Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-09-20


With this introduction I will lie
Andy Bliss. the king Of the gold coin
ers. tell his story. Just as he told 1
to me.
STATEMENT OF ANDY BLISS.
No man Of sense, said Andy
would ever become thief, If ht
would stop for moment and think
/ will admit that there is a fascina
ton in thievery, which grows upon
what 1t feeds. until 1t is overpowering
and stealing then becomes a habit
the same as tobacco smoking and
drinking rum, and 1t is very hard to
break OF.
But the practical lesson of my life
Is very clear. Ihave been a thief for
forty years, spent twenty years in
jail, made over $2.000,000 in forgeries,
counterfeiting schemes and bank rob-
berries, and today have not a dollar
to my name. It's the old story over
again-easy come, easy go.
will tell you about the counterfeit
/
ton among crooks and honest men as
well. OF being star performer In my
line. 1t all grew out of a little trip
which l made to Washington to meet
Tom Cannon, an old friend of mine,
who had planted a place near the
White House which promised a re-
ward Of about $4,000. 1 would have
gone anywhere for lump of money
half that size In those days. Well. |
looked over the scheme and saw that
1t was very dangerous. but Cannon
would not give up the idea. did not
want to be looked upon as a fellow
without nerve, so I consented to go
into the job, which was to rob the safe
Of a paymaster
The paymaster-I think his name
was Hoffmsn-drank pretty hard, and
slept near the safe, but the plan was
to attack the strong box while the pay
master was in a drunken stupor.
We got to the safe without much |
trouble. The box was an old-fash-
ioned affair, and we got to the bills |
by simply knocking out the spindle in
the handle.
/ nailed the money when the door
new open, and started away. Cannon
was behind me. The paymaster was
aroused, and instantly fired a shot
from his revolver. The ball went
through Cannon's neck and struck me
in the shoulder Cannon was killed.
but the ball did not stop me. 1 ran
and got away with the Doodle.
l knew that It would be unsafe for
me to try and get out Of Washington
then, for the alarm was promptly Civ
en-, and every street and outlet was
guarded by Uncle Sans men. as well
rs the local police. l went directly TO
he home Of Big Jim Farrell. He was
IN old-time thief, and then was run
hing faro bank to win the soldier
money with crooked dials. told Jim
was hunted, and he put me away in
he care Of Louise Jordan, who after
ward shot Farrell in Chicago, through
ealousy. kept under cover In the
Jordan house for about two weeks.
ND then Darby Jones and his gang,
Of Billy Wallace, Frenchy ,
Zine, George Keene and Wary Nc ,
Zee, turned up. They had come to 8
to do business with me. Z
left Washington with the gang dis !
uised as a negro. There was a re- !
Vard Of $4,000 for my scalp, but | !
ron out easily. >
l left the train in Newark and drove 9
New York in cab. I kept under
over for a few days in New York | 2
nd then moved over to one Of the old I
ouses In Ravenswood, L. l., which n
ad been practically deserted for sew 4
raj years. The house was near the I
Tater, and we stuck out the sign of a 8
shing club on the mansion. and hired h
sloop to give color to the fake. 8
Then the counterfeiting scheme was /,
ut In motion. Frenchy Kline and a
lily Wallace were the experts. and a
lily had expected to have a die for y
lther a $40 or $50 gold piece deliy- s
red to him In Washington. Failing r
get this, he decided to make the h
10 and $50 dies himself, and / put ND o
'e coin for the tools and to take care n
the gang.
Making die is very slow process n
nd We had dandy time sailing ana n
shing while Billy was doing the n
ork. He was the most painstaking n
orkman l ever knew, but as he had ?,
orked In the treasury department he :,
new the kind Of game he was up :,
yainst, and did not want to make any n
istakes. He made two dies and a
rev them away. because they did q,
IT suit him The money that was .
ade from these rejected dies would T.
I've passed anywhere except among
'perts. but Billy was in the game IN W
at experts. In my opinion he had h,
u his equal In the world as an en-. r.
aver and tool maker. -
But the fishing was good. and wa =,
uld afford to live on the fat Of the ~
nd; so the whims Of Billy did not ~
'ther us much. =
III Billy was a crank In his vav. ba n
IS an angel compared with Frenchv u
line. who was the most mysterious n
an ever met, and have seen a lot ~
curious apsotmens. Frenchy was . N