Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-08-18


and said It was fraudulent. Mr.
Jones bristled up and denied it. "Mr
Corning" was indignant, and accused
Mr.. Jones of trying to cheat him. Mr.
Peck stood in amaZement at the
sudden change that came over his
friends. They shook their fists in
each others faces and "Mr. Corning
danced about the table. Suddenly
/ Mr. Jones grabbed up the open
mouthed satchcl with a remark that
! was unintellibigle to Mr.. Peck, and
= began sweeping the money into II
/ with his hand. Not content with
sweep ng In his own pile he jumped
! around to Mr.. Pecks pile Of notes
, swept them in also, and, closing the
satchel, he dashed out OF the door
! through the hall into the street.
| All of this was done with light
, ning-like rapidity that took away Mr.
| Peck's breath. Even II he had de
| sire to interfere and protect his own
/ pile he was prevented by the Inter
vention of Mr.. Corning between him.
self and the table. seemingly accident
al before he fully realized that he
was duped.
Mr.. Corning" assured Mr. Peck
that he would make good the $4,000
az we'll as complete the purchase OF
the property at ABB Clinton avenue,
and sustain the whole loss of the
$4,000 himself. Thus speaking, he
gradually ushered Mr.. Peck out OF
the room and the house assuring
him Of his good will and eyeriast-
ing friendship, and with the plea that
he had an engagement to visit
dying relative he hurried away. This
was June 26, 1889.
Mr.. Peck returned to his home
No. IS Clinton avenue, with some
confidence in Mr.. Cornlng's as
surance, but in reality, $4,000 poorer
than he was when he left in the
morning. He thought 1t all over
during the afternoon and finally came
I to the conclus on that he would con
suit his counsel, Lewis Cass. Mr..
Cass advised informing the police
and they went to Chief Willard and
, conided TO him the whole story.
Chief Willard at once set to work
to head off and capture the clever
I scoundrels. Mr.. Peek had no idea az
to who the criminals were; neither
had Chief Willard at that time, but
it did not take him long to obtain a
list of bunco men and their likeuesses
from the rogue's gallery at police
headquarters. He soon had the
names, aliases and descriptions OF
two well-known bunco men who had
been doing the same kind of bust
ness In other places and their de-
scription, tallying with that given by
Mr.. Peck, was circulated through the
various police departments Detec-
tives were assigned to the case and
for long time worked zealously OBJ
tanning clues and information which
led up to their final capture.
Post eluded the detectives until
October Is, 1891. Chief Willard and
District Attorney Hamilton had re-
ceived information that Post who had
been rusticating in Buenos Ayers, and
other parts of South America had
returned and slipped up into Wiscon.
SIN, where he was under cover.
Chief Willard devised a plan to cap
ture him. He went to New YORK.
personally and there held consulta-
ton with Robert Pinkerton Pinker-
ton notified the western branch Of
the detective age ncy at Chicago OF
the appearance Of Post In Madison.
William Pinkerton, the head of the
detective bureau In that city, sent
a man who was acquainted with
Post to Madison. Post had been
faithfully Swallowed and 1t was
learned that Notwithstanding his triT
to South America he was still plenti
fully supplied with money. He wa
stopping at the Park hotel with 3
handsome woman. occupying the best
suite of rooms and having many
trunks. The arrest, (Oct. II. 1S9D
and conviction followed. 1t cost
Albany county fully $4,000 to get
Post behind the bars.
O'Brien jumped his bail after hav-
Ing once been captured and the ad-
ditional expense Of eXtrad ting him
from London had to be borne by
Albany county. He was convicted
and sentenced to 10 years In prison.
0 Brien was brought before n United
States Judge at Utica. While there
woman named Huntington of New
York made love to OBrlen's keeper,
while O'Brien escaped, He fled tc
France. Afterward he killed Kid
Waddell a fellow crook, In Paris and
was sentenced for life to French
penal station.
Post is known to the criminal fra
tornity rs well as to the police and
public in general as Gentleman
George" His clothing was invari.
ably correct and Of the latest pre-
vailing fashion. 1t always fitted his
, tall, wet developed form like glove.
His tie was always well arranged and
from his immaculate shirt bosom
there always sparkled diamond pin
OF brilliant lustre, His face, he
always kept clean-Sbaven and his
hair, nearby trimmed was brushed
smooth: his teeth are even ard per-