The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1896-01-30

sou, alias Seton, alias Lection, etc. etc
There he was born and raised, but he
had not been there for some years.
Then commenced the operations oil To-
eating him. Mr.. Detective Gault man
aged to secure a photograph of Beason,
alias Smith, in the south and Messrs.
Biedler & Jackson were notified of the
photograph, and they positively iden-
titled it as being one and the same
man, Then commenced a long and te-
dious search. Finally Messrs. Biedler
& Jackson had taken 5000 photographs
of Smith and flooded the south with
them
Smith was arrested in Alabama in
1894 on this last crime and placed in
Jail at Linden, but the officials being
unable to hear from the authorities
here, in turn had to release him, as
they only had a right to hold him
twenty-four hours,
He then located at Quintette, Fla,
under the name of Clark, where he
purchased a large pear orchard, and
where he was but short time before
getting in WITH the good people of that
place and later on taught a Sunday
school class near his home, sang in the
choir, was kind to the poor, helped
bury the dead, was liberal and gener-
GUS to a fault, was strictly morose,
wouldn't even play checkers and didn't
smoke, chew nor curse. Notwithstand-
ing all this, on the 9Th of March, 1895,
he went up to Fort Valley, Ga, and
there cashed two forged drafts: One
on the Fort Valley Bank, and the other
on the Dow Law bank for $3.50. 60 each.
Returning to Quintette, the Georgia
authorities located him there and pro-
cured requisition on the governor of
Florida and sent their officers down to
his farm armed with Winchesters, and
they surrounded his farm at night, but
Smith eluded their grasp and got away.
This information coming to Marshal
Frey, caused another onslaught of cir
culars with Smiths picture to be sent
in that section.
THE CLOSING OF A FIFTEEN-YEAR FUGI-
TIVE LIFE.
On the 10Th day of September, 1895,
Marshal Preston, of Orlando, Fla,
having received one of the circulars
and photographs which had been sent
out by Marshal Frey which stated that
Beason, alias Smith, was wanted for
grave charges here, thought he saw his
man, and wrote to Marshal Frey of his
suspicious.
In the meantime, however, he con-
cluded there was no doubt of the iden-
tity of Smith, alias Clark, as the forger
had represented himself to be since his
arrival there two weeks before, during
which time he had been boarding at
the house of Mrs. E. 7. Childs, on
Church. street. Later descriptions from
Baltimore of the man more firmly con-
WINGED Preston that he was the right
man, and he so wrote the authorities
here. all the time keeping close watch
on Clark, and with shrewdness of the
man, postponed the arrest, knowing
that the law only allowed him to hold
a suspect twenty-four hours, not count
ing Sunday, without warrant So
Preston waited until Saturday after
noon to take his man and get the ad-
vantage Of Sunday and Monday, to
give him time to have the Baltimore
authorities get to Florida, they of
course having been advised of the con-
tempated arrest. On Friday, Sep
TENDER 81, 1895, Preston telegraphed
Marshal Frey, Of this city, to forward
requisition papers.
With this information the marshal
dispatched Detective Albert Gault with
the requisition papers to Orlando, Fla.
After starting the marshal notified the
Orlando authorities that Gault was on
his way with the papers advising the
time that he would arrive.
Gault arrived at Wildwood, station
some 30 miles west of Orlando, on Sun.
day morning at o'clock, being cut off
but taking the 4:30 train he arrived il
Orlando near noon on Sunday.
The council to the chief of police o.
Orlando hearing Gault had been cut of
at Wildwood, advised their chief t.
place this man under arrest, for if h,
did not, Detective Gault would upo1
his arrival and be entitled to the reward
of $3.50 which had been offered for hi
arrest, therefore, at p. m. Saturday
Marshal Preston met Clark on Churcl
street, at the Orlando avenue crossing
and asked if his name was Beason, t,
which he replied that his name was no
Beason, but Clark. Upon being toll,
that he must consider himself under ar
rest he quietly submitted and was takel
to the city lock up, where he was show
upon what authority he was so suddenl.
deprived of his liberty. Upon meeting
the chief he informed Gault he had hi
man up at the calaboose, but he ha,
been living there under the name 0
CLARK; that he negotiated with Maio
Marks To hnr On nranpn grove iron