Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-10-28

other members OF the band
II required some time TO accomplish
my purpose. but the time came when
felt safe in revealing my true identity
to these men and In showing them the
trap into which they had walked. They
found themselves face TO face with i'm
prisonment on one hand and turning
against Biebush on the other. They
chose the latter alternative. These ne
gotiations were conducted. OF course.
With the utmost secrecy and IL was
stipulated that they IN no wise we're
20 change front toward any member OF
| the Biebush crowd. Mrs Woods.
through her alleged husband. was also
enlisted on the government side and
produced one DIt or information which
later proved OF much vaiue-that in
the Chester. in., penitenuary was one
John Mitchell. ahas Jacobs. a former
intimate OF BIeDush, who probably
would be able 10 give the authorities
desired information.
Mitchell, il seemed, was In Chester
for the cure OF the same habit that had
brought "HoOsier Bill" to Joliet-tnat
OF getting his own horse confused With
those of other people. lie had boarded
With Mrs. Woods and had revealed 10
hcr his association with Fred Biehush
in handling counterfeit money. | con-
sidered the lead a promising one and
went 70 Chester. / was amply repaid.
have told how Biebnsh escaped from
the court when confronted by William
Shelley, the counterfeit engraver, in
1870. ! found IL had been Mitchell who
had met him at the foot OF Perry street
with skin, in which the Great South
west koniacker" made his escape to
Cabaret island, and that Mitchell had
been arrested for stealing the horse
and buggy with which TO further aid
his chief to escape the law. He had
passed counterfeit money for Biebush
In 1877 and 1878, recently enough to
make the offense punishable at that
time
OF course, secured from Mitchell all
the information | could, and among IL
was this fact: While serving a pre-
Vious term in the Joliet penitentiarv
Mitchell had formed the acquaintance
OF fellow convict named Thomas
who was doing time for the theft of
harness. Thomas had told Mitchell thar
he combined preaching with larceny
and mixed the duties OF singing reviv-
aiist with those OF ''koniacker." sinh
sequently Mitchell had carried written
communications from Biebush 10
Thomas. and the latter, Mitchell said.
was then in St Louis following his in
congruous occupations OF saving souls
and passing bad money.
But little time was. required To To-
cate Thomas. A man answering opr
description OF him was found 10 ha
preaching az the Methodist church a.
Morgan and Twenty-fourth streets To
all appearances Rev. Andrew Jackson
Thomas sometimes known as~Austin
J. Thomas) was a sincere preacher and
was doing good work in the VINEYARD
IL was found that he was living with
his wife in Finney avenue. west OF
Grand avenue The couple had no chill
oren, and, so far as could learn, they
lived much to themselves, so far as
their neighborhood was concerned. A
shadow" was placed on the house
and its occupants. The police beat on
which the Thomas residence was To-
Gated was patroled by Oficer Weigman
or the ST. Louis force. most compe-
tent officer. From him IL was learned
that some time before a peddler had
complained to him that the minister's
vile had given him counterfeit coins