Tag Archives: John W. & Henry M. Diggins

Diggins, Henry M.

Daguerreotypes, Photographs, , , ,

1857                106 West Fourth, Cincinnati, Ohio.[1]

1857 October 30.  The Cincinnati Daily Commercial.  (Cincinnati, Ohio.)  October 30, 1857, Vol. XVIII, No. 245, P. 2.

Serious Charge Against Two Photographist.—A short time since the following letter was forwarded from Louisville to one of our Cincinnati Police Officers:

Louisville, October 16.  Mr. Sam Bloom—Dear Sir:—On last Monday I arrested a man here, from your city, for passing counterfeit money.  When arrested he had on his person $105 in counterfeit fives on the Northern Bank of Kentucky, and before I got hold of him he had succeeded in passing three of his bills.  He has been indicted, and his trial came up today, but was continued, to allow him to get witnesses from your city.  He says he can sustain a good character, and prove that he came honestly by the money.  He says he will have Mr.________ and _______and John M. Diggins, of your city, here, and will prove by them his character.  I wish you to inform me who these gentlemen are, and oblige me.  Yours, &c.

P. S.—The name of the man arrested is Alex. Campbell.  He says he kept an egg and butter store in your city.  The counterfeit money was in the concealed in the lining of his hat.

Since this was written Campbell has undergone an examination, in which it is said he implicated Messrs. John and Henry Diggins, the proprietors of a Daguerrean Gallery on Fourth street, at whose establishment it is said the counterfeit bills were turned out by the photograph process.  Both the brothers have been arrested and held in $500 bonds each, to answer a future examination, when they will be confronted by Campbell.

1857 November 10.  Evening Star.  (Washington, D. C.)  November 10, 1857, Vol. X, No. 1,501, P. 2.

The Photographed Bank Bills.—The examination of John W. and Henry M. Diggins, on a charge of being engaged in photographing bills of the Northern Bank of Kentucky, took place before the Police Court in Cincinnati on the 3d inst.  Against John W. there was no evidence whatever to connect him with the charge, and he was discharged by the Court.

The principal witness against the defendants was Henry Campbell, father of Alexander Campbell, who furnished the information upon which the two brothers were arrested.  He testified that he took a letter to the daguerrean room of Henry M. Diggins, from his son, who was in jail at Louisville, urging the brothers to raise money to get him out of the scrape; that in the course of a conversation with Henry M. the latter said that the photographed bills were as good as half the money afloat, and as the banks were all cheating he did not think it any harm to make the bills; that they could be made so as to pass in the banks. 

On his cross-examination, Campbell admitted that he had insisted upon the brothers raising $ 85 to get his son out of the scrape, and that he told Henry M. that unless the money was forth-coming he would have him arrested upon the charge which was subsequently made against both brothers.

This was the substance of the testimony upon which the defense attempted to show a conspiracy to extort money on the part of the Campbells.  None of the bills were found upon the persons or premises.  The prosecution claimed that with the evidence of their principal witness, the younger Campbell, they would be able to fasten crime upon Henry M. Diggins.  Mayor Thomas, acting Police Judge, therefore held him to bail in $300, which was given, and the accused set at liberty.—Cin. Gaz.

1858 May 11.  Louisville Daily Courier.  (Louisville, Kentucky.)  May 11, 1858, Vol. 26, No. 103, P. 1.

Fugitive From Justice.—Harry M. Diggins, a very good looking young man, with dark hair, and brown whiskers, was in arrest on the charge of being a fugitive from justice in Hamilton county, Ohio.  It is alleged that the accused had obtained $34 or more from W. H. Kelsey in Ohio, under false pretenses, and a warrant had issued for his arrest.  The party was identified, but the case was continued till to-morrow.

1858 May 12.  Louisville Daily Courier.  (Louisville, Kentucky.)  May 12, 1858, Vol. 26, No. 104, P. 1.

Fugitive Case.—H. M. Diggins was again presented on the charge of being a fugitive from justice in Ohio.  The case was partially examined yesterday, and continued till to-day, to examine the law in the case.  It appeared that the offense he stands charged with is not a felony, and as the act can only reclaim felons, the charge was dismissed, and he was discharged, but immediately re-arrested, and presented as a

Suspected Felon—Counterfeiter.—H. M. Diggins was suspicioned for being engaged in the getting up and passing counterfeit money, made by means of the photograph.  Mr. Harris, a civil officer from Cincinnati, represented the young man as a bad character, that he was connected with a daguerrean gallery, but left the city for the good of the place.  Just about the time he left he got married, and by some means got hold of a splendid gold watch he pawned for $34, for a few hours.  The watch was replevined, and Harris came here for Mr. Diggins on that charge, as he had left them diggings.  A Mr. Campbell, from Cincinnati, was here introduced as a witness, and testified that Diggins is one of a gang of counterfeiters, and through him it was that his brother is now in jail on a charge of counterfeiting, or passing photographic or counterfeit money.  It appears that the accused had been tried and acquitted in Cincinnati on that charge, and that he came here to settle in business, that he was engaged in vending a patent lamp.  He has been engaged in that business for some tima at Dayton before coming here, and was perfectly willing to go to Cincinnati to answer any charges against him.  Campbell, now in jail, alleges that the counterfeit money he passed here was obtained of Diggins in Cincinnati.  Bail of $400 was required of him for his good behavior 6 months.

1858 July 10.  Louisville Daily Courier.  (Louisville, Kentucky.)  July 10, 1858, Vol. 26, No. 154, P. 1.

Police Court…Henry Diggins, for selling liquor to a negro, plead guilty, and was fined $20.

[1] Ohio Photographers 1839-1900.

John W. & Henry M. Diggins

Daguerreotypes, Photographs, , , , ,

1857                Address Unknown, Cincinnati, Ohio.

John W. and Henry M. Diggins was recorded in an article on November 10, 1857 in the Evening Star (Washington, D. C.).  The Photographed Bank Bills.—The examination of John W. and Henry M. Diggins, on a charge of being engaged in photographing bills of the Northern Bank of Kentucky, took place before the Police Court in Cincinnati on the 3d inst.  Against John W. there was no evidence whatever to connect him with the charge, and he was discharged by the Court.

The principal witness against the defendants was Henry Campbell, father of Alexander Campbell, who furnished the information upon which the two brothers were arrested.  He testified that he took a letter to the daguerrean room of Henry M. Diggins, from his son, who was in jail at Louisville, urging the brothers to raise money to get him out of the scrape; that in the course of a conversation with Henry M. the latter said that the photographed bills were as good as half the money afloat, and as the banks were all cheating he did not think it any harm to make the bills; that they could be made so as to pass in the banks.

On his cross-examination, Campbell admitted that he had insisted upon the brothers raising $85 to get his son out of the scrape, and that he told Henry M. that unless the money was forth-coming he would have him arrested upon the charge which was subsequently made against both brothers.

This was the substance of the testimony upon which the defense attempted to show a conspiracy to extort money on the part of the Campbells.  None of the bills were found upon the persons or premises.  The prosecution claimed that with the evidence of their principal witness, the younger Campbell, they would be able to fasten crime upon Henry M. Diggins.  Mayor Thomas, acting Police Judge, therefore held him to bail in $300, which was given, and the accused set at liberty.—Cin. Gaz.

Henry M. Diggins is recorded in Craig’s Daguerreian Registry and Ohio Photographers 1839-1900.  John W. Diggins has not been recorded in other photographic directories.