Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-21


In one place, then in another. lie
was finally arrested by Il couple Of
city detectives In Louisville, Nv.
Mac had hired II house in the out
skirts of the city. and was getting
ready to begin work when arrested.
The city officers were not aware of
thor valuable catch. and Mac caslyI
gave them the slip. lie was shortly
niterward captured at Cincinnati by
some OF the city officers. He had
about four thousand dollars OF good
money upon him. This was held by
chief of police, ana Mac was placed
in the city lookup. from which he es
capped n few hours aftcrward. lIc'
said he had no difficulty il, doing
tb q. rs he found the door unlocked.
and just walked out leaving his
Sometime after this. secret ser
vice officer fell In love with McCart-
ney's wife. Through her assistance
an arrangement was made for par
ley with her husband The meeting
between the detective and Mozart
ncy took place at midnight. just out
side of Decatur. Illinois Mac stood
on one SIDE of the fence in I; corn
field. holding n double bnrrclcd shot
gun. while the officer, who was I'M.
armed. stood upon the other side
Mac offered 20 surrender Il number
of counterfeit plates and counterfeit
money upon condition that the Gov
eminent would give him immunity
for his past crimes. AS the officer
was not authorized to accept prom
osition OF his kind. the interview
came to Il close.
Government detectives were now
detailed to follow closely and. il pos
sible. capture Mccartney. They were
finally successful in arresting him at
Venice, Illinois. and lodging him In
Jail at Springfield. Here he was
locked up I'm the very cell from which
he had escaped few years before,
The authorities here had Il high re-
gard for Macs ability to break Jail.
and concluded that there should lp'
nothing lacking to hold him this
time. So they stationed guard
with II double barrcled shot gun in
the corridor of the Jail. with orders
to shoot him should he attempt TO
escape.
Mac sent telegram requesting me
TO come ana see him. AS he had
numerous confederates who might he
trapped through his information.
thought 1t good thing to interview
him. Arriving at Springfield | first
called on the United States marshal
and district attorney. These Off Gals
cautioned me TO be careful and not
to enter the cell where Mac was CON
fined. rs he was n desperate who
might do me bodily harm Contrary
TO the advice given. entered the cell
OF the great connterfeiter Immediate
~ On my arrival ut the Jail We
pas. cd the compliments of the day
and he began the conversation. and
said in n pleasant way that he had
been waiting patiently to have an in
terview with me. remarked that
did not blame him for waiting. cdn-
sideriEg the surroundings. In fact,
was unable to understand how no
could do anything else. He smiled
and said:
Colonel, I fear You do not quite
understand me. Where are you stop
ping?'
AT the Leland House. repl ed.
He then inquired the number of my
room.
was little puzzled at the ques-
tons. but gave him tho desired in
formation.
Mac had n long story to tell me,
which, IL true. showed him to he n
much wronged man. His name had
long been familiar to the people OF
this country. To the detectives he
was Il specimen of one of the many
mysteries that were difficult to solve
In n sense. he was one of the strang-
est cnminnl freaks had ever met.
As he explained himself. ! can only
view him as u man Of the .Iekyll and
Hyde stamp. who was possessed of
seemingly Christian spirit. with a re-
solve to lead Il good life and be n
square man. In several instances. he
said. he had carried these good re-
solves to n point whore he felt he
had become n worthy citizen. At an
other time. he admitted, devillsh
spirit seemed to crop out In his ma
ture. pushing him into the paths of
crime and enabling him to invent and
successfully carry ont rascnly
schemes for rohbing the people. From
Il decent life. he almost inyoluntar ~
turned into constituencies rogue.
easy and quite convincing He spoke
OF things that were good, as though
he would like TO take Il part in them.
and insisted that when man had
once cquired criminals reputation
of note. he could never return to hon
est ways The detectives were ever
upon his track He would have liked
to have been good citizen. but said
II was impossible to turn from the
path OF crime after once yielding 10
From the day he began
his evil ways it had been his misfor
tune to be followed by detectives. |
He would no sooner enter into legiti-
mate work, where ne could earn an
honest living. than he would he ar
rested and compelled to give up his |
or he prosecuted on some OH