The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1896-01-30
FRANK SETON.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE %

you could not blame me; l was trying
to do the best | could to get out of this
thing The chief and his citizens were
waiting for Gault's answer to decide
finally whether it was Smith or not and
when Gault came out and told them that
he was the man, and when Smith called
them and said he was right, the people
were much pleased at the sagacity of
Gault in succeeding to break so noto
rious forger down in so short time.
With all the knowledge that he had of
Beason, alias Smith, and of his doings
and of his transactions, he knew that
there was going to be trouble to move
him out of the state of Florida In the
consultation with the chief he asked
him to hold his arrest quiet until he
got back from Tallahassee, to which
place he had to go for requisition pa
pers, which would take him 90 hours
from Orlando, Fla, and 20 back. Chief
Preston was so highly pleased over his
capture of such celebrated prisoner,
that he could not hold it from the news
papers and gave them the article, while
Gault was on his way to Tallahassee.
Leaving Orlando at 11;40 p. M,
Gault arrived at Tallahassee about 5
p. m. the next day. The executive ses-
sion was over, but by some strategy
Gault got an interview with the COVER
nor, after explaining the many miles
he had travelled for this man, he asked
the governor to issue requisitson and
let him get the man away. The COVER
nor called in the secretary of the state
and had the papers fixed up and Gault
remained there until II 40 that night
and struck out for Orlando.
In Jacksonville, Gault met q true
friend of his and went over the case
with him, and showed him the difficult
ties he would have to encounter to get
out with his man, knowing the Georgia
authorities would claim him as
soon as he reached that state.
He said he was satisfied that
Gault would never get him through,
but that he would do all he could to as
sist him.
Arriving in Orlando the following
evening at 7 o'clock, upon calling on the
chief of poline, he discovered that he
had a hand full of kilograms calling on
him to hold this celebrated criminal.
One of the kilograms from the Fort
Valley Bank, read: "Hold Smith,
$3.50 reward for him, which is one hun.
dred more than the Baltimore officer
offers, and wehold the requisition prior
to him" Then trouble arose 1t was
a hard matter for the chief to designate
between the $3.50 and $3.50, but in the
interview Gault told him that he had
come all of this distance; that he was
there on the ground, had the papers
and that his word and honor as a gen.
tleman would be called in for the de
livery Of the man to him. They talked
over the matter for hours. Finally the
chief consented to let Gault start will
the man the following morning.
! Keeping the company of the chief o
police that evening, and going around
Gault got from the chief that there wa
train that left for Jacksonville at II: 4
that night Walking along Gaul
changed his mind and insisted that tn,
chief give him Smith and he make tn
trial to escape with him. rzIIlbak Yht
going to the calaboose, tkIBki9Af EFAfnel
a sS~ sP STATE 4Hi FEh s3l,'5 )
goods Go a M i e 0Ss Ss I'd s q
you, chief, as a gentleman, am / to b
cut off at the next station for the For
Valley people? The chief replied, Nc
I Knowing that the telegraph offic
J would not open there until near min
! o'eloee in the morning and thinking b
D would have that much advantage 0