The morning call., 1893-07-22
CAUGHT AT LAST.
"Doc"Whftfield's Smooth
Game Ceases.
McDONALD'S PARTNER in JAIL
The Notorious Finn Flammer Who
Worked Saloons Here Arrested
at san AndreaS.

Information was conveyed over the
wires Yesterday to \. r. Harris, the Gov
ernment agent, of the arrest by Sheriff
Ben K. Thorn of Calaveras County Of the
notorious counterfeiter, Doc" Whitfield,
at San ADdreas, where he is now in JAIL
The police here had got word the night
>efore that Whitfield was located. and
Mr.. Harris was notified as soon as possi-
Ole. Deputy United Stated Marshal Shell
don Monckton will start for San Andreas
his morning armed with the necessary
Eapers, and it is quite likely that he will
Sing back a woman, supposed to be
Whtfeld's wife. on charge Of coun ter
feiting. too.
The working partner of DOG" Whitfield
is now in the County Jail here. He goes
under the name of John Mcdonald, but
it is said that his right name is George
Mcdonald. Sergeant Burke of the Seven
teenth-Street Police station arrested him
early this month.
Whitfeld's full name is Levi S. Whit
field, and he has brother named E. W.
Whitfield, who is said TO have served a
term of Imprisonment in Illinois. Nc
Donald was in the City Prison here about
year ago for some petty offense. He has
taught dan cing-school in this city, and
was also Photographic canvasser.
A full description. accompanied by por-
traits OF both Doc Whitfield and Nc
Donald. was given in The SUNDAY CALL
on the 9th inst. of their operations in this
city with counterfeit S5 pieces, and Mr..
Harris thinks that the article, with the
valuable assistance of the portraits, has
been the means of Identification BIZ which
Sheriff Thorn was enabled to recognize
and capture his man. Sheriff Thorn IS
one of the oldest and sharpest Sheriffs in
the State.
The pieces of bronze they passed as S.
pieces Ut the date OF 1877 were simply
gilded over. The mold by which they
were formed was good enough. but it re-
quired very short time for the pieces to
tarnish and TO show their real character.
1t was regular film fam" game by
which Whitfield and Mcdonald 'shoved"
their base metal upon their victims, and
the date mentioned was very graphic in
detail.
They would 60 into saloon, and Nc
Donald. pretending to have been an in
valid who had reganed health under the
marvellous treatment of 'Dr." Whitfield.
and whose advice in matters of slim ula-
tion he was still anxious to follow, would
familiarity address his iunocent-appearing
companion as DOC" and, after compli-
lnenting him with Overflowing gratitude
for bis medical skill, would, almost child
like and bland, ask MIN if little whisky
would be good for him. OF course the
doctor" would agree that a little-a very
little-might not hurt him; but as for
himself he would take wine. Finally,
however, they would agree on whisky.
The next step on the programme would
be for one Of them to throw down good
SO piece on the bar while the other
stepped over to the lunch-counter. The
lunch tend would return just about the
time the barkeeper had put the change on
the bar. which usually consisted of S5
piece and the balance in silver. Then, by
an adroit move. the SO piece would be
pushed back by Mcdonald. he saying,
with remOnstratiye tone and manner,
You came in here to drink with me.
Doc" and by another dextrous move a
bogus S5 piece would be substituted for
the one put on the bar by the bartender.
and the drinks would be paid for with a
good So piece, the silver remaining on the
bar being taken as change.
The game was so smoothly worked that
the bartender quite naturally supposed be
was simply taking back his own S5-piece.
and instead of the doctors" SO he was
merely changing McDOnald's S.. Perhaps
lie would discover his mistake at night
when counting Up.
Il is said that Whitfield was once mixed
uD IN murder in some way and that he
has served time in an Eastern peniten-
tiary. He is about So years of age and
wears brown beard There is nothing
particularly extraordinary in his appear
ance.