Huntsville gazette., 1893-12-02
IN THE PEN At LAST.
Charles w. Mosher Has Entered
Nebraska's Prison Gates.
END OF A DASHING MANS CAREER
After Wrecking Bank and Bankruptine
Hundreds of Working People He
Barely Escapes Lynching
Two or Three Times.
IND OF A DASHING MANS CAREER


the United States prison at Sioux Falls
have at last closed upon Charles W.
Mosher, one of the most remarkable ne1
in the history of the West It is iinpo5-
sible to estimate the length of time he
will remain there. A man OF his ability
and dexterity may be expected to be free
at almost any moment.
For ten years Mosher has been the alb
solute boss of the Republican party OF
Nebraska. He has been on the inside O.
all the rings, all the jobs and all the
booms. Let him be placed in any group
Of men, however, renowned, and he
would soon become the central figure.
No one has questioned his corrupt ard
venal nature. but by sheer force OF
Of brains be has remained the foremost
man Of his party. Ee has been presi-
dent Of the Capital National bank O.
Lincoln, the state capital and his home
He obtained year after year the convict
labor contract, by the terms of which h.
was paid by the state instead Of paying
the state, as in every honest state. He
has furnished the state institutions with
fuel, with material and with funds. He
has signed the bond of nearly every state
officer, and therefore the state funds al
ways remained IN his bank Il any
building was done by the state Mosher
always received the contract. He held
the state in his grasp, although a young
man, smooth faced, innocent looking
and apparently honest.
But the crash came. A national baak
examiner dropped in upon that bank one
Sunday night last January and found it
utterly bankrupt. No such sensation
was ever known before in this state
The state funds, amounting to nearly
5000, 900, were gone; the individusl de-
posits Of the poor and working people Of
Lincoln were gone. The bond Of the
bank. signed by the Republican COVER
nor, was found to be worthless. Il the
people Of Lincoln could have got hold Of
Mosher he would have been lynched in
Ave minutes He was arrested and in
dicted, and he confessed.
1t was vary simple act, consisting Of
writing on the stub Of every certificate
Of deposit issued only fraction of the
real sum. Thus when the bank exam
iners would investigate that bank they
would find more funds than required BY
the showing. It was ingenious and It
was a success. He had worked the
scheme for long time to conceal bis
heavy losses. Keeping up agreat lobby
to prey upon the legislators was expen-
sive. He had been gambling and lost
Some OF his enterprise had met with
disaster. and, thus In one way and
another, he was driven to crime to CON
ceal his deficiencies.
After being bound over to the federal
court Mosher was allowed to go any
where. He spent several weeks in Chi
cago at the fair and In visiting other
places. He then returned here and was
nominally In the custody Of the federal
court, but was permitted TO visit any
part Of the city unattended. When at
last bis trial game he pleaded guilty and
was sentenced to five years in the federal
prison at Sioux Falls. But by request OF
his attorneys he remained here in the
county Jail for the alleged purpose OF
being near Lincoln to aid In unravelling
| the affairs of the bank. In the county
jail 1t b alleged that he was permitted
10 have all sorts Of liberties, even 10 20
| 70 LIS opera Ae was never cOnHned TO
cell and boarded at hne restaurant.
The publication of these facts defeat
| ed for reelection Sheriff Bennett, who
had bcen in his alleged custody, and led
10 bis removal 10 the county fail at Lin
coin. There he was threatened with
lynshing, and mob prepared to storm
the jail. He was then removed to the
county jail at Plattsmouth, but lynching
again threatened him. A few days agt
he was brought back here and was soon
takeA TO Sioux Falls, where he ought to
have been several months ago.
The bsnR in Lincoln has not paid
dof5er. Suft upon suit is piled up on h.
directors and officers. The state vii
probably never recover anything, an.
the posf depositors will lose the saving,
Of years. Meanwhile Mosher, in Sion
Falls or anywhere else, is bright, plea.
ant, cheerful and, as usual, ready {.
discuss any question, even his own fat,
and apparently hopeful for the futur,
1t Is alleged that he has about $3.50, ,0o,
in a safe place somewhere. and t..
| knowledge of this fact makes the future
seem not so dark after all.
L