The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-10-02
FROM PULPIT TO PRISON,
A METHODIST MINISTER COMES
TO GRIEF.
The Rev. A. Nj. De Ford, of Hortonville,
Wis, Charged with Raising the Face o
Lins-He Goes to Jail in Default of BAH
His Novel Device

milwaukee dispatch.l
Transforming 81 bills into stems" and
seventies" and attempting to pass them
as such is the charge against the Rev.
A. M. DeFord, minister from Horton
vile, Wis, who occupies cell at the
county Jail tonight in default of So, 000
bail.
The reverend gentleman was on his
way to Whitewater to-day to attend the
Methodist conference when arrested
here. For five years he has been con-
nected with the Methodist Church in
Wisconsin, the last year in the Horton
vile circuit, and so enjoyed the conf
dence Of the people that they had 'unani
mOusly signed call asking the White
water Conference to return him to
them. That their confidence in him
was misplaced is quite evident
from the testimony produced at
his preliminary examination this
afternoon. Mutilated bills of various
denominations found on his person were
offered in evidence. There were good
bills of $40 and $40 denominations, from
which the corners had been cut to be
pasted on bills of smaller denomination,
So bills thus raised to $40 and $50 having
also been found with him. On his per-
son, too, were found a pair of scissors,
two sharp knives, and bottle of mu-
cilage, all of which had their part in
transforming the bills. This scheme is
a novel device which old counterfeiters
might practice with even less success
than the reverend gentleman, for, &C
cOrding to adviceS received here tonight,
he found victims for his game in both
Oshkosh and Fond du Lac, and United
States officer will leave tomorrow for
those places to find further evidence of
De FOrd'S evil.
The first witness. at the preliminary
examination was a SalOOn-keeper named
Sullivan, whose place is opposite the
Union Depot. Sullivan said the minister
came into the saloon that morning and
asked to have $40 bill changed. The
witness identified bill handed to him
by the United States District Attorney
as the one the minister asked him to
change. The figure $40 from good bill
had been pasted over the figure So at the
upper right-hand corner of the bill; but
this would have been unnoticed except
for a person seeing that the smaller fig
ures on the back of the bill had been
erased. Sullivan saw this and recognized
it as a So bill
"Would two fives do you for this?"
asked Sullivan, and the minister replied
that it would Then Sullivan said:
"YOu are more likely to get five years
if you are caught attempting to pass
bill of that kind" The reverend gentle
man showed no establishment, but left
the place. He crossed the street to
Koenig'S saloon and was noticed to walk
past the door three times before enter
ing. Mrs. Koentg was alone in the sa-
loon. He asked for glass of wine, say
ing he was not feeling well. It was given
him and he rendered $40 bill in pay.
Mrs. Koenig stepped into the dining
room to have her husband change the
bill. In turning it over Koenig recog
nized it as a So bill raised to $40. Koenig
told his wife he would get it changed at
the depot and stepped out side door,
while Mrs. KOenig returned to the sa-
loon, telling the minister that her hus-
band had gone out to get the bill
changed.
"Where did he go, said the minister
anxiously, and as he stepped to the door
he recognized the saloonkeeper crossing
the street. The minister called to him
to return, saying that he had plenty of
change to pay for his drink, but the sa-
loonkeeper did not pretend to hear him
and entered the depot, while the minis
When the saloonkeeper returned he
had G policeman with him, and he CIR
dered the minister's arrest on a charge
of passing counterfeit money.
De Ford was asked if he had any state
ment to make. 81 feel somewhat en-
barrassed at this time, he said, cas- it is
the first time in my life that [ was ever
charged with dishonest act. I have
wife and four little babies and we have
been living from hand to mouth. am
now $500 in debt For five years / have
been a Methodist pastor in Wisconsin,
three years of which time was in charge
of the Waupaca circuit. The last year
l have been in charge of the Hortonville
circuit, including Hortonville, Medina,
and Stephensville. Although my salary
was but 5000 a year I was content
to remain where I was, and in
my valise l have a petition from
my parishioners, which / was to
present to the Whitewater Conference
to- day, asking my return to that circuit.
I had arranged to attend the Lawrence
University at Appleton, as [ was anX-
ious to continue my ministerial studies,
as [ am still young man, being but %
years of age. Recently / collected about
$3.50 among my stewards, which was
mostly III silver, anu CudugCQ GudG luIO
bills as you have there to-day"
"Where was it you changed the silver
for the bills?" asked the District At
tOrney.
81 have been trying to recall where it
was, but [ don't just remember, although
think it was at Jews store in Apple
ton"
"But how came you to have that bot
tie of mucilage and pair of scissors in
your pocket?"
GA minister has sometimes to take the
amount OF church subscription out in
goods in some small town ard that bottle
of mucilage I took from an Oshkosh drug
store as part of a So subscription"
"Who was the druggist?"
81 just don't remember, but think
could find the place"
"But how came it that you had some Of
your money in pocket-b0ok, while the
mutilated bills you kept in pocket al
most entirely sewed up?"
81 always made it a practice to divide
my money while travelling, so in case I
was robbed while asleep the robbers
MIGHT nOSCih1V. overlook the money in