Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-03

CslFeu dI Lue SAlCdSO pOSl OlllCe IRON
! George G. King, as told in the begin
ming of this story This bill had come
| from the east, and from this fact sur
missed that the man who had passed it
had travelled west to Wisconsin, prob
ably from New York city, and thence
southwark.
l believed that in region that had
harbored for years such strong band
OF counterfeiters as the Boscobel crowd
there must be information cocerning the
identity of Shower" who said he
came from that locality, and who. APP
parently, was thoroughly familiar with
it. Consequently I provided myself
with photographs of Levi Logan" and
started for Wisconsin.
On this trip had not long pursued my
investigation when I encountered the
name of Watson with which
l was entirely unfamiliar in counter
feiting circles. From the report | got
from persons familiar with Kale Ellis.
Frank Brown and Malcolm Robinson, the
F'Watsons' must have visited Wiscon-
sin frequently, always associating with
men who bore shady regulations, and
who later were found to be counterfeit
ers. The reputed home of the wat
sons" was at Clear Lake, Ia Without
going to that place l stored away what
heard about them for future reference,
continuing my search in Wisconsin.
At last found my reward through
casually showing the photograph of
Levi Logan" to man who at once
recognized him as the father of Mrs
Malcolm Robinson The true name Of
the Springfield prisoner l found to be
Frank Conway. One of his daughters
had married Malcolm Robinson and an
other had married his brother, Clate,
both of the husbands then being in
prison for counterfeitlng offenses.
The further Identification of Conway
was a simple matter. found he had
affiliated with counterfeiters for many
years, and in 1876 had been arrested
for horse stealing and convicted, car
rylng his case to the supreme court.
Alter securing his freedom on bail he
had disappeared from his Wisconsin
haunts. He had been an associate of
the mysterious Watson brothers. and
had visited them at their farm at Clear
lake. Further than this he had been
closely connected with band of "l1o-
hackers" that made headquarters in
st. Paul In short, the connection be-
tween the "Watsons," Conway, the Bos-
cobel gang and the St. Paul counterfeit
ers was found to be very close, al
though the theft of the team of horses
in Watseka county, Minnesota, was the
only fact discovered that could be used
against Conway at the forthcoming
trial.
The defense of Conway at the trial
was that Charles Scott" whom he sub
poenaed, had given Kim the bill. Scott
testified to this fact. Conway admitted
he had been arrested, and said after his
arrest he had come to Chicago and then
gone to New York, assuming the name
OF l.. G. Lavaree. He remained in New
York year, he said, and then returned
to Wisconsin.
His defense awaited him nothing and
he was sentenced to serve five years. I'm
the meantime the case in Parsons,
Kan, had been made and ne served
another five years for that offense.
Subsequently he was given another five
years for horse stealing.
With Conway Settled" in the peni-
Tertiary an investigation was made to
npfarnoino fho 81
sons" While it had not been proved,
there was little doubt that Conway had
gone east for the purpose of establish
ing connection with one of the bands
OF counterfeiters which infested the
Atlantic seaboard, that he had formed
such connection and that he had I'M
dertaken to shove" some of the CO.
ney" that was being issued by them. !
10 secret service man it was also
clear that such man as Conway, who !
had never been east before his arrest
for horse stealing, could not have
formed such connection without tax
Ing with him f1rst-class differences from
counterfeiters in the west who were
we'll acquainted with the more promi-
nent men in that line in the east.
From all that l could gather of Con-
ways record he had not been asso-
ciated before his eastern trip with men
In the west who were on close terms
with the eastern counterfeiting aristo-
Gratis, The high artistic character of
the S1OO bills he had showed" in the
Mississippi valley was indication sufi-
Client that they had come from the
hands Of artisans Of much skill In
establishing the identity of the wat
SON brothers, therefore, we hoped to
to be able to determine who had placed
Conway in touch with the eastern coun-