Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-06-07
DID GOLD BRICK
MAN end LIFE
Man Accused Of swindIins II. F Chat
fee browns Himself in the Pacific
ocean-Body Is Identified as That
Of c. W. Caddeean, Alias John Arm
ST. onq.

LOS ANGELES, Cal. June 1.-Fre'
adams, in charge of the police identl
fication bureau, declared today tina
the body identified by Mrs. Clar;
Caddegan yesterday as that OF Z. u
Caddegan, alias John Armstrong, wa:
not that of the alleged gold brlcI
swindler wanted in Minneapolis.
Adams asserted today that CadGe
gan is still alive and fugitive from
justice.
! Minneapolis Tribune: C. ". Cad
degan. alias John Armstrong, said
to have been the chief actor in the
swindliEg OF H. F.. Chaffee, wealth,
banker and land dealer OF Armenia, n
! D., .lt OF $4,000 in gold BRICK
! scheme in Minneapolis. IS months
ago is believed to have drowned INN
! self t, escape the almost certain pros
poet OF Il long term in prison for lis
opera; .ons in Minneapolis and else
here a body found Saturda" Ill
San Pedro harbor Los Angeles, was
identified yesterday as that of Ca'lde.
gar.
A telegram from Los Angeles an
nounces that the body has been iden'
titled by Caddegan's wife and son,
and also by D. O'Donnell, one of Cad
degan's bondsmen. Other evidences
are said to be forthcoming that the
noted "gold brick" operator sought
death rather than face sentence to
the penitentiary. This supposition is
borne out by the fact that Caddegan
failed to appear in court last week
after etxradition papers for his con-
veyance to Minnesota had been
granted by Governor Johnson of Cal
ifornia, with the result that the $4,000
bond he had furnished was forfeited
Hard Fight Ended.
Caddegan was arrested in Los An
geles several weeks ago and was iden-
titled by his victims son as the man
who engineered and successfully car
ried out the swindle that startled the
country from coast to coast by the
daring and cleverness with which 1t
was effected. Finally denying that
he was John Armstrong. for whom
the police were looking, Caddegan'
fought extradition, and was released
from custody when he furnished the
requisite bonds. When the final hear
ing of the case came up last week
and extradition papers had been hon.
ored. the alleged swindler failed to
appear in court The finding Of the
body in Pedro harbor is the next step
in the tragedy, Detectives Howard
and johnson of the Minneapolis po-
lice force, who were sent to Los An
geles. to bring Caddegan to Mime.
apolis. returned home Wednesday.
Caddegan was about 20 years old
and is said to have been one Of the
cleverest gold brick" operators in
the country. Telling a plausible story
of California gold mine, Caddegan
brought Mr. Chaffee from his home
in Armenia. N. D., to Minneapolis, and
induced him to advance $4,000 on
the surety of two gold BRICKS" which
later examination proved to be brass.
After putting the deal through Cad
degan invited Mr.. Chaffee and his son
to dinner, and disappeared when he
saw that young Chaffee had begun
to have suspicious about the trans
action that cost his father so much
money.
Minneapolis Police Doubt Story.
The Minneapolis police, especially
Detectives Johnson and Neary, who
spent a month in California waiting
for the extradition papers to be
signed, question the truth of the re-
port of Armstrong; drowning. They
hold that man as brilliant as ARM
strong and with his command of
money and friends never would be
forced to take his own life. They
contend he is in some other country
enjoying himself to the fullest and
preparing to send for his family at
the first opportunity.
SCREENS.
With warm weather here you will
need screens. We are selling screen
doors and windows at special low
prices and will cali and measure
your house and fit it up Porches
screened in, and careful attention
given to work. Remember, prices
can't be beat in town.
H. c. RHUD LUMBER co.