Page:Memoirs of the United States Secret Service.djvu/90

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
FRED BIEBUSCH.
73

looked at each other, the Judge looked at the lawyers, the crowd looked at the confused court-attendants—but Fred. was not forthcoming. He had stepped out. The jury was discharged. District Attorney moved that Biebusch be called,upon his bond. The bondsmen were then summoned to produce him—but the bird had escaped, and his bonds were forfeited to the Government.

After his temporary escape, he lived on Cabaret's Island in a hut, secreted by day, and venturing out only in the darkness to the Point. He was seen one night to meet his wife in a cornfield, watched, tracked, and discovered. The officer ordered him to surrender, but he started to flee again, and six shots were fired at him without effect. He mounted a high fence, and was just springing this, when he was grappled and brought down, and for the last time placed safely in quod.

He said at the conclusion of this arrest, "I wanted only time to fix up things again. I could have done it. I ran away from the Court because the U. S. Detective force had secured evidence that I couldn't get at, in time, and which I could not rebut. I couldn't get another continuance, either, and I thought that was my only show. They've got me 'dead to rights,' they think, on this occasion. But we shall see. I've got friends yet, and I sp'ose I can give bail again. I am not hopeless—bad as the chances look. But the new Detectives can't be 'worked' like the old ones—that's a fact."

When the final trial was resumed, the Government officials set forth that they were prepared to prove that Biebusch was guilty of selling counterfeit $20 greenbacks, and $5 bogus notes; with having spurious plates in his possession; with passing fractional currency; with employing one "Bill Shelley" to engrave bogus plates; and with disposing of