USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of the Regulators of northern Indiana > Part 4
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BOGUS FACTORY.
Sometime in the year 1857, a plan was entered into by several members of the band to establish a regular mint for the manufacture of bogus money, on a more extensive scale, and after the manner of a joint stock company, in which each was to bear a proportionate share of the expenses and reap a like share of the profits. After the arrest of several men who had become stockholders in the contemplated scheme, the fol- lowing confessions were made before the Committee, and by James MeConnel reduced to writing, subscribed and sworn to.
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HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS.
AFFIDAVIT OF SIMEON WEBSTER.
"About the 18th day of June, 1857, John A. Taylor came to my house and said that he had a book that contained receipts which would enable any one to make gold and silver out of other metals, but the law forbid making any National coin out of said composition. He staid over night with me, and the next morning D. H. came to my house and said to me, 'who is that fellow ?' referring to Taylor ; ' I don't like the looks of him.' I told him that he (Taylor) had a book containing receipts for making gold and silver, and as I had often had him for counsel I would take him this time, and wanted him to tell what was best to be done. He (H.) took the book and looked it over, and then said it was a good thing and it would be best to make the composition into coin. Taylor said he had been caught once and worked hard in the Penitentiary and would not do anything unlawful. He and I opposed making coin. They acted as if they had seen each other before. The night after this conversation Taylor went home with H. Then, four days after, H. and Taylor and I entered into partnership, and they spent a good portion of the time with me. Soon after this, Taylor started for Warsaw, but before he left he wrote a letter to be sent to Dr. Duvol, for crucibles, materials, &c. The letter was not sent. Taylor came back, took the letter and about $25 in good money and started for Toledo. In about two days he returned, bringing with him the crucibles, a watch and some change, perhaps $2. In two or three days after H. came to Taylor, in my presence, and recommended John Thomas as a good person to engage in the business. For about one week Taylor refused to have anything to do with Thomas, but afterward agreed to take him in because he could not get rid of H. For about one week H. and Thomas strongly solicited Taylor to take in A. N. and Meeker, at the end of which time H. hitched to his wagon and took us all to Springfield. There Meeker and N. were taken into the company, and it was agreed that we should all contribute equally to stock the business. Myself and Taylor were both opposed to making coin. H. and I think all the rest were in favor of it. Thomas took H.'s horses and was gone two days, . and came back with the material. Meeker paid $5, which was to buy said materials. A furnace was then constructed for melting, and H. furnished the team to do the hauling; Taylor built the
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HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS.
furnace. Taylor and Thomas tried to melt the composition, but failed. Harrison Blackman came to get some material for gal- vanizing, and I think wanted to get some counterfeit money at the same time. The two Smith boys, Theon and Frank, came also ; I believe they both came for counterfeit. Charles HI. came also to get counterfeit money. John Thomas took the crucible and the remainder of the material saying he was going away to melt it. That that was spoiled in the first melting was thrown into the marsh near by. II. Blackman came to me sometime in September last and asked me for counterfeit money ; I told him I had none; he said it was so understood that I was in the busi- ness ; he then wanted to know of me who had any; I told him if any one had it probably he would find it at N.'s, for he had always had the name of being in the business; he afterwards told me that N. had promised to get him some, and in about a week after I saw him have about $30, and he said he had let Charles II. have about $40. Charles told me he had converted his into gold by exchanging with a man on the cars; at the time he told me this he showed me some more money and told me it was counter- feit ; at another time he told me he got some counterfeit money of Mecker and passed it in Williams Co., Ohio. N., Meeker and Taylor, represented to me that the business of counterfeiting was good, and that if I got into a scrape the lawyers and Judges of the Courts would all unite in helping me out, and said, if the lawyers and judges were not in the business thenrselves they were all right on the question. II. told me that in case they succeeded in making coin he would go off and buy cattle and Thomas should butcher and otherwise dispose of them. H. told the rest of us that we must be very cautious or people would suspect us, but as for himself there would be no danger; first, because he never worked much, and second, because he was a professor of religion and a preacher of the Gospel ; therefore they would not be likely to think there was anything wrong with him. II. told me that he had got some money of Mecker at 25 cents on the dollar, and that Taylor had got some of the same money to put off at fifty cents on the dollar. Mecker told me that H. had got about $100 counterfeit paper of him at 25 cents on the dollar, and that he still owed him for it, and he could never get anything of him, because he did not dare to sue him. H. told me that he and .
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HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS.
Taylor let Gray have a $5 counterfeit or bad bill, and that Taylor was as much to blame in the matter as he was, but would not help him out of the difficulty.
SIMEON WEBSTER."
Subscribed and sworn to, before mc, on this 18th day of June, A. D. 1858, at Albion, Noble County, Indiana.
JAMES MCCONNEL, Notary Public.
The following is an affidavit made by the above named D. II., and refers to the same subject. The only reason why the whole name is not given in this as in several other cases, which have and will appear in this work, is, that some of them have been dismissed for want of the competent testimony, and others are still pending in Court. And feeling no disposition to do or say anything that would in the least militate against the future reformation of any one who may have been charged or suspicioned of being in any way connected with these land pirates, we have therefore declined giving the full name. But it seems startling and strange indeed that a man professing the religion of that meek and lowly Jesus-the most sublime pa- tron of human conduct on which a ray of light has ever fallen; the only heart in which anger and ill will never found a resting place ; the only bosom that ever heaved a sigh of unaffected pity ; the only hand that ever was opened in acts of unosten- tatious benevolence, and the only eyes that never wept tears of deceit. I say it seems strange indeed that a person pro- fessing to copy the character of that holy man, and setting himself up as a teacher of those sacred principles taught in the life and character of the Son of God, should so far con- descend from that high and honcrable calling as to class him- self with a fiendish gang of midnight assassins, and enter into counsel with them against the peace and safety of his own neighbors and his own country. This, however, presents but one among the many striking illustrations of hypocrisy and deceit carried on under the garb of sanctity.
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HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS.
AFFIDAVIT.
" Taylor came along about the first of July last at Webster's, in Noble County, Indiana; he told Webster, and Webster told me, that Taylor was a composer of metals; he said he could make metals out of brass, silver and copper, that would sell as well as gold in weight and appearance; also one composed of platina, block tin, verdigris and copper, that would pass to jewelers at the price of gold, and it could be used for lawful and noble purposes, or for unlawful purposes ; also that fine gold made of platina, silver and copper, would pass for 24 carats fine gold. We bought block tin, verdigris, copper and brass, to try the experiment, which if it proved good we intended to manufacture into coin. The crucibles were bought by J. A. Taylor at Toledo, for the purpose of melting the metals and manufacturing coin of the United States. Thomas says they used it at Blackman's, and tried it at J. Walk- er's, in Noble County, Indiana. J. A. Taylor says to me, 'this receipt will make such metals as above stated;' he says he has tried it at his uncle's in Peoria, Ill .; his uncle is a blacksmith ; his name is Humphrey ; Taylor got his knowledge for manufac- turing bogus of his uncle. The bogus manufacturing company was composed of A. N., J. A. Taylor, Meeker, J. Thomas, S. Webster and D. H. I got $100 of Meeker on the Central Bank of Connecticut, and let J. A. Taylor have $90 of the same; the ten dollars I had left I passed as follows; one $5 bill to a Jew ped- dler in this county for goods and change, and the other $5 I passed to Mr. Gray for goods also; I knew they were counterfeit at the time I passed them. Taylor says that Meeker will leave the money, and he will pass it and divide the spoils with me. Taylor told me he had passed the money and it went off well. Thomas told me that he passed one $5 counterfeit bill to D. R. Daniels of Kendallville, knowing it to be bad at the time.
D. H."
Subscribed and sworn to, before me, on this 3d day of Febru- ary, 1857.
ALEXANDER MCCLURE, J. P.
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HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS.
AFFIDAVIT OF JOHN THOMAS.
STATE OF INDIANA, Noble County,
SS.
" Before me, James McConnel, a notary public in and for said county, personally appeared John Thomas, who being duly sworn, according to law, says, that on or about the 15th day of September, 1857, he was present at and saw one Joseph Crew, in said county of Noble, buy of one Hiram Meeker $25 or $30 in counterfeit money, purporting to be on the Central Bank of Middletown, Conn., of the denomination of $5's, and also a quantity of coun- terfeit $3's on a bank of Mass., for which said Crew paid said Meeker twenty-five cents per dollar. Crew said he could pass the money without any difficulty. And affiant further saith : Myself, John A. Taylor, H. Meeker, A. N., D. II. and Simeon Webster, entered into an engagement to make counterfeit coin, after the similitude of the gold coin of the United States, of the denomi- nations of $5's, $10's and $20's, with intent to put the same into circulation ; that in pursuance of said agreement, and funds being furnished by said parties, I went to Fort Wayne and bought block tin, brass, copper and zinc, for the purpose of manufacturing said coin; said articles were at first secreted by H. and myself behind his stable. Soon after we went to Webster's to try the manufacturing process, but failed on the first attempt ; but H. and Taylor were to make another effort, as H. wanted some funds to buy stock with. A. N. was to have $100 of the money. We went over to Springfield once, and twice to H.'s school-house, to make the necessary arrangements for operating.
JOHN THOMAS."
Subscribed and sworn to, before me, on this 1st day of Feb- ruary, 1858.
JAMES MCCONNEL, Notary Public.
STATEMENT OF JOIIN A. TAYLOR.
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
"S. B. Middleton wanted me to buy some counterfeit money- Lowell $3's; I refused. H. Blackman bought some. This said
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HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS.
Blackman sometimes passes under the name of Rollins. I saw D. H. have counterfeit money which he got of Meeker. Avery and Ilawson, of Laporte county, deal in coney, and another man whose sister married IIigsby. Fred. Defore, of South Bend, and Arch Bnell, a blacksmith, deal in coney. Meeker told me that he furnished Avery, and all the above named boys, with coney. Meeker sold me money for 25 cents on the dollar. D. II. told me he could go into counterfeiting and not be suspected, because he was known as a Christian. Taylor, Meeker, N., Rollins, D. II., J. Flinn, Margaret Lehr, Mrs. W. and boy, and J. Thomas, were all engaged in the plan concocted for the establishment of a bogus factory at Webster's. Taylor has once been in the Ponitentiary."
CONFESSION OF SIMEON WEBSTER.
BEFORE THIE COMMITTEE.
" I came down with A. N. and brought one of the harness to Barney Weston; he took it back from Hank Core about five or six weeks ago. I went to Lake county, Ohio, to live. N. was to have a buggy of Core. I have seen N. have a large roll of coun- terfeit $3's-probably $300-on the Merchants' Bank of Lowell, Mass. I think N. wen to the barn with me to hide his money. He gave me to understand that he gave coney to Blackman ; I asked him where he got it; he said, ' up to Bill Hill's.' N. came to me after Blackman was arrested, and said he was afraid, and was going to keep shy for a spell. I have been at Malcomb Bur- nam's and seen them coloring coney. I heard John Hammon say that he was going to Burnam's to get hard money. It was my opinion that B- was going to rob the tannery, but I afterward learned that it was done by Payne. It has been about nine months since I engaged in this business. Since then I have been knowing to the boys robbing, stealing, and passing coney. I went to Perry Randolph's with Bill Hill; he got concy there. ITill gave me $200 in coney on the Market Bank-$100 of it was to pay what he owed me; he also gave me $200 on the Canal Bank of Cleveland, and $50 on the Chippeway Bank, Wis .; I took the money up West and sold it. Bill Hill gave me a list of the names of the boys whom I was told were all right. I heard N. say he had bought a saddle of Core which he was afraid was
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HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS.
stolen. N. said he had let Blackman have money and he was afraid he would blow. I will be willing to swear that Payne asked me how much leather Zimmerman had in his tannery, and that he said he was going to see what could be done ; he said also he was going to try to make a raise at Chappel's store, and also at Spencerville, in Dekalb county, Ind. I afterward asked him what he had done with the goods; he replied, 'they are all safe.' I told the boys they ought not to steal so close around home."
CENTRAL ORGANIZATION.
While the foregoing developments were of vast importance, and led to the arrest of some thirty or forty of the gang, the leaders remained as yet uncaught. To them the demonstra- tion of the Regulators, on the day of the Old Settlers' Meeting at Kendallville, was in no wise congenial; and hence, conclu- ding that " distance would lend enchantment to the view," and that " caution was the parent of safety," they immediately fled to parts unknown. Every honest citizen felt the importance of having these men, who had been the primary cause of all the evil in this country, arrested and brought to justice. And as it could not be expected that any of the organizations would assume the responsibility and engage in the work alone, it was thought best to constitute a Central Committee, for the purpose of making a concentrated effort in which all should bear an equal share of the expenses attendant upon making said arrests and feel an equal interest. Accordingly a call was issued for a meeting at Kendallville, on the 19th day of March, 1858, at which each company was requested to be represented. At said meeting a permanent organization was effected, with officers, consisting of a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The Central Committee was empowered to assess a tax upon the subordinate companies at any time when deemed necessary to carry out the purposes for which the Cen- tral Committee was constituted, viz: to secure the ringleaders of the gang.
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HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS.
The following were the officers elected : President, Dr. L. Barber; Vice President, J. P. Grannis; Recording Secretary, M. H. Mott; Treasurer, Ransom Wheeler.
As it was now thought expedient that some speedy and energetic effort should be made to secure the arrest of Wm. D. Hill, George T. Ulmer, Perry Randolph and others, who were considered the grand leaders of the whole gang in Northern Indiana, a detective committee was appointed at the first cen- tral meeting, to line up and ferrit out the whereabouts of these men, and employ such other assistance as they might see fit, in different sections of the country, to aid them in the accom- plishment of this work. Accordingly a reward of $400 was offered by the Regulators for the capture and return of one John Wilson to Noble County.
Sometime in July, 1858, the veritable John Wilson, other- wise called the Flying Dutchman, was brought by Marshal Elliot, of Ohio, to Avilla, in Noble County, and presented to the Regulators for examination. Confessions in those days became fashionable among prisoners. They seemed to be strongly impressed with the idea that one of two things was their inevitable doom when caught by the Regulators, viz: a free and full confession, or an introduction to the rope. Frequently, persons who were simply brought before the com- mittee as witnesses, when there were no specific charges against them, would turn pale and tremble, so that it was with much difficulty that they could answer questions-so strong were their fears of being hung by the Regulators.
John Wilson was, on the same evening, brought before the committee called the Allen Reconnoiterers, at Avilla, and, on being requested to make a full and entire confession of all his acts and deeds since his first acquaintance with the blacklegs in this country, after asking of them the favor not to use his own confessions as evidence against him in Court, and being assured that no advantages of that kind would be taken, he made no hesitancy in opening up a broadside upon the whole fraternity. It is, however, to be lamented that the whole con- fession was not taken down at the time. Naturally he pos- sesses some redeeming traits of character. As an illustration
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HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS.
of this, on being asked his true name he peremptorily refused to give it, alleging as a reason that his parents were still living and were respectable and honorable people, and he did not wish to injure them, either in feelings or character, by bringing to their knowledge the disgraceful acts of an undutiful son. Said Wilson is about six feet high, light complexion, sandy hair, bald on the front of his head, talks some broken, intellectual faculties prominent, and for a thief manifested the most scru- pulous tenacity for truth of any man ever arrested by the Regulators. His statements are strongly corroborated by those of Payne and others, which led conclusively to the belief that the majority of them were true. Payne often stated that he was celebrated, even among blacklegs, as a man of truth, par- ticularly in narrating his exploits. And for shrewdness and sagacity in stealing and robbing he is said to have been seldom if ever equaled. In making his confession, he was allowed to tell his own story in his own way. His history prior to his initiation into the gang in this country is left in obscurity, and we can only conjecture what it may have been from what we already know. All things being in readiness, he was placed at a table in the center of the room, and commenced his discourse about 9 o'clock in the evening and talked almost incessantly until about 3 o'clock in the morning.
CONFESSION OF JOHN WILSON, ALIAS SPENCER, OR THE FLYING DUTCHMAN.
" My first acquaintance with any of the company in this coun- try was formed at Defiance with a man by the name of Wm. Hunt; he is about six feet high and quick spoken ; we both were out of money. Hunt took me up the canal for a walk, and there told me of an old Frenchmen who lived in Paulding county, Ohio, that had $700 in money, and said he had been at his house at one time and gave him a bill to change in order to see his pile, and solicited me to lay some plan to get the old man's money. We then came from Defiance north to Georgetown ; after tarrying there a few days he (Hunt) said he would take me up north and introduce me to some of his friends; we traveled all that night
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HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS.
and came to Patten's; here Core informed me that he had stolen Holsinger's mare. Hunt told me that Sol. Stout was all right and could be trusted. We then came to Jim Shearer's. I saw Shearer have a quantity of counterfeit money which he said he got of Bill Hill. Hunt, a boy by the name of Hill, and myself, started south, traveled nearly all night, and stopped at Sower's, five miles north of Wayne ; Hunt got a drink of liquor and said to Sower's, 'these boys are all right ;' S. got $10 or $15 spurious money of Hunt. We then started towards Fort Wayne, stole a few chickens on the way and roasted them in the woods for our breakfasts. After leaving Fort Wayne we went to Leo, in Dekalb county; saw a man there they call Dr. Chamberlain, gave him $5 in coney; and then traveled on to Newville, and from thence into Paulding county, Ohio, for the purpose of robbing the old French- man. After we got most there Hunt backed out, and said he could not go with us ; I told him I did not like to come so far for nothing ; so my young comrade Hill and myself, wandered around in the dark until we found what from description we supposed to be the place; then we had to contrive some way to get the old folks out of the house ; Hill suggested that we set the barn on fire; I objected ; then said he we will contrive to get the old man out and knock him down; but I told him if I could not get his money without killing the old man, or burning his buildings, I would not have it; we then concluded to set fire to a quantity of cooper stuff that lay piled up beside the road, as we came down toward the house; accordingly I placed IFill near the door of the house, where he would not be seen, then proceeded to the cooper stuff myself and set it on fire; I then came whistling down the road, stopped at the house and told the folks that I was a stranger traveling through the country, and seeing some cooper stuff on fire just up the road I thought it would be an act of kindness to inform them of it; they thanked me very kindly and at once started all hands to put out the fire ; they had no more than fairly got out of sight when we both entered the house and commenced our search ; the bureau, chests, trunks and cupboard, were all diligently searched, but to no purpose ; the effort proved an entire failure; we passed out the back door just as the old lady came through the gate returning to the house; this was in the spring of 1857. I then pulled (stole) a nag three or four miles from Norristown, from a preacher by the name of Walker, traded her off in Allen county, Ohio, five miles west of Lima, on the
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HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS.
road to Clyde, for a sorrel colt four years old, and traded the coft to a man by the name of Bebee, a tavern keeper, for 80 acres of land. Prior to this, however, Hunt gave me an introduction to Huffman, of Steuben county, Indiana, and a man by the name of Romans. This Romans wanted me to break into a store belong- ing to a man by the name of Barron, at Mett's Corners ; said he had some money and a quantity of jewelry in a safe, and as he was going away soon there would be a good site to make a pull. This, however, I did not undertake. Huffman then told me of a boot and shoe store, owned by a man by the name of Seargeant, where he thought there would be a good chance to make a raise ; I broke in, stole ten pair of fine and two pair of coarse boots, and left them with said Huffman to sell on commission. Huffman is now in the Penitentiary. At the same time, this Huffman gave me written instructions how to rob his father-in-law, E. Bebee, of Morrow county, Ohio; told me he was a church member, and I could rob him while the family were gone to church. My calcu- lation was to rob him on Sunday ; accordingly I went to the place and watched around, but the first Sunday they did not go; I loi- tered around in the neighborhood and in the woods all that week, and the next Sunday the family all left; I then crept into the house, (which, by the way, was very strongly fastened and led me to believe I should be successful;) I then opened the bureau drawers, the chest, trunks, boxes, &c., but found nothing except a bag of something like coin, which I had not yet investigated; I then proceeded to cut open the cheeses, and even tore the old clock weights in picces, but all to no purpose, and as time was drawing near for the family to return from church, I thought it would be safer for me to leave the premises; after leaving, I pro- ceeded to investigate the contents of the bag, which on opening I found to contain about 430 coppers ; beside this 1 found some small change. Huffman also wanted me to steal the old man's mare, but I would not do it. Charles Hiler was my partner at that time; I showed him the bag of money I had got from Bebee, and asked him if he would take that for his share ; 'yes,' said he, grasping it at the same time, 'and glad of the chance, if you are willing ;' 'well,' said I, 'you may have it and welcome;' he took it and started away, seeming much rejoiced, not knowing what was in it. I then returned and told Huffman of my defeat. Went then to Washington, Fayette county, Ohio ; pulled a large chestnut sorrel horse from a man by the name or Cheney or 4
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