People Conspire
to Keep Bushnell.
THEY DEARLY LOVE THE THIEF.
From the Prime Minister
Down 90 the Rumbiest Citizen,
Seemed to BE Plotting in
His Behalf
Was Ever Embezz,er SO Loved2

New YORK, August 14.-Sergeant Philip
Reilly's report Of his unsuccessful trip back
from Chill to this city with William II.
Bushnell, the thief and forger, to get pos
session Of whom he fought the Chilian
authorities nine months, was submitted to
the police board to-day. The surrender, he
says, was unwillingly and grudgingly made
by the Chilian authorities, SO much so that,
apprehensive of trouble, he called upon the
American legation to demand of the Chilian
minister some official document stating that
the prisoner was surrendered to hum by
process of law. But the minister refused to
give such paper as requested. Bushnell
was given into his bands on July 13 without
scrap Of writing to show any
authority for holding him. This was the
entering wedge of the treachery. A receipt
for the surrender was demanded by Reilly,
but nothing was given to him. They were
on board the steamer Imperial, one Of the
largest South American coasters. great
number of Bushnelrs friends were on board.
They seemed to be everywhere and made no
concealment of openly advising Bushnell to
escape. Reilly did not like the looks Of
things and went to the captain Of the steamer
with a request for protection and assistance
in holding his prisoner. The captain said
fatty that he would not have Bushnell con-
sldered as prisoner or treated as one for
moment. The captain also informed the
prisoner that while on board his ship he
could go where and do whatever he pleased.
Every officer on the ship was friend Of the
prisoner too, and also at least one passenger,
one Rickelman, who was apparently
there for the express purpose of aiding Bush
nell to escape. At every point where the
steamer atODDed thia recpiVnd fplp-
graphic dispatches and conferred aside with
the prisoner. AT every port, too, BushnelPs
friends came aboard in droves. They seemed
to fairly overrun the country and were loud
in their demands that he should go with them
and let the American detective go home
alone. AT Talltal, the last stopping place be-
fore Iquque, the governor of the province
came aboard with others end extended the hos
pitality of the province to the thief. Bushnell,
however, refused to accept the offer. At
Iquque bay, friends of Bushnell came on
board at once. BY the next morning there
were more than a hundred of them on board
the vessel. Reilly obtained from Mr.. Trum-
bull, the American consul there, a man to
help him look after the prisoner. Both of
them kept a sharp eye on the movements of
Bushnell. The prisoner remained apparently
inf1exible in his determination to come to
New York, and his friends were getting
ready to leave. The steamer had weighed
anchor and was about to proceed when Bush
nell went to the closet IN the stern of the
vessel on the middle deck. Two minutes
later when sought he was missing.
A thorough search was made Of
the steamer, but he could not be found.
There was nothing left for the detective but
to proceed to the next port.
From one of the deckhands the detective
learned that during the voyage Bushnell had
been seen sliding down the stern Of the
steamer on a rope conveniently tied to the
Flagstaff by one of the ships officers. Under
the overhanging stern was a four-oared boat
waiting for him, into which he sprang and
was rowed ashore, while the steamer pro-
ceeaed on her way. At the next port Reilly
had to walt four days for the next steamer
back. He went on to Lima and saw the au-
thorities there, but all hope of capturing the
prisoner under the circumstances was in
vain, and he turned back home empty
handed.
Reilly says there was from the first reg.
ular conspiracy to rescue the prisoner, and
that the captain and officers of the steamer
were in the conspiracy. After the prisoners
escape the passenger Rickleman demanded
the prisoners baggage. Reilly refused to
surrender it, but on the following day it was
surrendered by order Of the captain.
Bushnell is now supposed to be in Bolivia /,
with which country the United States has no
treaty.