The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1867-10-10
A RH11ARKABLR CaImrHAL.

The Cleveland Herald says Charles
Howard, las James Baker, akas John
Burns, (his true namel has been convicted
in the United States District Court with
having, with intent to pass, counterfeit
money in his possession. He was born IN
Edwardsburg, G. W., of respectable pa
rents, but very early in life gave evidence
of a strong propensity 20 engage IN crin-
inal career, by stealing chickens, harness,
iron wedges, &c, from his neighbors- At
the age of twenty or thereabouts, his dep
rotations became 80 numerous and mtoI-
cradle as to cause the people of Canada TO
drive him out of the neighborhood. Set
adrift on the wide sea of life, without 4
true compass, it Is natural to suppose he
would eventually run aground on the etcr-
nal rocks OF Justice. He married wo-
man in Canada, went to New York,
opened a house of bad repute, and associ-
ated with the Ton of the counterleiting
fraternity until his knowledge of the busi-
ness excelicd even that of his preceptors,
which makes his loss to the profession a
severe blow to day.
After indulgiEg in wild career of dis
sipation and counterfeiting for a number
u L
tours through the country for the purposc
Of "shoviug the stuff" he returned to Up
per Gambia, settled near Brantford, and by
good behavior won the affections of a
/ widow lady worth about $I5, 900. His
/ first wife must have been apprised of his
/ intention TO swindle this lady, as she ar
/ rived In the neighborhood soon after, and
j remained there, frequently visiting thu
/ house Of wife no. >, until all things wero
ready, when bUth fed under the olopement
dodge, leaving the doubly bercaVcd widow
/ TO mourn the loss Of all her money. Dur
i-g MS residence there, 50 great was the
confidence Tepossd in him by the people,
he was appointed magistrate, and when
the ''clopement' occurred the affair was
written up as the sensation Of an hundred
years in the province. no other man could
have created 4 greater sensation by such
conduct, aud no other woman in the viCin-
ity could have received more marked at,
tontion frem numerous friends than be
reayed wifo No. 2. With the capital
thus obtained, he was successful in eludina
Justice, until the money was AL squander4
cd, when he returned 10 couutegleiiing ioi
living, and got ''pulled'' in the game. {
As observed before, he is only convicted
of having counterfeit money in bis posses
sion. The amount was about St,.SS, = e.
when his arrest was announced through
the press, teiegrans were received from all
quarters, by the Marshal, requesting thai
he be held until persons could arrive anc
take him Il custody, in case Of his release
here. L appears his operations, SO far a.
known, extended from New York to thl
Mississippi, along the northern BOUNDARY
Of the United States, as officers in Chica.
go, Detroit, Buffalo, Toronto, Oswega
Rome, Syracuse, Rochester aud Aibani
have written invitations prepared tender.
, ing him the hospitaIities OF their respective
cities, aud would gladly have pressed thosj
, invitations had he been released nore
Stephen Reed, Deputy United States Mar
shall from Oswego, has just returned homo
after fruitless effort 10 get possession {
the prisoner on a capias, issued by Judc
! Hall, of the Northern District of NeJ
York, This paper set forth that Howar.
, made three attempts to pass a SIOO coun
: terfeit note in O5wego. For that offenc
I he could have been sent up fifteen years
, but as the bird is Gagged here, and sen
, fenced to seven years imprisonment in IN,
! Ohio penitentiary, it was deemed the safes
and most proper course to allow this Icas
to expire before making arrangements fo
, another.