Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-09-23

| If Cluxton, who had arrested the
stranger at the railroad station as he
was about to leave Vandalia. He gave
the name of Levi Logan" and said he
had received the bill from one Charles
Scott, Of Fond du Lac, Wis, in horse
trade. When arrested he had in LIS
possession another counterfeit bill Of
the same kind as he tried to pass, and
1854 in good money.
questioned the prisoner, but decided
from his manner that he was not Levi
Logan" Who he really was remained
to be found out. asked for permission
to take the prisoner into my custody,
but Deputy Sheriff Cluxton declined to
turn him over to me. argued that If
| held and tried in that county he could
| not possibly be convicted because wit
nesses could not be brought In from an
other state, whereas, the government
could command the attendance Of wit
nesses from any state. The local au-
| thorities also had no facilities for doing
the work necessary to secure such evil
dence as would convict the prisoner
But Cluxton was obdurate. I appealed
TO prominent local attorney who had
influence with the deputy sheriff, and in
this way finally secured custody of the
| prisoner and took him to Springfield
| | often have thought since that if the
deputy who chung so tenaciously to his
man had had any idea of the part the
prisoner wss to play in counterfeiting
history he would have relinquished him
gladly to the United States authorities.
Had he persisted in retaining custody
of Levi Logan" it is likely that one Of
the most important bands of ''koniack-
ers" in the country would have enjoyed
their liberty much longer than they did.
establishing the identity of Levi Lo-
gan" were his story that he had come
from Wisconsin, and description of
the man. The first clew was strength
ened by the fact that the bills that had
found their way into Chicago had been
passed by man travelling from north
to south. was convinced that Logan"
was an adept in the showing of cOun-
terfeitS, and If this were true and he
hailed from Wisconsin there was little
probability that he was not affiliated
with the Boscobel gang in that state.
In the meantime the bill on the Re-
we're national of Boston had been re-
ceived at the Chicago post Office from
George c. 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
| believed that in region that had
harbored for years such a 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 ap-
parently, was thoroughly familiar with
it. Consequently I provided myself
with photographs of Levi Logan" and
started for Wisconsin.
|
On this trip mad not long pursued my
investigation when | encountered the
name of "Watson"-one with which
I was entirely unfamiliar in counter
feiting circles. From the report got
| from persons familiar with Kale Ellis.
Frank Brown and Malcolm Robinson, the
'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 | 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 a man who at once
recognized him as the father of Mrs
Malcolm Robinson. The true name of
| the Springfield prisoner | found to ba