Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-10
MURDER WILL OUT.
The Great Mystery of the Nathan As
sassinatiOn SOlved-The Crime
Committed by a Noted burglar
Now at Large.


sassinatiOn SOlved-The Crime
Committed by a Noted burglar
Now at Large.
New York, March 9.-The Tribune
this morning publishes the following:
The mystery that has so long attended
the Nathan murder seems at length clear
ed up. Superintendent Kelso claims that
the murderer is a well-known thief, and
desperate named William Forester, with
half a dozen aliases. So certain is the
superintendent that his information is cor
rect that he has sent TO every chief of po-
lice in the United States and Canada, and
to many of those in Europe, copy OF
the following circular:
(ConfdentiaL)
NEW YORK, Feb. ~, 187l.-$2, 5OO
will be paid for the arrest and delivery
at the office of the Superintendent of
Police, in the city of New York, of
Billy Forester alias Billy Marshall alias
Billy or Fraud Campbell, alias Frank
Livingstone, alias Frank Harding, alias
Frank Howard, aged 30, height 3 feet 6
inches, slim built but tough and why,
rather broad, square shoulders, weighs
40 pounds, rather long, spare face, black
eyes, having a wild expression, high,
SQUARE forehead, mouth narrow and cor
ners drawn down, under lip stands out a
little, medium sized, straight nose, straight
black hair cut short, heavy black mus
tache, curls at the ends towards the
mouth, sunken cheeks, but high cheek
bones, small narrow foot, generally walks
with his hands in his coat pockets, tooth
out in left upper jaw, and bracelet In
India ink on left wrist.
JAMES J. KELso,
Sup't of Police, of the city of New York.
a photograph of Forester accompanies
the circular. Although Superintendent
Kelso is so positive that Forester is the
murderer, he declines to give the facts on
which he bases his belief, on the ground
that it would injure the proper working
of the case. He states, however, that
before the death of Superintendent Jour
dan that officer received information
which convinced him that Forester Was
the murderer, and sent detectives to
various points IN the United States to ind
and arrest him. Since Superintendent
Jourdan's death these efforts have been
continued by his successor, but thus far
without success. Superintendent Kelso
complains of want of co operation on the
part of certain detectives in other cities,
his efforts and those of his officers being
often thwarted by men who should Iend
aid, instead of placing obstacles IN the
way of those having the object OF BRING
ing the murderer to justice.
Although the Superintendent declines
to give the source from which the inform
alton is derived that fastens suspicion on
Forester, it is certain that it was OBJ
tanned from Geo. ge Ellis, now serving
out term in Sing Sing for burglary on
the night Of Jan. q, 1870, when the Of
fee of L. 81 NJ. Nigel, at No. % East
Twenty-ffIh street, was robbed OF dla-
monds valued at several thousand dollars.
Nathan was murdered two months after
the sentence of Ellis. Not long after the
murder, Ellis informed an officer OF the
prison that be knew who the assassin was.
| Superintendent Jordan quietly procured
writ of habeas corpus from Judge Cordc-
so, and BROUGHT Ellis from Pres
ton to Franklin street police station.
Ellis confessed that he and Forester
had planned the robbery of Nsthan's
| house, aud he believed Forester had car
ried the plan into effect. They did not
| suppose that Nathan CT his sons were IL
the house, as it was known that the
Nathans were passing the summer at a
country residence at M0rristOwn, N. d.
| The thief was discovered by Nathan
| viii e operating on the safe in room ad-
| iyiriDg the one in which he slept, and
was killed by Forester with the iron
"Iogn which has been 60 often described,
and which is alleged to have been stolen
from the wine cellar of ]. F. Church, IN
Fifth avenue, which was entered some
| time previous by burglars.
| These are believed to be the principal
facts on which Superintendent helso,
Justice Bowling, and Judge Cardsse base
their belief that Forester is the assassin.
In addition, ever since the murder ne has
avoided all of his old companions, and
has not b, en- seen in any of his well
known haunls in this and other cities. Ii
is more than probable that he is in some
ont of-the-way place in the far West Oh
in some small country town, working al
laborer at a trade, endeavoring by thli
means to divert suspicion. Certain 1t il
that be has not been seen by the police
of any of our large cities since the murder
He is too well known to the heads OF
police of various cities to have escaped
their search had he made his appearance
in any large town.
Forester has been q thief from Ii
youth, and has served several terms il
State Prisons. He is wanted in Joliet
Illinois, having escaped from Jail theT
after serving a small part Of a term 0
thirteen years, for burglary COMMITTEE
in Illinois. There is no question bu
that Superintendent Kelso and those o
whose counsel he has relied throughout
are satisfied that they are on the track
the real murderer. This is shown by tn
fact that there are no conditions attacbe
to the reward offered for the arrest {
Forester. Whether the alleged muTde
{ er is convicted or not the reward will
paid to whoever may deliver him into II
hands of Superintendent Kelso.