The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-12
A MERRY JAUNT TO PRISON.
ENTERTAINMENT GIVEN BY SIN
CLEVER SWINDLERS.
Under Arrest for n Mean offence Thcy
Amused Their Fellow Passengers All
Night Lons-Contrast suggested ny
the FNpericnce Of Post once Looters.

Might Lons-COntrast suggested ID!
the Fxpericnce Of Post once LOoters.
Il happened t. 70 at the B. o. sta
ton in Washing ton the other evening
when Maohen and the two Grofis' the
Post Office Department looters. started
ON their Journey to the Moundsville prison
in West Virginia, said New Yorker who
moves about lot. Tho three Federal
convicts, all OF them men used 10 the COM
forts and even the luxuries Of life, we're in
had. at the outset Of that journey, sure
enough.
The two Groffs were handcufed to-
gcther. while Machen-the once powerful
Gus Machen, in whose presence even grave
old Senators kowtowed-was wrist linked
10 a keeper. This was bad enough, but
their company was worse. There we're
fourteen or fifteen bad looking negroes, two
Of them women, in tho Moundsvilie bound
party.
The negroes we're all bound together
by a long chain, and they were so sore
over the fact that the white men, Machen
and the Groffs, weren't included IN the
loops OF the chain that number OF them
kept up a steady stream OF cracks ABOUT
DO wife trash asserting that 'uh wite
thief WASH I no bettuh than a nigguh thief,
and all that sort Of thing
The whole bunch Of convicts was loaded
on a day coach for the all night ride to the
West Virginia peuitentiary, and that must
have been the meanest kind Of ride Tor the
white men used to Pullmans and pleasant
travelling companions and the other access
series Of the prosperous, on-tbe-level life.
We'll, the mournful picture presented by
those three white men in the grasp OF the
law recalled 10 my mind another picture
OF prisoners on their way
Eight years ago last summer was stop
ping at hotel in Stockton. Cal. when six
arrests were made there Four OF the ar
rested persons we're men and the other two
women. A party Of four San Francisco
detectives nailed them at the Stockton
hotel. Just as they were preparing to make
the overland jump for the Eastern sea-
board.
aThe six were grafters from the East
who had been getting the money in San
Francisco by means Of phony charity
canvass. They had gone around San
Francisco. among the good people, getting
the coin in 500 to 81 600 Jumps for an
o-phan asylum that never meant, material
izsd. but existed only in their minds
Tho six had dug into the town to the
tune OF a whole lot Of thousands when the
tip reached them that they we're being
investigated. They drilled in bunch for
Stockton, meaning 10 get right away from
there on the first Eastern overland train;
hut they we're nabbed before they could
make the getaway
Il was taking that night boat for San
Francisco myself, and l was at the gang
way, watching the voyagers get aboard
when the six prisoners and the four sleuths
caring for them got down to tho dock
| The prisoners were not handouhed nor
! in any other way restrained by the cetec-
| tlves. / am confident that / was the only
passenger dp the boat who knew that the
six we're in tho hands Of the law until the
nights cruise ended in san Francisco.
THE four male prisoners were smooth
clpperish, dressy chaps, all groomed and
lockers. and none Of them above 30. One
OF the women was tall. stunning blonde
Of the real kind, simply sumptuous beauty
from turban TO boot soes, blonde with
big. eloquent, brown eyes, which, have
observed. is a combination Of enormous
possibilities. one way or the other The
! possibilities happened 10 be the DINER way
with this fine, tall girl with the cameo head
and the eyes Of a seal.
The other woman prisoner was bru-
nette, under 80. Of fine, fresh coloring,
extraordinarily shapely. with a rollichng
countenance Of irregular but winsome
features, and a pair OF reckless black eyes
Both women we're tailored to the mines
and looked as l. they had been poured into
their clothes.
sThe six prisoners, with their four Gus
todians. sta rted in TO enjoy themselves "
the main saloon "a soon rs they got aboard
The nabbed ones didn't seem TO have
care in the world. and the four sleuths looked