Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-10-11

Well. We wasted lot OF time proving
the innocence Of government employees,
but the work turned out to be of some
value, after all
While | was working in Washing
ton / came across Richard Osgood.
an ex-secret service operator, and he
told me yarn which came from his
mulatto servant girl. The girl, who
was good looking and a bit of fiirt,
had formed the acquaintance of a
white man whom she knew only by
the name Of Little Jack He had be
come confidential with her and had
dropped a hint that he would soon
own part Of the government printing
ofice. The girl the next day reported
to osgood what she bad heard. :.
"Osgoods mot being very friendly
with the seeset service people on &C
count Of MS dismissal. thought over
the matter for a day before reporting
the story. When the secret service
operators went to look for Little Jack,
he had 'fown the Good.
This information might mean much
or little. Investigation showed that
this fellow, under another name. had
been In the company of some of the
government engravers. While they
admitted this they said that they did
not know him, and that he had made
no dishonest proposals to them. But
who was Little JackT This query
kept going through my mind day and
night for several days. and then the
name of Little Jack Vaughn, the New
Orleans card sharp, flashed upon my
memory. He had been mixed up with
several swindles in the south, and l
sent to the chief of police IN New Or
leans to see IL he could get me his
picture. Tt might be only waste Of
time thought, but / could not tell
1t never does to miss, any chances in
my business. In about a week | got
a picture from New Orleans of Little
Jack and the mulatto girl said it was
the same fellow she had seen.
The next step was more important.
The description Of the man who had
passed the bogus money in PhiladeI-
phia referred to him as being under
the average size. / took the picture
to the broker who had seen him, and
he said Little Jack was the man.
without doubt. Then we learned
from the south the names OF some of
the gang that Little Jack trained
with, and that he had been in the
counterfeiting business during sfhe
war. But where were Little Jack
and his partners! A large reward
was offered for the capture of the
gang, and description Of some of the
bonds which had been bought was
sent to all the financial centers Of this
country and Europe, with descrip-
ton Of Little Jack We got word
from London that man answering
his description had disposed of a lot
of bonds in that city. and we COM
municated with Scotland Yard.
I'VE worked steadily on the case
here for weeks, and found out a lot
OF information about the gang. We
were reasonably certain that Ed
Forbes was at the head of 1t, but did
not have the positive proof or the
man. While racking our brains to
clear up the business, a cablegram
was received from Scotland Yard to
the effect that a man who answered
the description OF Little Jack had
taken passage on the Cunard steamer
Scotia. and was apparently alone. The
Cunard pier was then in Jersey City.
and I was there when, the steamer
arrived with several other operators.
l recognized Little Jack In spite of
his full beard and English makeup.
did not recognize any of the other
as crooks, but those who ]
looked the least bit crooked were fol-
lowed by an operator to their hotel.
and left under surveillance until their
identity was cleared up.
II Swallowed Little Jack He had
charge of some barrels Of wine con-
signed to J. M. Kearns. F7atbush.
Ia l. The gauger, in examining the
wine, found that there was some for
eign body in one of the barrels, and
had the barrel opened, with the con-
sent of the collector. found an
sealed box fastened to
the bottom Of the barrel. On opening |
It discovered a dozen perfect coun-
terfeis plates OF bank notes. The |
plates were returned to the box and |
the barrel was shipped to Flatbush.
went with 1t, and found that Mr.. |
Kearns lived at the Eureka Club
When delivered the wine, saw Lit
lie Jack and Ed Forbes in the house.
and concluded that the gang had re-
turned to this country to begin op-
srations again with a new set Of
plates.
/ raided the place IN the evening |
md captured Ned Ormsby, Ed Forbes.
Little Jack Vaughn, Sam Stetson and
curley Peters. All of them received
ong terms In the federal penitentiary.
WHY HOSTILITY TO GARDENS