The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-05-07

for It's use. A careful search among
dealers in those articles revealed the
fact that liberal quantity of such
goods had recently been bought by a
Mr.. William Livingston, and sent to
Du Page county, about forty miles from
Chicago, where he had bought four
| small farms and consolidated them into
| one handsome stock farm. Believing
detection impossible after the lapse of
so long time, he had boldly taken his
| own name, and, though almost within
the clutch of the officer of justice, was
yet entirely unconscious of his danger,
and the pursuit began to wax inter-
esting.
The game was found-now for its
capture. Taking four or five police
officers from Chicago, all in citizens
and inquired for William Livingston.
''The elderly, short, stout gentleman
who had figured SO conspicuously in the
| officers search, appeared, and the cor
rectness of the pen and ink sketch inn
pressed the officer as remarkable.
The party represented themselves as
from Chicago, who, having heard of his
| fine farm, had come down to see for
themselves, and perhaps purchase some
of his choice stock.
They were cordially received, hos
place, and finally dined and wined in
the spacious mansion. On rising from
the table the New York officer re-
marked:
"Well, Mr.. Livingston, do You like
this place and this quiet life as we'll as
| life in New York;
The man was startled, looked sharply
at the officer and answered:
"What do you mean? I was never in
New York in all my life
'Well, Them rctorted the officer,
tunity to 60 there. William Living
ston, l arrest you
| Livingston tn rned as pale as ghost,
and gasped out:
| "What for?''
'For the forgery of check on the
City bank of New York for seventy
five thousand dollars" replied the Off
Ger, drawing pair of handouts from
his pocket and advancing toward him.
''Stop, sir!" exclaimed the culprit
''Stop, sir! This is an outrage" and he
glanced around the room for some
weapon with which he could defend
himself. He was quickly surrounded,
however, and the irons fastened upon
him.
For a time he ragged furiously. maxi
ing fearful threats against his captors;
but the storm soon spent itself, and he
J was able to talk over the matter calm
ly. He represented that relative,
who had recently died, had left him a
considerable sum of money, with which
he had purchased the farm and stock.
On searching him a roll of bills
amounting to ten thousand dollars
was found in an inner pocket, many of
them being entirely new, and on the
City bank-the very notes which had
been paid out on the fraudulent check
some months before. After this dis
covery he was more quiet, and willing
ly accompanied his captor to New
York.
The cash found on his person, the farm
! duSl SUOCh "CIC GdhCA pISSCSSiOu VI US
the victimized bank, and managed SO ju-
diciously that more than sixty-6ve
thousand dollars was realized, leaving
the bank a sufferer for less than ten
Thousand dollars.
Livingston was soon after brought
to trial, convicted and escaped with a
sentence of four years and a half. At
| the expiration of his sentence he went
west, and when last heard from was
opening small stock farm in Iowa.
The case in all its phases ranks among
the most curious and interesting in
criminal annals. The slight clew SO
perseveringly followed, the little Incl
dents which pointed SO unerringly to-
ward the culprit, and the sagacity with
which all these little hints were fol-
lowed to the end, places the detective
art among the most notable and useful
of the sciences. Leslie, in
| n, Y, Weekly.