James Scott has been a genealogy nightmare. But I give him kudos's for being a pretty good criminal except for being caught.
He was a counterfeiter in his criminal trade, his occupation which mostly in deed drove him to his illegal activities was a Iron & Brass Moulden.
I have no idea what his true name is or his birth date or place of birth. He was not a man of his word and one whom you would believe anything he would utter.
On one form dated in 1905 he listed his birth date as 1860 born in Sidney, Australia.
On another he was born in 1869 in Montreal, Canada. I traced both and only found prison records. I found no census records, birth or death or passenger lists. So i feel that perhaps neither name is his actual name.
The Secret Service Division of Washington D. C. had very little on this man.
So James Scott was Sentenced and received at the New Mexico State Penitentiary in Santa Fe on 18 May 1905. For passing a counterfeit coin. He received a 6 year sentence to be served as Inmate #1888.
On 5 Jul 1906 James Scott Aka John Wilson escaped from the New Mexico Prison.
I must say that if I lived in that era and committed a crime that would be the prison I would of wanted to be in because their escape rate was really high, which tells me either there weren't enough guards or it was very easy to get out.
So our Mr. Scott is on the run and he ends up in the state of New Hampshire. One would think if your an escaped convict to lay low right??? Well our Mr. Wilson now gets caught with a counterfeit coin.
He is received into the New Hampshire State Prison on 2 Nov 1909 as John Wilson, getting 4 to 5 years as Inmate #3678.
At some point our wonderful Warden from New Mexico wants his prisoner back and get's word that he might be the man in New Hampshire names John Wilson, who has denied being escaped prisoner #1888.
Seems to me this Warden was going to get his man at all costs.
There was uproar over getting this prisoner back to New Mexico.
He was a counterfeiter in his criminal trade, his occupation which mostly in deed drove him to his illegal activities was a Iron & Brass Moulden.
I have no idea what his true name is or his birth date or place of birth. He was not a man of his word and one whom you would believe anything he would utter.
On one form dated in 1905 he listed his birth date as 1860 born in Sidney, Australia.
On another he was born in 1869 in Montreal, Canada. I traced both and only found prison records. I found no census records, birth or death or passenger lists. So i feel that perhaps neither name is his actual name.
The Secret Service Division of Washington D. C. had very little on this man.
So James Scott was Sentenced and received at the New Mexico State Penitentiary in Santa Fe on 18 May 1905. For passing a counterfeit coin. He received a 6 year sentence to be served as Inmate #1888.
On 5 Jul 1906 James Scott Aka John Wilson escaped from the New Mexico Prison.
I must say that if I lived in that era and committed a crime that would be the prison I would of wanted to be in because their escape rate was really high, which tells me either there weren't enough guards or it was very easy to get out.
So our Mr. Scott is on the run and he ends up in the state of New Hampshire. One would think if your an escaped convict to lay low right??? Well our Mr. Wilson now gets caught with a counterfeit coin.
He is received into the New Hampshire State Prison on 2 Nov 1909 as John Wilson, getting 4 to 5 years as Inmate #3678.
At some point our wonderful Warden from New Mexico wants his prisoner back and get's word that he might be the man in New Hampshire names John Wilson, who has denied being escaped prisoner #1888.
Seems to me this Warden was going to get his man at all costs.
There was uproar over getting this prisoner back to New Mexico.
Aren't these document just lovely??? Whom ever is related to this James Scott Aka John Wilson is going to have a treasure.
At the end of the day the Warden did get his man back and I am almost certain he watched or confined him during his entire sentence.
I hoping a family member will boldly come forward and stake claim to this man and perhaps fill us in on when and where he was actually born, died and his name.
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