The Washington times., 1901-12-08
JOHN 0GLE IS
FREE AGAIN.
One Of the MOSt Dangerous
Of COulterfeit0rS.
LIVED IN ATMOSPHERE OF CRIME.
Father a River Pirate and Farm
house Flunderer, While His Broth
er Was His Partner in Making
and Passing Spurious Money.

house ElUndereT, WnlIS his DrOon'
er Was His Partner in Making
and Passing Spurious Money.
One dav last week the doors of the
Moundsville. W. Va. prison opened and
a tall, slender, mild-eyed man. upon
whose face and form time and conhne-
ment had left their impress, passed out
10 take up again the broken thread oi
his life.
This was John Ogle's first DAY Of free
dom for more than three years. On July
4, 1898, he WAS sentenced TO four years
Imprisonment for trying 10 increase the
negotiable value of one dollar bills by
altering their denominational character
istics.
Little more than year ago his brother,
Miles. was released from the uhio penl-
tentiary, where he had paid the extreme
penalty imposed by law for spurious
money making. only to die two days later
of paralysis with which he had been hope
lessly stricken over a year before.
Reared in Crime.
The ogles, father and sons, during tha
past fifty years, have had much TO do
with the making of the criminal history OF
this country. George Ogle, the father,
was river pirate ard farmhouse plum
derer the Ohio River ana its tributaries
being the scene of his operations.
The sons early embarked in independent
unlawful enterprises. Miles displayed pug
nacity, intrepidity and skill. while John
was shrewd. plausible and cunning.
After serving five years FOR killing an
officer who attempted TO arrest the fam
lily, and when but twcnty-six years old,
Miles allied himself with the notorious
Reno" gang Of bandits and became the
pupil and confederate Of Peter Mccartney.
that past master Of the counterfeiters s art.
How well he applied himself the records
OF the Secret Service viii testify. An
even dozen skillfully executed spurious
note issues were directly traceable to
him despite the fact that twO-thiTds OF
his manhood was spent behind prison
walls.
without "a Peer for Daring.
John ogle, while not possessed OF the |
deliberate skill of his brother, was his |
equal in hardihood and, in his way, quite |
as dangerous TO society. For cool daring |
ingenuity and resourcefulness he was |
without a peer in his chosen profession, |
and some of his escapes from the officers |
of the law bordered on the miraculous. |
He was introduced 10 prison life in |
1861, being sentenced in the fall Of that 1
year TO five years in the Jacksonville, |
Ind. penitentiary for burglary. Shortly
after his release he was traced to Cairo,
III. with s., 500 OF counterfeit money, in
tended for one OF Miles customers. and,
after desperate fight, placed in jail.
He managed in some way to effect his
escape but was soon recaptured at Pitts
burg. This time he told the officers that
be knew of a big plant" Of spurious bills
and tools near oyster Point, Maryland,
which he was willing to turn up II 1t
would benefit him.
Jumped From Car window.
Being assured of leniency he started
With a marshal for the hiding place. En-
route, he managed to elude the watchful-
ness of his guard and jumped from the car
window while the train was at fun speed.
At Bolivar. Tenn, 0gle was arrested
s. 1872, with $500 Of counterfeit
money in his pocket. A sentence Of ten
Years was imposed, but John had repu-
tation to sustain, so he broke from the
Iafl where he was temporarily confined
AWAITING transportation TO the peniten-
.isry.
Several months later he was arrested
md indicted at Cincinnati for passing bad {
70 bills. Pending trial, he was released | !
IN 5000 bail, which he promptly for
cited and was again fugitive.
His Experience i'm Illinois.
February is, 1873, one Tom Hayes" was !
detected passing counterfeit money at !
i ]
Tom Hayes" was none other than the
much wanted John ogle until after he
lad made good his escape.
So chagrined were the officers over this Q
econd break that all the resources of \
he department were employed to effect | 1
is recapture and but week had passed | O
,eforc he was found in Pittsburg and 4
aiken to Springfield, H., for trial This ,
inc there was no escape and he served ,
We years in Joliet
AS he stepped from the prison door
iarshal Thrall, OF Cincinnati, confronted ,
i'm with an order for his removal TO an c
wer the indictment OF May, 1872. The L
,incinnati Jail was undergoing repairs h
painter had left his oyeralls and hick- \
ry shirt in the corridor near the cage {.
here Ogle was placed.
Escape From Cincinnati.
Adroitly picking the lock OF his cell
ith his penknife. he donned the painters
othes, took up paint bucket and cooIly :
fslked down the stairs, past the gate :.
-hich the guard obligingly opened for
i'm, through the jailer's office and into
De street
Preceding leisurely until out Of sight j
I the prison the daring criminal made q
Is way 10 the river. which he crossed at d,
and discardlng his borrow
q apparel, struck across the country. Il
nally bringing up at Brandenburg. Ky,
here he obta.ned employment as a stone E
utter. y
was however. inconsistent Y
ith Ogle's carly training, So about u
eek after his arrival, be L-okeg into a y
roe house Of the town, stoic 5000 worth II
I goods and was arrested three days oI
ter while trying to dispose of his plum
n In Louisville.
Fearing term in the Frankfort prison
IT some reason. he informed the Ken n
icky officers that a large reward was bl
fered for his return to Cincinnati | ~.
his had the desired effect. and he was
mt to the Ohio penitentiary to serve
'e years. u
Brothers Becomc Partners. a
Returning to Cincinnati at the explra -
on of this enforced confinement. he - :,
ct his brother, who had Just been re- -
ased from an eight year trick" in the 81
csteTn Pennsylvania penitentiary. and.
though no real affection existed in tha pr
east OF either for the other John need 50
money and Miles had money and re. 50
lired assistance In contemplated en-. ed
rprise. %
An understanding was soon reached and Pl
csc two dangerous law-breakers Joined us