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Letter to Editor
January 1, 1820
Edwardsville Spectator
Edwardsville, Madison County, Illinois
What is this article about?
A letter from Shawneetown, Illinois, dated December 22, 1819, warns residents of the western territories about a gang of counterfeiters and swindlers led by J.C. Johnson and Thomas Foster. The author describes the suspects, their travels, and details a pursuit that resulted in seizing counterfeit bills but releasing most due to insufficient proof.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
SPECTATOR.
EDWARDSVILLE, JANUARY 1, 1820.
TO THE EDITOR
Shawneetown, 22d Dec. 1819.
DEAR SIR,
I write that the people of the west may be put upon their guard against a gang of counterfeiters and swindlers, who are making that way from this place.
The head men of the gang, as we conceive, are, a Mr. J. C. Johnson and a Mr. Thomas Foster. Johnson is styled by his associates, Colonel, and says he has been such in the U. S. service. He is a man of decent appearance, rather dark complexion, about six feet high, and travels in a handsome little wagon, with a cover to the back seat-has a pair of handsome match sorrel horses. He has a scar across his face on both sides of his nose. He has in company with him a Mr. John Dailey, who is a short, thick set fellow, and a Mr. Nicholas Cassleman on horse back. He is a flat faced, flat nosed, thick lipped, dark looking fellow, five feet 7 or 8 inches high; rides a black horse. This Mr. Johnson and Mr. Foster came here in the wagon, and were soon acquainted with all the low and trifling fellows of the place. Johnson, Dailey, Cassleman, and a Mr. Hagerman, left this on Thursday last. I pursued them alone that I might know if they were villains. I went under the pretence of going to Vandalia, where I had some business, and where I expected to be. But I overtook them sooner than I expected; they had passed a considerable quantity of paper, some on Huntsville, the rest on the different banks of Indiana, changed from ones to twenty dollars. I raised some men and went to take them. They had got information of my design, and Mr. Cassleman made his escape on horse back, carrying off the counterfeit money. I took possession of the rest, but being unable to prove enough to commit, I was forced to let them go. I returned to this place and took some of the gang still remaining. A Mr. Potter we have in jail. Mr. Foster was discharged by the justices. We found with Foster two hundred dollar bills on the Patriotic Bank of Washington. They are counterfeits in imitation of Murray, Draper, Fairman, & Co's plate, pretty well executed. What further success we will have, or whether we will have to resort to Lynch's law, is uncertain: but will be found laboring in the cause.
Yours, &c.
EDWARDSVILLE, JANUARY 1, 1820.
TO THE EDITOR
Shawneetown, 22d Dec. 1819.
DEAR SIR,
I write that the people of the west may be put upon their guard against a gang of counterfeiters and swindlers, who are making that way from this place.
The head men of the gang, as we conceive, are, a Mr. J. C. Johnson and a Mr. Thomas Foster. Johnson is styled by his associates, Colonel, and says he has been such in the U. S. service. He is a man of decent appearance, rather dark complexion, about six feet high, and travels in a handsome little wagon, with a cover to the back seat-has a pair of handsome match sorrel horses. He has a scar across his face on both sides of his nose. He has in company with him a Mr. John Dailey, who is a short, thick set fellow, and a Mr. Nicholas Cassleman on horse back. He is a flat faced, flat nosed, thick lipped, dark looking fellow, five feet 7 or 8 inches high; rides a black horse. This Mr. Johnson and Mr. Foster came here in the wagon, and were soon acquainted with all the low and trifling fellows of the place. Johnson, Dailey, Cassleman, and a Mr. Hagerman, left this on Thursday last. I pursued them alone that I might know if they were villains. I went under the pretence of going to Vandalia, where I had some business, and where I expected to be. But I overtook them sooner than I expected; they had passed a considerable quantity of paper, some on Huntsville, the rest on the different banks of Indiana, changed from ones to twenty dollars. I raised some men and went to take them. They had got information of my design, and Mr. Cassleman made his escape on horse back, carrying off the counterfeit money. I took possession of the rest, but being unable to prove enough to commit, I was forced to let them go. I returned to this place and took some of the gang still remaining. A Mr. Potter we have in jail. Mr. Foster was discharged by the justices. We found with Foster two hundred dollar bills on the Patriotic Bank of Washington. They are counterfeits in imitation of Murray, Draper, Fairman, & Co's plate, pretty well executed. What further success we will have, or whether we will have to resort to Lynch's law, is uncertain: but will be found laboring in the cause.
Yours, &c.
What sub-type of article is it?
Informative
Investigative
What themes does it cover?
Crime Punishment
What keywords are associated?
Counterfeiters
Swindlers
Shawneetown
J C Johnson
Thomas Foster
Counterfeit Bills
Vandalia
Lynch's Law
What entities or persons were involved?
The Editor
Letter to Editor Details
Recipient
The Editor
Main Argument
the people of the west should be warned about a gang of counterfeiters and swindlers led by j.c. johnson and thomas foster who are heading their way from shawneetown.
Notable Details
Descriptions Of Suspects: Johnson (Tall, Dark, Scar On Face, Colonel Claim, Wagon With Sorrel Horses), Dailey (Short, Thick Set), Cassleman (Flat Faced, Black Horse), Foster
Seized Counterfeit Bills On Patriotic Bank Of Washington Imitating Murray, Draper, Fairman & Co's Plate
Pursuit To Vandalia, Escape Of Cassleman With Money, Potter In Jail, Mention Of Potential Lynch's Law