The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-03-15
MURDER WILL OUT!
THE LATEST CHAPTER IN THE HIS
TORY OF THE NATHAN TRAGEDY.

THE LATEST CHAPTER IN THE HIS
TORY OF THE NATHAN TRAGEDY
A Clue at Last-The New York Police
Satisfied that they Know the Assas-
sin-How they have Tracked Him
over the Continent.
Light at last breaks in upon the almost i'm
penetrable mystery which, since the murder
of Mr. Benjamin Nathan at his residence in
| New York city last summer, has enveloped
that terrible crime, and there is fair prospect
that the horrible affair will be wholly cleared
up by the arrest and conviction OF the muir
derer. The New York World Of Friday last
says:
| THE MURDERER ANNOUNCED.
Superintendent Kelso, on behalf of the po-
| lice authorities, announced last evening that
/ the perpetrator OF the Infamous crime which
created such an intense excitement in this
city and throughout the whole country Is
known to the police, andhas been so known to
| them for some time past. This man is thief
and burglar who for years past has been well
known to the police OF this and other cities OF
the United States. He Is one OF the most DE-
! termined and desperate characters among the
whole of the thievlng fraternity. His real
name Is supposed to be William Forester. but
| he has, from time to time, when caught IN the
| meshes of the law, assumed the aliases OF
Billy Marshall, Bill Campbell, Frank Camp
bell, Frank Livingstone, Frank Harding, and
Frank Howard. Unfortunately for the ends
of Justice his present whereabouts are not
known to the police, nor are they aware OF the
cognomen under which he rejoices at his i'm
munity from capture.
| THE HISTORY OF THE. MURDER.
Mr. BENJAMIN Nathan was wealthy Israel
ite. who had by close application to business
and strict integrity amasSed handsome for
tune, and, hfvinS retired from active business
pursuits, resided In palatial mansion III
| Twenty-tnrd street. near Fifth avenue, imme-
diately opposite the Fifth avenue hotel. Dur
| ing the summer of 1870 Mr. Nathan resided In
| handsome villa at Morristown, n: j., and his
| city residence was Inhabited by his two sons,
| Frederick and Washington, a Mrs. Kelly, the
housekeeper, and her son, who was employed
| to do odd jobs around the house. On the 18th
| of July last Mr.. Nathan came to this city to
commemorate the anniversary OF his mothers
death, according to an ancient Israelitish Gus
tom. After transacting some business IN
Broad street during the afternoon, he repaired
|. to the synagogue OF the Congregation Shearlth
| Israel, In Nineteenth street, OF which Mr..
| Nathan was an honored member, and Of which
Rev. J. J: Lyons, his brother-in-aw, Is the pas
tor. After the close of the services he visited
the residence of Rev. Mr. Lyons, in company
with his sons, Fred. and Washington, and sup
ped. Although strongly and repeatedly urged
10 spend the night at Mr.. Lyons house, Mr..
Nathan Insisted on sleeping at his own house,
and, returning at about 8 O'clock, retired to
rest on q bed'which had been made up for him
on mattresses in front room, on the second
floor of his house. His sons returned home
before midnight, and, bidding their father
good night, retired to their rooms in the up
per part OF the house. Nothing disturbed the
peaceful sumbers Of the young men during
the night, but between 6 and o'clock on the
morning OF the 10Th Of July, Frederick Nathan,
on entering his fathers room, found the
mangled body of Mr.. Nathan lying on the
floor His watch and chain had been stolen
from his vest, three diamond studs had
been stolen from his shirt bosom, q
small safe, which stood in an adjolnlng
OF value, such as medal presented to
Mr.. Nathan as president of the Mount
Sinai Hospital, q gold watch which he had
ceased to. wear, and other articles OF jewelry.
distracted therefrOm. The front hall door
was slightly ajar, and In the hallway near the
door was found the only clue to the assassin
the "dog," about which SO. much has been said
and written, and with which the murder had
been committed. When the murder.of so es-
tiu1able a citizen became known through the
medium oil the newspapers ihe most Intense
excitement ensued. The late Johl JOurGan,
then superintendent OF the police, at once
made personal examination OF the premises,
and sulnmoning Observation-Disclosures, then
captain Of the d elective force, to his aid,
set about unravelllng the mystery. From this
time forth for weeks and weeks Superinten-
dent Jourdan and Captain kelso knew no rest
during the day and scarcely any at night, and
though the best detective ability in the country
t., thn al tlpfr
arrest the murderer proved Iutile. From the
severe mental and physical strain thrown
upon the nervous organization of Superlnten-
dent Jeurdan, embiLtered by The ill-success
attending his almost superhuman efforts, that
official sank into an early grave, leaving the
mystery of the Nathan murder ss legacy TO
his successor In Office to be by him dispeled
and the foul crime brought home to Its perpe-
traitor.
PURSUING THE CLUE.
Since the death of Superintendent Jourdan
and the accession of Captain James Kelso to
the Office of superintendent Of police, though
little has been made public, the police have
not been idle In the matter. Taking up the
clue where the death CT J0urdan snapped 1t n
twain,' Superintendent helso, who was in the
full confidence of his predecessor, has been
unremitting In his efforts to discover and drag
to the bar Of Justice the murderer of Mr.. Ma
than. Beside the aid OF the detective force,
which is now under The command OF Captain
James Irving. an experienced detective, Su-
perintendent keiso took into his confidence
Justice Joseph Bowling and Judge Cardozo,
of the. SUPP eme Court, IA brother-in-law of the
late Mr. NarLan,) anu availed himself OF the
vast police experience OF the one and the legal
aculnen OF the other. ErinS The early stages
of the investigation tis police authorizes
narrowed the crime down TO one OF three
smobsn OF gangs OF sneak thieves as having
been concerned in the murder. After much
patient inquiry and sitting the ''wheat from
ibe chaff,n they became satisfied which Of the
three gangs had been in town and working In
this city at the time Of the murder. The head
aud front oil this gang was
BILLY FORESTER,
and by tracing his movements they learned that
he was seen in this city the day Of the murder,
but had disappeared the day after. TO find
this man Forester appeared, for a long time;
simply impossible. Detectives. were sent
securing the country in search OF him, and all
the clever detectives in various large cities OF
the United States were employed in hunting
for him, but thus far without avail. On num-
Der OF occasions She detectives have been on
his track, but he has managed to elude their.
vigilance, and he is still at large, tor. says
Superintendent kelso, "he's the best hider in
the country
= on HIS TRACK.
He has been traced from this city 10 Chicago,
thence TO st. Louis, from that place to Cincin-
natl, and even to New Orleans, but the police
have not been able 10 put their hands OH him.