Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-24
ANNIE COST HIM HIS LIBERTY,
A Minnesota Seamstress the
Cause Of His Capture.
G. L. Cominges on His Way Back to
East Grand Forks.
He Sold Grain Consignments and Kept
the Proceeds and Skipped to Cali
fornia-But He Sent Back
for Annie Cafferty.

Sheriff Army Grandysen of Crookston
Mimi, arrived In the city yesterday
with @. L. Cominges, who is wanted il
that state for embezzlement. Comingel
was arrested in San Bernardino abou
two weeks ago by City Marshal G. H
Thomas, and was held in that place
pending the arrival of an officer with
requisition papers. Sheriff Grardye een
arrived on yesterday from San Bernar-
dino with his prisoner, and left last
night on the 10 40 train for Minnesota.
Cominges lives at East Grand Forks,
where he had been in the grain business
for the past six years. He pretended to
be the agent of certain milling firm,
and received consignments of wheat for
that particular firm, but. it is charged,
he shipped the wheat to other firms
on his own account, and di-
verted about 10000 to his own
use which belonged to his too
confiding customers. There are 10 or IL
charges against him for embezzlement
and larceny. On realizing this amount
he suddenly left for California, desert
ing his wife and five children. He Wis
tied various points IN the country, Flor
ida, New Orleans, Ell Paso, Texas, and
San Diego. Not liking the slow town of
San Diego he visited San Bernardino,
arriving there about six weeks ago.
During this time he had been corres-
pondinG with young woman in East
Grand Forks named Annie Cafferty.
This woman did sewing for his wife, ard
she was watched by the officers. 1t was
learned that che received letters from
Cominges. Finally it was arranged be-
tween them that she should 60 to Cali
tornia and join Cominges. Ayoung man,
Charles Williams, aged about 20 years, ,liv-
Ing in San BernardiDo, was employed by
Cominges to 60 to East Grand Forks
after the woman. Williams was fur
nished with money, return railroad
ticket and diagram OF the town, street,
and the number of the house in which
the woman lived, so that he could find
1t without making inquiries and thus
exciting suspicious. The young go-be-
tween procurer, Charles Williams, ar
rived in East Grand Forks and went di-
rectly to the house. 1t fortunately hap
pened that the woman was out. She
was just across the street doing some
sewing for Mrs. Cominges. When the
young fellow delivered his letter OF in
structions to Miss Cafferty, che went
up stairs to read it. Mrs. Cominges had
An idea what it was, and followed the
woman up stairs, took the. letter from
hsr, had her hustled out of the house,
and gave the letter to an officer. The
information was telegraphed to San Ber-
nardino, and Cominges was arrested by
City Marshal Thomas. On his person was
found 5000 and gold watch. He re-
quested the marshal to destroy the
watch; but the marshal etill holds the
watch, thinking that it belongs to some
one in that vicinity. What Cominges
did with the remainder OF the money ia
unknown; no doubt he spent a great
deal of the amount before he left East
Grand Forks, and it was stated in San
Bernardino that he had bought some
property in the county, either under the
name of Cominges or Brown, but this
he denies.
On last Saturday, in San Bernardino,
q man named G. R. Jones went out to
trim some pepper trees in yard on
Third and streets, near the railroad
depot. As he mounted the step.
ladder, which had been left in
the yard for several days, he saw
an oyster can suspended from limb.
Knowing that the tree did not yield
oyster cans, the gardeners curiosity
was somewhat excited. He took the
can and found that it was rather heavy.
and on loo.Ang into it he found that it
was filed with gold. The can con-
tanned $3.50. The lucky finder thought
he would see il any other trees were as
fruitful. He climbed another tree, saw
another suspended can, and found that
it contained 5000 in gold. The gardener
continued climbing trees, but found no
more oyster cans full of money. He
holds the money in trust, awaiting the
owner. 1t is believed that this money
was secrsted by G. L. Coninges alias L.
N. Brown, and that it belongs to the
poor farmers whom he robbed.
Cominges was seen in the city prison
last evening by HERALD reporter. He
refused TO speak in reference to the
matter. y He is tall, slender; dark
complexioned man, with smoothly
shaven face, with clear-cut features.
dark. piercing eyes, and wears black
SLOUGH hat. He is rather of pleasant
manner, and of ssdaehing" etyle.