The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-24

No, we live in Oxford Mississippi" said l. by way
OF helping him to make up his mind.
We'll, | am sorry, my friend said Bly, but
guess you and your pal will have to take walk with
me 10 the station house The fact IS you answer the
Of the Oxford jail
Take another look at me. chief" said /. "and you
may remember me- was here year ago on another
YORK wy name : - '"'"'0"u NY nome . ~ ~"
4 remember you now said Bly,. 1T is your clothes
that threw off the track But both OF you do look
like the men who are wanted Tor breaking from the
Oxford Jail
we are the men,. said I. "but our escape was only
part OF some detective work that am doing How
ever. so ahead and arrest I'd like to have you
take us up and give the story to the newspapers.
Then let go again tomorrow morning"
But how could let you go again in the morning
without the fact becoming known that the arrest was
not ON the levef?"
us and have them declare we were not the right men,
couldn't your"
Il guess that's good idea said the chief And
then addressing Detective Gilchrist who beside
old Jim, he said:
Gil, you and your friend take walk with US up to
The chiefs words fell upon old Jim like penten-
tiary sentence. As Gilchrist arose and told Jim
follow him the old man mechanically got his feet
and prepared to obey but he quickly stepped around
to and whispered:
Is this all right, Mr.. Drummond"
Its all right, said /. Come along"
We passed the night at the station house Blys
men failed to identity US the next morning and We
were turned loose. The territory around Cincinnati
was at that time hotbed of counterfeiters and old
Jim true to his promise, at once began to introduce
me to his friends They had read of our escape
from the Oxford jail, as they also knew of what they
supposed to be the mistake of the Louisville police in
failing to hold US, and were therefore disposed to
4 noted character who was known as Gold Mother
Roberts" woman z0years DID, who dealt in. coun-
terfeit money. She received cordially and gave
me to understand that whenever she had anything
to sell could be one OF her customers In fact the
situation developed rapidly and favorably that
number OF secret service men were sent on from
New York to help me, as it desired to arrest
until could arrest all against whom we could
get evidence. To have done otherwise would have
been to capture only one man, at his arrest the
others would have taken fright and fed
After the arrival OF the other secret service men
to buy counterfeit money from man who was
known as South Harris. Harris had been introduced
as dealer in counterfeit money, and such he was.
But he was more. He was of the particular kind
of counterfeiters who, when they could work with
crooked police officer made it their business black
mail prospective customers OF whatever good money
they might have their persons. And the police
department of Cincinnati at that time contained many
dishonest officers The chief all right, but some
of his not
Harris scheme was to conduct his negotiations
with Kennoch in place where crooked policeman
could be secreted, and at the proper moment have
the officer appear and arrest him. Then Kennoch
would be given to understand that If he would give
the ofhcer what good money ne had he would be
released We suspected something OF the sort, and
therefore followed Kennoch at distance, and also
carried his revolver, that in the of his
weapon would be found upon him.
The arrest took place as planned, and Kennoch,
refusing to buy his way off, was taken to the station
house. l followed few minutes later and asked
permission to give him some cigars. An officer who
at different times had seen me with Kennoch
claimed as entered the room, There's another Of
this gang of counterfeitersP and the officer who had
arrested Kennoch also took into custody.
The next morning sent a message to Judge Hof-.
man, secret service who afterward became
assistant United States district attorney for the east
ern district of New York telling him what had hap
pened to Kennoch and myself and asking him to
go about it quietly to get bail Hoffman, who was
Al
a quiet manner The first thing he did was to rush
down to police headquarters and tell who were,
which in view of the corrupt tendencies of some of
the police officers precisely the thing did not
want him to do. To prevent him from spelling my
plans | was compelled to deny everything he said,
which / did with all the emphasis at my command.
Privately however / told the authorities who was,
and little later Kennoch and | released with
out the rest of the force being the wiser.
For five weeks thereafter Kennoch and lay under
cover in an obscure hotel while the United States
district attorney spread the word that all the
service had gone. All of this time however,
we were working through old Jim and retired
counterfeter named Porter, who had turned informer
Daily they brought reports of whom they
knew be in the business of selling the oountsrfsit
five dollar notes.
When the time came that we felt it would Be safe
to appear in the open we drew the lines quickly
all of the marked men. While Kennoch or myself,
the might be- bought counterfeit money the
other hidden to act witness, and
arrest followed. Altogether gathered in Is
ereiters, all but one or two Of whom were sent 10
the penitentiary.
Such is the story Of the chase that began by going
to prison at Holly Springs. AS sort of appendix
| may add that old Jim caught red handed dur
ing the operations in Cincinnati and up for four
years He did not know all Of the other secret service
men who had come from New York and made
the mistake of trying to sell one of them counterfeit
Il have only myself to blame, Mr. Drumnond- he
said to me. L did | agreed by you but I saw
chance make little money the side and couldn't
let it go by That fellow didn't look like detective
anyway