Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1891-06-05
CAUGHT TWO OF A KIND
A BAD PAIR PASSING BOGUS
MONEY.

Double Lifs Led BY Two Heads es Rs,
ligious Dsnominatieas--For Oed anl
Native Land-That IL Rev. nGr. vancl1rs
Excuse, nut II Dossn't Go with Captaix
Porter.
II was remarkable story that Capt
Porter, Of the Secret Service, told . Chi.
cago reporter. The Captain had Just
returned from Springfield, Ill, where hs
had taken to be locked mp the Rev.
George vAncil, ; Baptist preacher, who
was arrested near DuQuoin, Ill, FOL
passing spurious money.
The fact that makes the case more
than ordinarily interesting Is that Van.
eli is the second minister arrested IN
that locality for similar crimes within
seven days The Afss instanos M ~
arrest OF the Rev. sJcrrys Holmes foI
making the bogns money, and now come
the details of the second offenders cap.
turo.
"Vancil is greatly inferior to Holmes,
said Capt Porter. "He has not the
shrewdness nor the bodily health that
Holmes has, and 1t was therefore an easy
matter for II olmes to impose upon Van.
ell and make dupe Of him. Vancil's
reputation as liar is much more wide
spread than his fame - . good man.
The arrest was made upon information
given us bv the Rev. Fishback, pastor OF
the Christian Church At DuQuoin. This
divine heard Vancil's voluntary confess
sion, which was very complete, and was
marked by expressions OF repentance
and humility. Vancil told me his story
as we we're returning upon the train.
Jerry Holmes was one of the worst
characters In Duquoin, he said. Every
one Stunned him, as they thought he was
too far gone to redeem l tried to con.
vert him. One night we rode over 4
long, dark road together. We talked
about religion, and after . long argu-
ment he declared himself converted, and
fell upon his knees in the muddy road
and prayed A short time thereafter he
was appointed Q minister and licensed to
preach the gospel. A short time later
walked to church one morning with
Holmes, and he said he had some coun-
terfeit money which he wanted me to
dispose of. I was very indignant and
threatened to give him up to the author
tiles He talked me out of that idea,
and finally took the money upon his
promising to cease his evil ways. Whom
he handed me two bad dollars, thought
would have stronger hold upon him
with tho money in my possession.
81 have wife and eight children,
and they must be fed My salary Is NOT
large enough to support them we'll, and
when my little girl wanted some little
thing passed the bad money and got
the trlnket for her.
"Holmes went away from DuQuoin,
and it is alleged that Vancil wrote u
him, telling him he had passed 1t. When
Holmes returned to Duquoin he brought
back sackful of the bad dollars, and
helped Vancil hide them. Holmes gave
Vancil nine more OF tho dollars, and thu
latter passed three OF them at littl,
circus that came into the town. Severa
days thereafter Vsncil entered the ex
press Office to receive package upon
which rs cents was due. The express
agent, r. g. Wheat!ey, happened to b<
reading of Holmes arrest. He spoke o1
1t to Vancil, and the latter confessed
that he had been cQnally guilty in the
sight Of tho world, but he knew that the
Lord would forgive him, for he had done
1t SO as to find out about the entire gana
and tell upon them.s
Wheatley immediately called over the
Rev. Mr.. Fishback, who was told the
story Of Vancil's disgrsco. The Chris
tian divine Immediately telegraphed Il
Capt Porter, and the latter, accom-.
panied by Deputy United States Marshal
Bacon, visited Vancil's residence, sev.
eral miles from Duquoin. The errina
divine was found wrapped In the armi
Of Morpheus. Upon their explaining
their mission Vancil fell upon his knees
in prayer before the hard-hearted onei
who would take him from his homo.
Vancils protestations and pleadingi
were so loud that the eight children %
peared upon the scene badly frightened.
After Vancil saw that his words were
having no apparent effect no ceased hii
importunings and kissed his weeping
wife and frightened little ones and
started of with his captors, saying:
@Wel', they nsy starve, but the law Will
be avenged, and OF course the law
doesn't care what happens to those W
leave behind US.
ayancil still insists that he 10 limo
cent, said Captain Porter, after his 70
turn from the field Of his operations, sbu,
the facts are dead against him. The
money he passed was well made and
could not be detected by any ono but o.
expert Vancil is worry pious man
and every move he made he said was Ii
the interest OF the Lord.s
According to Captain Porter Vancil ID
. very ignorant man, and hardly knowi
enough to pick strawberries He II
forty-eight years Of age and hsl
eight children. He lived on . farm
close to Farmer Adkins, whose Wifi
is Vancil's sister. The prisoner wai
taken before United States Commissioner
William Reed, 1T Springfield, and In do
fault OF $500 bail went to jail.
Rev. Jerry Holmes, who msde thu
coin and who was captured : week ago
held religious services IN jail last Sun
day and had oil his fellow-prisonerI
shouting for glory.
vancil was ct one time Methods
minister, 1t is said, but left that demon
ination under some sort Of cloud, and
afterwsrd joined the BaptissA
INSANE AoYLUMo.
- lAn.-