The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-25
CRONKHITE is CAUGHT
Warren COunty's Ex-Treasurer
Arrested at Los Angeles, Cal.
Violet Ink Used by His Wife Leads to
the Clew-A Sheriff's
Clever Work.

but the perseverance of his bOpdsmen and
the Warren County Commissioners was
finally rewarded and he will be brought
back TO Williamsport at once for trial.
Cronkhite was first elected treasurer OF
Warren county in November, 1855, and was
reelected to the Office in 1880. The defalca-
ton, which amounted to So, 900, is supposed
10 have covered a period of possibly two
years prior to his flight. The last seen of
him Saturday, Jan. q. 1893, WREN
he tried. unsuccessfully, 70 discount $4,000
worth OF paper at the Farmers and Merch-
ants Bank of Attica- Finding that dis
covery was at hand Cronkhite fled and,
though located several times, managed to
elude pursuit until yesterday. 1t was only
BY the exercise of strategy that his arrest
was compassed. Governor Matthews has is
sued four acquisitions for him, the first on
Nebraska, the second on Michigan, the
third on Illinois and the fourth and final
one on California. Heretofore, when the
officer armed with the necessary papers
would appear the scene OF the default
sr's supposed residence he would find that
his man had just dropped out of sight and
all trace OF him for the time being would
be lost. This circumstance happening re-
peatedly became so exasperating that his
bondsmen determined TO land him by STRAIT
Chicago some months ago, and so they did,
but by the time everything was in shape
for his capture Cronkhite. for the third
time, gave the officers the slip, having, evil
IDENTIFY, received a quiet tip in advance.
This last fiasco was too much for the
bondsmen, and they cast around for some
shrewd officer who could not only plan
strategic pursuit. but could successfully
carry IL out. They hit upon Ambrose
Moore, the sheriff of Fountain county, as
just the man for the work, he having met
with much success in trailing and running
TO earth crafty lawbreakers. A deal was
made with Moore by which he was TO re-
ceive a certain amount of money ana all
expenses TO locate Cronkhite ana bring
him back to Williamsport The Fountain
county sheriff made a careful study or the
case from the beginning, and found that
the defaulters wife was in regular cor
respondence with relatives and friends in
Chicago. but, apparently, with no one else
INK FURNISHES a CLEW.
He secured the necessary permission
from the postofice authorities to scrutinize
the envelopes mailed by Mrs. Cronkhite,
noted the names of her correspondents and
the fact that she used peculiar color of
Ink and kind OF envelope, which he imag-
Ined might have some significance. Hav-
ing exhausted these sources of informa-
ton at Williamsport, Moore proceeded to
Chicago and, armed with the authority of
the postoffice department, went right into
the office there where he received every as
sistance possible from the postmaster, and
quickly discovered that one or Mrs.
Cronkhite's few correspondents was evil
IDENTIFY go-between, as he had suspected.
This mutual friend, he found. was in the
habit of addressing letters in the same vio-
let ink used by Mrs. CrOnkhite TO man
at Los Angeles named Wilson, and
the letters received from the wife
at Williamsport. After =. watching the
TO make sure that his suspicious were well
founded. for the trip was long one and
the sheriff wanted to make no mistakes.
the 9th of March and secured
a requistion from 60. Governor Matthews "a,
Cronkhite. The issuance of this requisition
was kept profound secret for the reason
that the defaulting treasurer appeared to
have a lucky penchant for anticipating
such documents. and it was desired this
time to make no mistake Armed with this
Iequisition, Moore went straight to Los
Angeles. He did not dare go TO Sacramento
and procure the necessary papers on his
requisition because Of the possibility of the
matter leaking out and thus affording
Cronkhite an opportunity to get out of Cal
lfOrnia- With the Pacific ocean near at
hand and vessels sailing every day for the
other side of the world, the Fountain coun-
~ sheriff felt that any premature move
would be fatal and he resolved to make no
mistake.
Going directly to the Los Angeles post
Office, he displayed his authority to the
postmaster alone, and was given all posi-
bic opportunity to study his man.
CRONKHITE IS CAUGHT.
He arrived there about March 10. and
waited little over a week. watching the
mails each day. Finally letter came for
Wilson, postmarxed Chicago, and in the
handwriting and violet ink of the go-be-
tween. Yesterday Wilson came for his let
ter and Moore. who had been patiently
the watch for days. saw at glance that
1t was Cronkhite. He had been furnished
with pictures of the defaulter and recog
nized him in moment 1t was the work
rest, for the sheriff had his plans all laid
for the successful elimination of the chase,
having anticipated the result after his Chi
After getting his man in the Los Angeles
Jail. he wired Myron King, private secre-
tary of the Governor, that he had captured
Cronkhite, and proceeded at once TO Sacra-
mento 10 secure a warrant for his return
upon the requisition he had secured from
Governor Matthews. CrOnkhite will proba-
bly, be in the Warren county Jail by next
Saturday.
discovered that Mrs. Cronkhite was watch
ing the movements of the sheriff and the
Warren County Commissioners very closely
Not move escaped her and she cOmmuni-
Gated all information obtained in this and
others ways to the Chicago parties who
conveyed II 10 Cr0nkhite IN the manner al
ready described In this way she frustrated
a cleverly-laid plan TO land him once when
in Chicago. n requisition was quietly Sc
cured, the trip TO indianapolis being made
discreetly To not arouse the sus-
picions of anybody. Prosecuting Attorney
Eli Stansberry took the papers and went
to Chicago TO arrest the elusive ex-treas-
urer. His journey was surrounded with all
the secrecy that seemingly was possible,
but in some mysterious way the Watchful
wife got wind OF the scheme, and when the
prosecutor went to lay his hands on his
man the slippery defaulter was far away
and the requisitiOn papers were useless.
The slightest detail OF anything looking 10
the apprehension OF her husband appeared
communicating warning via Chicago. and
the motto of Cronkhlte's relatives and
friends seemed 10 be Eternal vigilance is
the price OF liberty" They believed in be-
ing overcautious rather than overconfdent
and Tor over year their tactics were sue
cessful The only way the capture OF
Cronkhite was effected was by the en-
not known 10 Mrs. Cronkhite, and whose
entrance into the case was kept pro-
found secret To successfully battle with
a womans wit it necessary to meet
shrewdness with a similar article of lust
shade better quality.
CAREER OF CRONKHITE
CrOnkhite was first elected treasurer in
1883. and was nearing the close Of his sec
ond term when his defalcation was discov-
cred When he went into Office he was
heavily in debt. There was a mortgage
upon his farm OF $15OO0. 1t is claimed.
and it seems 10 be borne out by facts.
that he wiped out this mortgage with mon
eys temporarily borrowed from the cOun-
", no doubt intending TO nav il hack in