#52 Ancestors Week 20 - Black Sheep - The Counterfeiting Cousin

Amy Johnson Crow at No Story Too Small has a weekly challenge to write the stories of your ancestors. This is week #20 and the suggested theme is BLACK SHEEP. I am highlighting Columbus Houchin, not an ancestor but a cousin three times removed.

I have yet to find any direct ancestors that I would consider black sheep. But I do have cousins that fit the bill.  I'm highlighting Columbus Houchin, but there was a gang that actually included several of his brothers and cousins, that created havoc back in the late 1800's in Pike County, Indiana.

Our common ancestor is Jesse Houchin (1799-1860) and Elizabeth Clifford (1792-1865). Their son Clifford and my great grandfather Chesterfield were brothers. Columbus was the third child of Clifford and Sarah (Taylor) Houchin. He was born in 1852 on Clifford and Sarah's farm and was followed by six other siblings. At age 18, Columbus was still living at home and listed farmer as his occupation on the 1870 census. In 1874 he married Gabriella Woolsey. Gabriella was the 11th child of Temple and Maria (Johnson) Woolsey. Columbus' older brother had married Celia Woolsey, sister to Gabriella in 1862. 

photo taken in early 1875 -Columbus, Gabriella & son Joseph
from Woolsey Genealogy Website hosted by Rootsweb

This is about all the information I had on Columbus, except for one newspaper article about his sentence for counterfeiting being commuted by President Grover Cleveland.

Knowing there are substantially more digitized newspapers than when I originally researched this line, I went on the search for information on the arrest of Columbus Houchin. I certainly didn't know what I was getting into.  So here is what I found:

1877 - The first indication of any trouble was this article. Here Columbus and his younger brother Joseph are having their fines reduced on their conviction of assault and battery. It states that over a hundred citizens have signed the petition concerning the fines.

To Columbus Houchins and Joseph Houchins, the sum of one hundred and forty dollars each, being the residue of a fine of two hundred and eighty dollars assessed against them by the Pike Circuit Court, at the May term, 1876, upon his conviction of an assault and battery, he having paid one-half of the judgment. Remission granted June 1, 1877. Decision: By the Governor. Applicants were jointly indicted with George Bolan, for an assault and battery upon Christ Smitten, with intent to murder him, and were tried in the absence of Bolan, who had not been arrested. They ask relief from the judgment for the reasons: that they were not guilty of the offense charged; that each so testified before the jury; that the crime was alleged to have been committed in the night time at Smitten's residence, wherefore they were unable to establish their innocence; that they are young married men, farmers by occupation, and poor, striving to make an honest living for their families; that neither was ever before convicted of crime; and that the fines are excessive and constitute an unusual punishment upon young men of limited means. More than one hundred citizens of Pike County, including six jurors, concur in their petition and ask that it be granted. The clerk, sheriff, recorder and treasurer are of opinion that so much of each fine as may appear excessive should be remitted. I am informed that the unusual amount was occasioned by an obstinate twelfth juror. He held out for imprisonment in the marked "$5,000," which, when added to the sums fixed by the others and divided by twelve, resulted in a fine of $280. A statement of the evidence, certified by the judge and furnished to me, contains conflicting statements which show that the jury may not have imposed punishment upon the guilty party. "While I am not prepared to remit the entire fine, I think the amount excessive under the circumstances, and if each defendant will pay one-half his fine, I will remit the residue.

Indiana State Sentinel, November 7, 1883, page 5, Indianapolis, Indiana Volume 29, number 40, Column 1, from website Hoosier State Chronicles accessed on 16 May 2015 at https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=ISST18831107.1.5# 

 1880 - Columbus and Gabriella are raising their four year old son and six month old daughter and Columbus' occupation is farmer. They are living next door to Jesse Houchin and his family, the older brother of Columbus. So it seems everything is going fine at this point.

1880 Census - Lockhart Township, Pike County, Indiana on Ancestry.com

1883 -  Then in August of 1883 the following article was printed.  

THE COUNTERFEITING CASES

The Boy Woolsey Discharged and Houchins Held in $2000 Bail.

  The preliminary examination of Henry Woolsey and Columbus Houchins, arrested at Folsomville, Warrick County, On Monday last, for passing counterfeit money, and whose arrest was mentioned in the Journal recently, was begun before U.S. Commissioner Wartmann on Thursday, Aug 23, and concluded on Friday last.  The commissioner discharged the boy, Henry Woolsy, and held Columbus Houchins to bail in the sum of two thousand dollars for his appearance at the next U.S. Circuit court, to be held at Indianapolis in November next.
  The boy Henry Woolsey is an unsophisticated country lad of about 16 years of age, and but for his being in the company of "Lum" Houchins whose reputation is not of the best, no notice would have been taken, probably, of the passing by him of a bogus half-dollar on the saloon keeper at Folsomville.  Shortly after the boy passed the counterfeit half-dollar, "Lum" Houchins attempted to pass a bogus dollar coin, whereupon the citizens of Folsomville became aroused and determined to search Woolsey and Houchins and find out if they had any more counterfeit money on their persons.  The search resulted in finding upon Houchins three one-dollar and five half-dollar counterfeit coins.  The money was well executed and finely "milled," and calculated to deceive good judges of money.  The local authorities at Folsomville deserve great credit for their move in promptly arresting "Lum" Houchins and bringing him to trial.  Large quantities of the bogus dollar and half-dollar coins have been passed lately in Warrick, Pike and Dubois counties, and it is to be hoped that something will be done soon to put a stop to this rascally business. - [Evansville Journal]

from the  Petersburg Pike County Democrat , August 31, 1883, Petersburg, Indiana

The Houchin brothers must have gotten out on bail because just three months later in November this long article appeared about another highly orchestrated arrest that had been in the works for almost a year.

A LARGE HAUL

Of Counterfeiters Made by General Foster and Treasury Detective in Pike County.

  Abbott, Treasury Detective, said that for several years parties in this section of Indiana were suspected of dealing in counterfeit money, and about ten months ago it was determined upon to capture them. In order to more effectually fasten up on the guilty parties proofs of the most positive k ind, Treasury Detective B.D. Hobbs was sent into the section of the country around Stendale, Holland, Huntingburg and Pikeville, where it was known that the manufacture and passing of counterfeit money was going on. Hobbs located in this neighborhood as a corn doctor, and went under the assumed name of Dr. Charley Henderson. The doctor, by leaving samples of his nostrums not only in the houses of those suspected, but in those of many others who were not, and having a smattering of the profession, soon won the confidence, not only of the gang, but the neighbors, and it was not long before he was check-by-jowl with everyone, especially the suspects. Among the latter was Zim Kinder, then a resident of Stendale, the acknowledged leader of the gang, which consisted of the Houchins, Lum, Jess and Joe, Barney Smitten, Henry Grossman, John Phillip Taylor, D. Wesley Woods, Joe Perkins (the man brought down last night) and others who were engaged in shoving the coin that Kinder manufactured. So far had Doc. gotten late their confidence that they let him into a scheme which they had formed for robbing the safe of a merchant named Poetiker, at Stendale, and the bank either at that place or Huntingburg. They also wanted to branch out in their business by going into the counterfeiting of paper money. Henderson was selected to procure the tools for the robberies as well as the paper on which they were to do their counterfeiting. This was about two weeks ago. Arrangement had been made by Henderson, now that he had all the proof necessary to convict the counterfeiters, to have as many of the gang together as possible on his return to that the difficulty of their capture would be lessened. To this end, he suggested that as many as could get there should be a Lum Houtchins' house on Thursday night last. Henderson then make his further arrangement for the necessary assistance in effecting the arrests. During all of his stay among the rascals, he has called to his assistance a Mr. J.M Killian, who kept a tinware store in Stendale, and who ably assisted him when the crisis came. Four detectives with deputy marshal Andy Hart went ahead for the purpose of surrounding Houchins' house, leaving the General to follow after. Henderson placed Abbott, Kennoch and Hart to the rear and side of the house, while he and Killian entered. Henderson, as soon as everything was ready, was to notify the detectives on the outside and they were to rush in and make the capture. Henderson was in the house about three quarters of an hour before he notified Abbott that everything was ripe. The signal for the rush to be a cough. The detectives closed up around the house and shortly after Henderson entered they heard high words, but not sufficiently distinct to tell what was said. The signal was given, but when they attempted to enter found the doors barred against them and immediately after heard pistol shots. Killlian, who was holding the lamp in the left hand was shot, in the hand, causing him to drop the lantern and pulling ?. Abbott and Kennoch then ran around to the front door after posting Hart at the side door, and tried to get a view of what was going on inside by peeping through a window next to the door. Their faces were within two feet of the window when a pistol sot was fired through it, followed by the body of a man. The ? were afraid to shoot, for fear that it might be either Henderson or Killian. The fellow stumbled, picked himself up and ran around behind the stable where he was afterward found shot through the lungs. This proved to be Joe Houchins. A second later another man came through the door running toward the rear of the house, followed by two or three balls from the detectives' pistols. This was the end of the firing. The officers then entered the home, and after getting a light, it was searched and ? Houchins found stowed away in it. After securing Joe and Lum, the officers commenced picking up others of the gang living in the neighborhood. The man that came through the door was caught afterward about two miles form the Houchins' home, found shot in the groin, in the arm and in the lower part of his back. This was Jesse Houchins. Lum had the marks of two pistol balls that had cut the skin on his arm. Hart had his hat and the lapel of his coat penetrated by pistol balls. After securing the Houchins, Smitten, Grossman, Taylor and Woods were easily found, and were all brought here yesterday morning en route to Indianapolis. Kinder, who was brought down by Deputy Meeks, is still in our jail, as is Perkins. They will be taken to Indianapolis this morning by Abbot and Kennock. The detectives now think they have pretty effectually broken up the gang that has been coming on the confines of Pike an Warrick.  Mr. Abbot related an instance of what these desperadoes were capable of doing and this fear they kept the neighborhood in. some time in August Houchins and Kinder went into the saloon kept by a man named Burnett and called for a couple of drinks, offering a five dollar gold piece in payment. Burnett knew the money was counterfeit, and told them so as he shoved it back to them. The words were scarcely out of his month before they both whipped out their revolvers, curling him, and told him that if he didn't give them $4.50 in change they would blow his brains out. He gave them the change.

 from the Jasper Weekly Courier, 9 Nov 1883, page 1, Jasper Indiana 

The trial in Indianapolis even appeared in the New York Times in December

 FIVE COUNTERFEITERS SENTENCED.

 Indianapolis, Dec. 1. - The Southern Indiana counterfeiters were sentenced in the United States court to-day.  They all entered pleas of guilty.  Jesse and Columbus Houchin were each given seven years; Zimri Kender, five years; David W. Wood, three years and Richard T. Comer, eight years in the prison North.  Mrs. Comer was not sentenced.

Published Dec. 2, 1883, New York Times

1884 - Joseph Houchin was tried and sentenced in January.

1885 -  In January, Columbus' wife, Gabriella Woolsey Houchin died, while her husband was serving his sentence.  Son Joseph is ten years old and daughter Ommie is six. 

1887 -  Columbus is pardoned in November after serving four of his seven year sentence. Columbus' brother, Joseph dies in December.  

1890 - Columbus, his brother Jesse and a Mrs. Richardson, mentioned as mistress to Columbus in other articles, are back at counterfeiting. As before they are also arrested..

1894 - Columbus is out of prison and getting married.

1895 - Columbus' son Jesse is born.

1900 - Columbus and his son are listed in Mount Carmel, Wabash, Illinois in the census.  A couple of  interesting things to note.  Columbus is indicating he is divorced and he has his five year old son with him.  His occupation is listed as fisherman. Three rivers, Wabash, Patoka and White, all meet at Mount Carmel.

1900 Census for Columbus Houchin in Mount Carmel, Illinois from Ancestry.com

1901 - Oh no! He is once again arrested. His home is a "shanty boat."

Another account of the incident indicated that his small son went with him to jail and did not mention a wife.

1910 - Columbus and Jesse are in Jackson County, Arkansas and are lodgers in the home of Susan Teeter in the 1910 census.  Both list their occupation as farmer.  Jessie cannot read or write and has not attended school.

In 1917 Jesse completes a draft registration in Arkansas County, Arkansas.  He is single and lists his occupation as farmer but no employer listed.

This is where the trail ends for both Columbus and Jesse.  I cannot find either of them in the 1920 census.  Family stories say that Joseph Downey Houchin, Columbus' son from his first marriage, last heard from his father in February 1922 when he got a letter from him postmarked in  Arnot, Mississippi. In that letter Columbus indicates he is in bad health and that he cannot be around Jesse.  After that no one hears from Columbus again.