The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-10-30

sometime during the healing of his wounds.
He rested, unknown, in the house of friend
aud while recovering he wrote n lecture on
counterfeiting. lie determined TO stop the
business and be an honest man. He became q
dentist aud was pulling teeth when be fell in
with Martha Alderman. whom he had known
when she WAS a little girl. and married her
lt may be that it was Marthas influence that
led him 10 resolve TO be good, but Martha's
counterfeiting relations pulled him back into
his old tracks and he was soon passing coun-
terleit bills as bad rs ever. He was doing so III
1876. when he was arrested in st. Louis, but he
had $1,000 m good money in his inside pocket
and he bribed himself out. It was shortly after
this that he wrote on TO the Government, saying
that he had decided to reform. aud that If they
would pardon him he would tell the Treasury
officials all about counterleiting and counter
feiters. He did give the Treasury many good
points. aud then brought forth his lecture. lie
travelled over the United States telling the
people. for a consideration. how to tell counter
felt money, and the records of the Treasury
Department say that he passed counterfeit
money out TO his audience at the door Of his
hall in exchange for their bills, aud he was at
this time supplying the counterfeiters of the
country with plates which he engraved. 1t
WAS about this time that he was jailed in llll-
nois and escaped by means of his wife.
HOW M'CARTNEY GAGGED THE JATLER.
1t is about I6 years ago since Mccartney
gagged the jailor OF St Louis. Whether the
jailer was brbed or not 10 be gagged is un-
known. hut IL is said that Mccartney paid $1,000
in greenbacks for the escape. He had been
arrested through the trcachety of one of his
gang. Two cOunterieiters, named Mason and
Bloomfield. made an appointment with him nj a
hotel in 1t. Louis. Mccartney was then known
as Capt. judd. and he brought a lot of counter
felt money with him TO give 20 Mason. Mason
had proved false TO the gang aud bad told the
Secret Service officers of the appointment, and
he tried to help them arrest Mccartney by
shooting at him with his revolver. He stood
IN the door during the arrest, aud Mccartney
jumped upon him with knife aud tried TO cut
his way through him. He was arrested, how
ever, and half dozen Of his conlederates were
captured. They were put in jail, and the next
day the jaiier was found as above stated, and
there was n hole in the wall of the prison
through which the whole gang had escaped.
Mccartney went away like JEFF Davis. in the
disguise of an old woman, and made for Texas.
He rode in the cars IN the daytime, and as
his face needed shaving he was for time at
a loss as TO how be could carry out his disguise,
for old women with short whskers are not
common even m Texas. lie finally thought of
covering it mp and he gave rs "a reason for his
mufilcd condition 10 his travelling companions
that he had contagious disease. and that his
face must he covered in order to protect them
from II. The rest OF the gang agreed TO meet
HIM IN Texas aud they came together at Dem
ison. Mccartney, the most notorious of them
all, got over the ground IN this way on the rail
road in ease aud comfort. The other counter
ielters, afraid of their lives, walked half across
the State Of Missouri before they dared 10 take
the cars.
REWARD OF HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
IL. a..
notoriOss, aud according TO the records in the
Treasury Department reward of more than
half a million dollars was offered FOR him. It
was knows that he was in Texas aud everyone
was anxious TO secure him. At one time he
was arrested and was in the hands of two United
States MaTshals going on the train to Austin.
There were irons on his legs and haud-Cuiis on
has hands, but all at once he jumped up. and
these fell of As though by magic. lie cut the
beI-rope Of the tram as he lcaped from tho
door, and plunged from the train out into the
fields. There was no means Of stopping the
engine, and the cars went on. Before the brake
man could craw! up to the engineer they were
miles in advance, and the King Of Counter
letters was again at large. lie was again
arrested, and lie again escaped. by this time
the reward had dwindlcd down TO 81 900 and
there was this much standing when he drltcd
back to Cincinnati aud was there playing the
same old game. Here the detectives caught
bim. They told him there Was only 1000
reward offered for him, and Mccartney pulled
$500 out OF his pocket and bought his free
dom.
Mccartney died poor. He was for number Of
times in his life worth "a great deal OF good
money, but he would give anything rather than
20 70 prison, aud his jaitcIs BLEED hita He for
feited his bail bonds several times, aud these
cost him quite a fortune He was once arrested
III Illinois aud WAS admitted 10 bail until the
trial for $4,000. He forfeited the SIS 600 aud
a similar case occurred at Louisville, KY,
where he was arrested aud bailed out.
St. Louis was one Of McCaftney's favorite
fields, but il was also one Of his unlucky ones
lie was working here u ls76. aud lie had a
great quantity Of bogus money on hand. 4
sachel containing more than 5000 was found
IN one OF the rooms Of the Southern Hotel,
and the cOuniereiiers were SO bold that they
made this noted hosiery one OF the bases Of
their operations. Mccartney was arrested with
tic rest OF the gang and got his way oct by
making a key OF q pewter spoon aud n common
tin cup, which had been given 10 him 10 eat
from. With these he unlocked the doors Of
the corridor in which were The cells Of the
other prisoners and released them. aud together
they OyerpOwered the guards and escaped. At
another time, when he was ia the Springfield
jail, his wife called upon him. He was searched
after she left and a small bar of lead was found
upon MN. fad TINS been lett with him he
would have undoubtedly gotten out by means
Of IT, lie broke jail by means Of a key made
out Of the tinfoii around has chewing tobacco
and when he was serving his short term ia jail
before he WAS taken to his trial. at which he
WAS sentenced to his long imprisonment, lie
offered the Marshal Sl,70O for a steel saw
This time, however. he got hold of the wrong
man, and his attempt at bribery was Of no
avail.
PETE M'cARTNEY's LAST CRIME.
Mccartney had been IL years in the pen ton
tiary. lie had been sentenced TO - years, but
bad reduced his term by good behavior 10 u.
He WAS arrested IN Richmond, Ind, ia 1876.
and 200 ia counterfeit and 81 500 in genuine
gFeenbacks were found in his satchel lie WIS
taken 70 Indianapolis aud IL was there dscOv-
cred that he was the famous Pete Mccartney.
He pleaded guilty and was given Is years at
hard labor. lie served out the full term, with
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