Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-02-02

among the federal prisoners con.
fined in the Jail here during the pasl
year was James L. Wilcox, brought tc
Ironton last summer, and kept in jail
until the recent term of the Il. S. Dis.
trict Court, when he was taken to St.
Louis for trial Wilcox is a most re.
markable man. While here he gave
the jailer no special trouble, but plain
ly evidenced intelligence ana education
far above the average prisoner. The
following story of Wilcox's life and
history of his crimes is taken from
Mondays Post-Dispatch: james L
Wilcox, one of the most remarkable
prisoners ever confined in the St. Louis
Jail, left Monday morning in the Gus
ody of a Uniled States Deputy Mar
shall for Jefferson City, Mo-, where he
goes to enter upon a 10-months' lm-
| prisonment for one of the most re-
markaoie schemes ever worked in St.
Louis. His faithful wife, who has
been his constant companion in all his
wauderings and operations. and who.
when he has been in prison several
times serving time. lived always in the
city where he was imprisoned, was at
the jail early and talked through the
screen to him until the official led him,
heavily shackled. away TO the street
car. She followed and accompanied
| him to Union Station and remained,
watching, until the train departed.
Wilcox was arrested last July. as was
told exclusively in the Post Dispatch at
the time; for sweating gold coins,
and, in connection with it. for trying
to sell the output of gold mine, the
specimens from which had been sailed
with the gold sweated from the United
States coins. William Fl. Shaw was
associated with Wilcox in the venture,
and posed a. the owner of the mine
They procured rooms in a house on
Washington avenue, advertised in the
newspapers aud had many prospective
purchasers visit their establishment.
The room was as iugeniously fitted up
~ was keeiy's laboratory, where the
famous perpetual motion machine was
exhibited, and it was as full of deceit.
Wilcox is an expert chemist and metal
iurgist. He had great quantity of
ore in warehouse nearby. His vic
tim could select specimens of the ore
at random Wilcox had new process
of Rssaying. and be conducted the
operation before The eyes of his intend
ed victim. The assay was done BY
means of chemicals and was inexpep-
sive. When the assay was complete |
the victim was given the gold accruiug |
from the test. A jeweler of known In
tegrity would test the gold, and it was |
always found to be pure gold. just |
before Wilcox and Shaw could fleece a |
St. Louisan of large sum of money |
on the gold ore scheme they were ar
rested on a charge of passing coins |
of light weight. The Government au-
thorities did not know the value of the
arrest until the Post Dispatch exposed |
the swindlers. 1t was shown that the /
men had served a term in the Balti-
more prison for sweating coin, and |
they had operated in every big city in
the land. They were Indicted and
Wilcox turned States evidence. He
made statement before United States
Judge Adams and explained his oper-
atoms iu full. He admitted he con-
celved the idea and induced Shaw to
become party to the crime Shaw
made admission also, and pleaded gull
ty. He was sentenced to three years
Imprisonment in the penitentiary.
Wilcox was given the same sentence.
but on recommendation of Judge
Adams and the District Attorney, Pres.
ident Mckinley commuted Wllcox's
sentence to 10 months. Wilcox is a
remarkable man. He is about 40
years old and has none of the criminal
in his external makeup. He looks
like prosperous. happy. business
man. He was well-dressed, his light
colOred trousers were newly creased.
bis black coat fit him we'll, his tan
shoes were polished and his step was
elastic as he ran across the street and
stepped on bis car. He admits he has
been lawbreaker for years, but he
says be can earn an honest living and
As soon as he obtains his freedom this
time he promises to forsake the prim-
rose path for all time to come. His
wife is a handsome woman. stylish aud
Intelligent She makes her home with
4 family IN the West End and says she
will stay in st. Louis until her bus
band is free aud then they will make
heir home in this city. Wilcox is a
native of Illinois and was given a good
education. He was a civil engineer
and did considerable work in the north
west. He was a good slot and killed a
arge number of wolves. 1t vas this
hat started him wrong. When be
to Illinois be brought the
wolves scales With him There was
i $40 remium on the scalps in the
county and be sold them. When he
sold these scalps he went west and
bought more He sold these at big
profit and kept up the traffic until be
vi as detected, arrested. convicted and
sent to the penitentiary in Illinois for
b rec years. He and Shaw met and in
1898 they went into the real estate
business in Chicago. They made
but lost it later. Then they
went into the coiu-sweating business.
they prospered awhile and gave the
United States Secret Service autbori-
les a chase all oyer the country. They
we're arrested in Baltimore and were
given penitentiary sentences. When
.ney were released they met in St.
louis and both are again in the pen