Arrest of an alleged Counterfeiter.
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George W. Siam, who escaped from the city jail a short time since, while under indictment of counterfeiting and passing bogus Confederate Treasury notes, was re-arrested yesterday by sundry members of
Capt. Louis J
Bossieux's Co., B, City Battalion, and conducted to his old quarters in the city jail.--The circumstances connected with the arrest are few and as follows: About 12 o'clock yesterday one of the members of Co. B thought he recognized
Elam in an individual who was then making his way into a restaurant on the south side of the Basin.
Without alarming the party, he repaired quickly to the barracks of Co. B, and summoning a number of his comrades he returned, and, entering the house, demanded the surrender of the stranger as
Elam.
The party made no reply, save in the shape of a hasty exit from the house.
His pursuers followed hastily, and being nearly on him, be turned, drew a pistol and discharged it at the foremost of his pursuers, without effect however.
The chase was continued thence around the southeastern edge of the Basin, down the street between the two large Gadego Mills, and thence to Shockoe Warehouse.
Being in advance,
Elam jumped through the window of the office of
Mr. Joseph Pannili, and made his way directly for the attic of the warehouse, where he ensconced himself in an old box that had formerly been used to bring a horse from
Petersburg — After a search of several minutes the fugitive was discovered, and ordered to surrender, the demand being backed by several muskets pointed in the direction of his person.
He acceded to the request, first remarking that had he not have dropped his pistol he could not have been taken alive.
Being properly secured he was carried to the city jail, where no doubt efforts properly directed will restrain his future wandering propensities.
As the members of company B, Only Battalion, were on guard at the jail the day
Elam escaped, and got all the blame for permitting it by negligence, it is not only proper, but right, that they should have the credit of arresting him. It will be remembered that
Elam's alleged accomplice,
Louis Hapelson, was tried and hung.
The chief witness against the prisoner (a loose female, known as
Charlotte Gilman) was kept for many months in Castle Thunder in order to procure her attendance on the trial, but on the exit of
Elam from the city jail she was turned loose.
