Page:Memoirs of the United States Secret Service.djvu/77

 arrest, Col. Whitley was present at an interview where the prisoner's wife was admitted to see him, on one occasion. He observed that she passed something slily into Mac's hand, while there. It proved to be a small bar of lead or pewter metal. On a previous occasion, Pete had contrived to melt up the foil from the tobacco-parcels he was allowed to use, with which he manufactured a key to the lock of his cell, and thus escaped, upon that occasion. The bar of lead was intended for a similar purpose, undoubtedly—but Col. Whitley had him searched when Mrs. McCartney left, and thus this design was then frustrated.

After another interview with Pete at Springfield, Col. Whitley arranged with him to go to Decatur, Ill., where the prisoner told him he had buried a large quantity of coney, which he would deliver to him. He took him from the jail, and Pete said he would like to see his wife before they left. "Go to her," responded the Chief. "The cars start for Decatur at such an hour. Meet me at the Depot."

"I will not fail," said Mac.

The Col. went to the station, McCartney saw his wife, and was there to join the Chief, promptly as he had agreed.

They went to Decatur together, and acting 'on the square' throughout this journey, he led Col. Whitley to a cornfield where he dug up several tin cans; which, upon opening, were found to contain over $60,000 in well executed bogus money, and a set of $5 counterfeit plates upon National western banks. They then returned once more to Springfield.

From this point McCartney proceeded with Col. Whitley to St. Louis, Mo. They walked out from the latter city into the country some six miles, and approaching an old house, Pete crawled under it, and came forth with several sets of dies for gold and silver coins, which he had himself, made