Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-28

first night was in his house sat down at
the table with bearded, black-eyed dis
reputable looking character to whom had
been introduced. briggs said my opponents
name at the card table was Irwin. From
the moment clapped eyes on him knew
him to be Jim Guyon. I managed to lose
$3.50 of my good money to "Mr. Irwin"
that night.
I lay around the briggs House for several
days, dickering with old man briggs. I
had presented my card which bore the
name of "James T. Williams, Attorney at
Law, Hartford, Conn.,, ''and had all my mail
relating to the briggs case forwarded to
certain address in Hartford. briggs was
entirely unsuspicious, but Mrs. briggs was
very chary.of dealing with man who was
an entire stranger to her. / talked with
Guyon several days, but as briggs had
never told me from whom he received the
counterfeit money. refrained from talking
on the subject of counterfeits with the ami
able "Mr. irwin" At last I told briggs
that wanted to make my first trade with
him my last and 1 wanted it to be a good
one. 1 then told him that 1 wanted to buy
$4,000 worth of green goods. He was
startled at this proposition and tried to
dissuade me from making such purchase,
as he said such a large amount might ev-
entually cause me to be caught and con-
victed, and it was possible that my capture
might consequently lead to his arrest.
BARGAINING FOR THE MONEY.
After some time he told me that he did
not have the money, and that he would have
to speak to the man who had it, that this
man would have to 60 to Kentucky to get
the money, and that it would take three or
four days for him to return. Besides that
he Of HIT tha o
me have the money. I insisted, however,
that wanted the money, and that night
''Mr. Irwin" left the briggs House, and
later in the evening briggs informed me
that could have the money for q cents on
the dollar. 1 agreed to this proposition
after long argument concerning the exor-
bitant price. and was told that could
have the money two days later.
On the morning of May 20 last, went to
the briggs House to receive the money, but
before going there laid the plan by which
we hoped to secure the capture of the
Driggses and Jim Guyon. The house was
surrounded on three sides by dense woods,
extending about $50 feet from the house. 1
ordered Agents Donnella, Hall and Enright
to guard the woods, and stationed Hall on
the outside OF the woods to the east of the
house. Donnella on the verge of the woods
strip of timber to the west of the house. I
drove up to the house after I felt certain
that my men were in their places.
THE MONEY IN TIN CANS.
My driver was Agent O'Dwyer, of Pitts
burg. O'Dwyer remained on the outside
caring for his horse, for he had assumed the
guIse of hostler for the occasion, and
entered the house. 1 didn't know for GER
tain whether my men had yet arrived and
were ready for action, so in order to give
money as long us possible. I took q glass
of gin with old man briggs, who seemed to
be very nervous, and who informed me
that the money was in tin cans buried in
the woods, and that he would have to 20
out and get them.
He went out and I saw him 60 to the
stable in the rear of the house, only to
emerge few moments later bearing in his
hands two old tomato cans. These he
placed on the table and said they contained
81, 900. He then asked me to pay him one
third of 81, 500, which was to pay for the
green goods. had then in my possession
the enormous sum of $3.50, wrapped up in a
$100 bill, the remainder of the money con-
sisting of 81 bills, ard, as may be imagined,
they made quite a large roll. 1 was in a
unlocked for proposition, but had to do
saidi
THE DESCENT ON THE CoNIACKERs.
"How do I know that these cans contain
the sums you mention? You 60 out and
get the remainder of the money, and Mrs.
briggs can stay here and watch me count
this, for I want to be certain that am
getting the amount you promised me-"
briggs went out and returned with two
more cans. 1 was counting the money as
he came in, and he seemed very surlv. He
hadevidently been soundly berated by Guy
on, whom 1 surmised, and correctly, too,
had given him the money. The four cans
contained S15, 900, and as took the lid of
the last car, Agents Abbott and O'DwYer
walked in the door with their reyolvers in
their hands and informed Mr.. and Mrs.
briggs that they were prisoners of the
United States Government. Mrs. briggs
set up a great howl, and Guyon, who had
been within earshoI all the time, hearin z
the noise, made break for liberty. He
was sneaking through the woods when
Agent Donnella caught sight of him; he
at the same time caught sight of Agent
Donnella. Guyon lodged behind tree,
and, drawing his revolver. blazed at Don
nella. The bullet struck Donnella on the
side of the head, inficting a slight scalp
wound. Donnella, however, imagined that
he was badly wounded, and fell to the
ground in a dead faint. Guyon plunged
through the timber into a cornield, and
thus we lost the greatest coniacker who
lives in the country to-day. He has never
since been heard of by the Government off.
cials.
THE LAWYERS WERE CLEVER.
Now as to our failure to convict Mr.. and
Mrs briggs, need only say a word. We
had promised the lawyer who gave us the
information that we would not punish Mrs.
briggs. He drew this promise from US by
refusing to give US any further information
and threatening to reveal our true identity
to the Driggses. His reason for 80 doing, as
has since been proven, was because of the
fact that he had become 'enamored of Mrs.
briggs and he desired to secure her and
have the old man sent to prison in order
that he might enjoy Mrs. briggs com pany
undisturbed and the old mans wealth OF
the same time.
As said Mrs. briggs was not convicted
because of this promise which we had made,
and when old man briggs trial took place
the old fellows lawyer boldly declared that
we had entered into the same kind Of a CON-
pact concerning himself, promising to do all
we could to help the Driggses escape the
penalty of their crimes il he would help US to
find Jim Guyon. He averred that he had
helped us, and although it was clearly
proven that we had entered into no such
compact with briggs. the jury disagreed,
and Mr.. and Mrs. briggs are now keeping a
saloon on the road.house order near Day.
ton, o. JOHN S. BELL.