The San Francisco call., 1897-07-04

here Friday from his brother, Robert
Pinkerton, who telegraphed that Lenox.
had been arrested at Atlantic City, n. ].
Lenox is now en- route to Sioux Citv,
Iowa, where long sentence inevitab bly,
awaits him. This consigns 10 the peni-
tentiary the last active member of one of
the boldest and most successful gangs Of
bank swirders that ever infested the
United States. The news will interest
Becker and Creedon, who are under. Life
Sc ntence, but who are now in the County
Jail awaiting the result of an appeal to
The Supreme Court.
Lenox with the rest of the gang made
quite haul from >everal Cali ifornIa banks
three years ago, and got away, but they
were not so successful afterward. The
gang then consisted of Becker and Cree
don, Lenox, Robert Bowman, Old Joe
English and Lon" Thayer, and they got
East safely with their plunder. Their
method was always 10 get genuine draft
for few dollars, ceverly raise it to $500
or $4,000, and put on the back a counter
felt Endorsement by the cashier, identity
ing the owner. One OF the ''presentors"
did the rest and Lenox was one of them.
He is is years of age, tall, robust and a
plausible talker, with an honest, straight
forward countenance- He always made
up as a well-to-do rancher, and was gen.
orally a breeder of horses. He was well
calculated for success at his business.
After the gang lett this State they
started another raid from Jacksonville.
Fla, and successfully swindIed a large
mum ber of banks all over the South. The
first snag was struck at Des Moines, Iowa,
when "Old Joe" English was arrested.
The rest OF the gang continued operations
through the Northwest About this me
the American Bankers Association was
formed. The Pinkertons were retain as
police agents of the association, and the
rola t1auu II inh hau
Lenox again was begun.
In the summer oil 1894 Lanox was found
at Atlantic City, n. j., and taken back to
Milwaukee, where the gang had operated. :.
While the case was pending his lawyer
became District Attorney. Lenox was.
positively identified as the man who had
swlndied two banks there but through
efforts at compromise, ETC., be got off
with two years i'll the Workhouse. At
that time he was wanted for swindle on
the Corn Exchange Bank a. Sioux City,
Iowa, and requisitions were ready for him
when his sentence expired, little .ess
than month ago.
He was nabbed for the Sioux CITY
swindle, but was held by writ of habeas
corpus and then discharged through a
flaw in tue indictment. He escaped before
he could be retaken by legal process, and
has eluded pursuit until now. The
American Bankers Association is pursu-
ing MIN reIenLleSSlV, anu tueIe dUpedIS 10
be no escape Tor him Al Sioux City.
After the arrest of English and Lenox,
Becker and Creedon reorganiZed their
gang and returned 10 California, where
they had been 80 successful! two years be-
fore. After coming here they bought the
draft on the Crocker- Woolworth Bank for
$12, in favor of A. h. Dean.. from the
Bank of Wood anu. raised 1t with remark
able cleverness to $22, COZ and succeeded
in cashing it at Inc Nevada Bank.
Through the clever work of Captain Lees
the identity of the swindlers was dis
covered. while their arrest in the East was
due TO the Pinkertons.
Becker and Creedon are now facing life
sen .ences. as stated. A. II. Dean IS in
the City Prison. held as witness pending
the appeal. 80 d Joe" English is serving
an eieven-year sentence in Iowa and is
demented through paress. Lon Thayer
is dying OF con- u mptioD in New York and
Bowman is in England. Dan Bennecky,
who operated with them at one time, is in
prison at Albany, n. Y. James Farrell
and Samuel Harris, also OF the gang, are
serving time i'll Texas. They travelled a
long road, but they have had their day.
Lanox was convicted Of forgery in IIli-
nois in 1877 and sentenced 10 seven years.
For the same crimes he was aiterward
convicied in Kansas and in Pennsylvania.
Then he Joined the Becker Creedon gang
and Is now getting some more of his re.
ward.