The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-03-04

Leavenworth, Kan. Especially 49,
In prison at Huntsville. Texas, under
the name of Charles l.. Tompkins.
is man who has surrendered him
self for love of a woman, who is
heiress to a rich estate.
He appeared before the warden
and stated that he had escaped 25
years before, having still a year to
serve. The prison records showed
that Charles l.. Tompkins has been
sent to prison from Bastrop County
at the time mentioned. and that the
man had escaped before he had COM
pleted his sentence.
The warden ordered his visitor TO
be shaved and put in stripes and he
was assigned to a cell. An easy
berth was made for him. He was
assigned to clerical work, for which
he was well qualified.
1t is doubtful IL the maid is fully
aware of her lovers entire history,
for during the % years he had been
outside of the Texas prison he had
served two terms in the federal pris-
on at Fort Leavenworth, each time
having been sent up for counterfeit
ing, but under a different name
1t is said that his decision to sur
render to the Texas authorities was
brought about by his love for Miss
Catherine Cartwright, the beautiful
heiress to a million dollar estate in
Pecos County, Texas. Fearing that
he might be recognized and torn
from her arms, should he marry her,
he decided TO confess to her that he
was an escaped convict having been
sent to prison for forgery of a check
which, he said, had been done while
he was under the influence of drink.
1t is said that Miss Cartwright, after
hearing his confession, told him to
give himself up, serve the remainder
of his term and promised him that
she would be waiting for him on his
release
The entire story of the 25 years
between his escape and return to the
Texas prison is, probably, known only
to himself, but the records at Uncle
Sans penal institution at Fort
Leavenworth show that he was re-
ceived there May 26, 1896, to serve
two years for the crime of counter
feiting having been sentenced under
the name of J. G. McKibben, alias
Will Scott, in the United States
Court, at Waco, Tex, sentence hav-
ing been passed on May IA, 1896.
He was released on January 13,
1898.
On October 4, 1899, he was SEN
fenced in the United States Court
at El Paso, Tex, to five years in
the federal prison at Fort Leaven-
worth, for counterfeiting, and was
received at the penitentiary on Octo-
ber 26, of the same year, and he
served until December 3, 1903, when
he was released.
During his term at Fort Leayen-
worth he made an effort to escape,
but did not succeed However, he
started a counterfeiting plant in the
prison, and had succeede1 in making
a fair imitation of greenbacks be-
fore his rascality was discovered
While in the prison he was employed
in the photographers gallery and,
having succeeded in getting hold of
a good bill, made a photograph Of II,
and started to print the bills.
The necessary supplies for doing
the work were procured through the
assistance of the driver of the wagon
which delivered groceries to the pris-
on from the city.
The driver of the wagon, a man
named Welsh, when called upon, ad'
mitted having procured various sup
plies and paper for McKibben, but
stated that he was not aware that he
was aiding counterfeiter and
thought that he was doing no harm.
AS the driver could not be implicated
in having assisted in the making Of
the spurious money, or in passing
any of it, he was allowed TO go free.
and his whereabouts at this time is
unknown.