The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-11-25
TICKEr-FoRGING CONSPIRACY.
One of Most S~tupendouS Frauding
Schemes Ever knows ut Last
Caught Up With.

(From Chicago Journal, Nov. IL. 1902
The Allardt ticket forging case. which
IS ready to be placed on trial before
Judge B~rentano. will resemble a con-
vention of railroad men.
The ticket-forging conspiracy IS the
most stupendous scheme Of its kin
ever known in this country. Its OPP
erations extended over ten years. and
during the last e bout S6O.0 0O worth
OF bogus railroad tickets were disposed
of over almost every road in the
United States.
When the five defendants were az
raigned his morning IN Judge Bren-
tano's court fou Of them pleaded not
guilty. but the fifth. Agnes Davidson,
said, in a clear, firm voice: Guilty"
There was a touch of defiance in her
tones-defiance tina was evidently di-
rected against her fellow-conspirators
an not against the state. She will take
the stand and reveal all the intricacies
of the conspiracy.
A REGULAR CONVENTION.
Railroad men from nearly every state
in the union will be witnesses in the
trial. The prosecution alleady has a
list of seventy of such men. Among
them are general managers, superin-
tendents. ticket agents, conductors, and
other officials. New York will send a
delegation of witnesses. So will San
Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles.
From away up in Maine and from down
in Florida and New Orleans they will
come.
Assistant States Attorney Harry Oh
son Will conduct the prosecution. Kick
ham Seaman will represent Charles
Allardt, Alexander T. Freeman. and
James A. Donaghue. Attorney Frank
Bowen will be counsel for Edward Far
num-.
Allardt had a ticket scalper's office at
165 Clark street. Farnum was the rail-
road expert in the office, and was
known as w. T. Davidson. He and
Agnes Davidson lived upstairs, where
the counterfeiting plant was located.
Freeman and Donaghue were en-
ployes in the office.
ALL THE ROADS WE'RE SWIM
DIED.
When the detectives. after working
for a long time on the case. caused the
arrest of the gang, the matter was
turned over to Prosecutor Olson, and
he has spent a great deal of time pom
the case. The developments have been
surprising. There is .Cnrcely a railroad
of any Importance in tne rited States
that has not been swindled by the
tickets put forth by the corspirators.
Every railroad entering Chicago has
been a victim of the bogus tickets. Mr..
Olson now has countless yards OF such
tickets that have been turned over to
him by the railroads for use in the
trial.
Not only did the gang counterfeit
tickets outright, but genuine tickets
were altered by means of acids. For
instance, one ticket to a point in Ill
inois was made to read to Seattle. Of
ten the forgeries were detected by con-
ductors. but usually the work was 50
nearly perfect that the passengers
Travelled without question.
FARNUM WAS A DANDY.
Farnum, the railroad expert, is said
to possess a wonderful knowledge. He
knew the running details Of all the
railroads in the country, and was able
to tell at what points conductors were
changed, and, such information as was
necessary in forging the tickets.
In some instances tickets were issued
over roads that never existed
The taking Of evidence will begin
! neyt Monday