Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 October 1890 — FROM PULPIT TO PRISON. [ARTICLE]

FROM PULPIT TO PRISON.

A METHODIST MINISTER COMES TO GRIEF. The Rev. A. M. Do Fonl, of Hortonrilla, H is., < liarged with Raising the Face at Fills—He Gees to Jail in Default of Bail —His hovel Device. (Milwaukee dispatch.] Transforming $2 bills Into “tens” and “twenties” and attempting to pass them as such is tho charge against the Rev. A. M. DoFord, a ininistor from Hortonvillc, Wis., who occupies a cell at the comity jail to-night in default of $2,000 bail. The reverend gentleman was on his way to Whitewater to-day to attend the Methodist conference when arrested here. For five years ho has been connected with tho Methodist Church In Wisconsin, the last year in tho Hortonville circuit, and so enjoyed the confidence of tho people that they had unanimously signed a call asking the Whitewater Conference to return him to them. That their confidence In him was misplaced is quite evident from the testimony produced at his preliminary examination this afternoon. Mutilated bills of various denominations found on his person were offered In evidence. There wore good bills of $lO and S2O denominations, from which tho corners had been cut to ba pasted on bills of smaller denomination, $2 bills thus raised to $lO and S2O having also been found with him. On his person, too, wero found a pair of scissors, two sharp knives, and a bottle of mucilage, all of uhleh had tholr part in transforming the bills. This scheme Is a novel dovico which old counterfeiters might practico with even less success than tho reverend gentleman, for, according to advices received hero to-night, ho found victims for his gnmo in both Oshkosh and Fona du Lae, and a United States offieor will leave to-inorrow for those places to find further evidence of Do Ford’s evil.

Tho first witness at tho preliminary examination was a saloon-keeper named Sullivan, whose place Is opposito tho Union Depot. Sullivan said the minister came Into tho saloon that morning and asked to havo a $lO bill changed. Tho witness identified a bill handod to him by tho United States District Attorney as the one tho minister asked him to change. Tho figure $lO from a good bill had been pasted over the tlguro $2 at the upper right-hand corner of the bill; but this would havo boon unnoticed except for a porson seeing that tho smaller figures on the back of tho bill had been erased. Sullivan saw this and recognized it as a $2 bill. “Would two fives do you for this?" asked Sullivan, and tho minister replied that it would. Then Sullivan said: “You are more likely to got five years if you are caught attempting to pass a bill of that kind. ” Tho reverend gentleman showed no astonishment, but loft tho place. Ho crossed tho street to Koonig’s saloon and wan noticed to walk past tho door three times before entering. Mrs. Koenig was alone In the saloon. Ho askod for a glass of. wine, saying he was not feeling well. It was given him and ho tendered a $lO bill In pay. Mrs. Koenig stopped Into tho diningroom to havo hor husband chango the bill. In turning It over Koenig recognized It as a $2 bill raised to $lO. Koenig told his wife ho would got It changed at tho depot and stepped out a side door, while Mrs. Koenig rotiiFnod to the saloon, tolling tho minister that her husband had gone out to got the bill changed. “Whoro did he go,” said the minister anxiously, and as ho stopped to the door ho recognized tho saloonkeeper crossing the street. The minister called to him to return, saying that ho had plenty of change to pay for his drink, but tho saloonkeeper did not pretend to hoar him and entered the depot, while the minister took a seat to await his return.

When tho saloonkeeper returnod he had a policeman with him, and ho ordered tins minister’s arrest on a charge of passing counterfeit money. De Ford was asked If ho had any statement to make. “I feel somewhat embarrassed at this time,” ho said, “as it is tho first tlmo in my life that I was over charged with a dishonest act. I wife and four llttlo babies, and wo have been living from hand to mouth. lam now S3OO in debt. For five years I hav«» been a Methodist pastor in Wisconsin, three years of which time I was in charge of tho Waupaca circuit The last year I havo been in charge of tho Hortonville circuit, including Hortonville, Medina, and Stephonsvlllb. Although my salary, was but, S6OO a year I was content to j remain whero I was, and la my valise I have a petition from, my parishioners, which I was to present to the Whitewater Conference to-day, asking ray return to that circuit. I had arranged to attend the Lawrence University at Appleton, as I was anxious to continue my ministerial studies, as I am still a young man, bolng but 29 years of ago. Recently I collected abou* $l5O among my stewards, which wasmostly in silver, and I changed that into bills, as you have thore to-day.” “Where was it you changed tho silver for tho bills?” asked the District Attorney. “I have been trying to recall where !*• was, but I don’t just remember, although I think It was at a Jew’s store in Appleton.” “But how came you to have that bottle of mucilage and pair of scissors in your pocket?” “A minister has sometimes Jo take the amount of a church subscription out in goods in some small town and that bottle of mucilage 1 took from an Oshkosh drug store as part of a $2 subscription.” “Who was the druggist?” “I just don’t remember, but think I could find the place.” “But how came it that you had some of your money in a pocket-book, while the mutilated bills you kept in a pocket almost entirely sewed up?” “I always made it a practice to divide my money while traveling, so In case !• was robbed while asleep the robbers might possibly overlook the money in one place or tho other and I would not be broke.”