Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-13
THE NATHAN MURDER.

The Tribune of Thursday publishes the
following in relation to the supposed discoy-
cry of the murderer of Mr.. Nathan:
The mystery that seems to have so long at
tended the Nathan murder seems at length
cleared up. Superintendent Kelso claims
that the murderer is well known thief and
desperate, named William Forester, with
half dozen aliases. So certain is the Super
intendent that his information is correct that
he has sent to every Chief of Police in the
United States and Canada and in Europe, a
copy of the following Circular
Confidential Two thousand five hundred
dollars will be paid for the arrest and delive-
ry at the Office of the Superintendent of Po-
lice in the city of New York of Billy Forrest
er, alias Billy Marshall, alias Billy or Frank
Campbell, alias Frank Livingstone, alias
Frank Harding, alias Frank Howard, age 35,
height feet inches, slim build, but tough
and wiry, rather broad, square shoulders
weighs 14O pounds, rather long, spare face,
black eyes having wild expression, high
square forehead, mouth narrow and corners
down, upper lip stands out little medium
sized, straight nose, straight black hair, cut
short, heavy black moustache, which curs at
the ends toward the mouth, sunken cheeks,
but high cheek bones, small, narrow foot,
generally walks with his hands in his coat
bracelet in India ink on left wrist
(Signed) JAMES j. KELSO,
Superintendent Police.
City of New York, Feb 81, 1871.
photograph of Forester accompanies the
circular, although Superintendent Kelso is SO
positive that Forester is the murderer he de-
clines to give the facts on which he bases his
belief, on the ground that it would injure the
proper working up of the case. He states,
| L.. al. Al. / Il.
tendent Jourdan that officer had received in
formation which convinced him that Forester
was the murderer, and he sent the detectives
to various parts OF the United States to en-
deavor to find and arrest him. Since Super
intendent Jourdans death these efforts have
been continued by his successor, but thus far
without success. Superintendent Kelse COM
plains of want of cooperation on the part
| of certain detectives in other cities, his eff
forts and those of his officers being often
thwaried by men who shonld lend aid instead
of placing obstacles in the way of those hav-
| ing for their object the bringing of murderer
to justice. Although the Superintendent de-
clines to give the source from which the in
| formation is derived that has fastened Il sus-
picion upon Forester, it is almost certain
that it was obtained from George Ellis, no.
torious burglar, now serving ont term of five
years in Sing Sing for burglary committed
on the night of the 27th OF January, 1870,
when the office of s. 4 NJ. Nigel, at No. %
East street, was robbed of diamonds valued
at several thousand dollars.
Mr.. Nathan was murdered two months after
the sentence of Ellis. Not long after the
murder, Ellis informed one of the officers of
the prison that he believed he knew who the
assassin was. Superintendent Jourdan quietly
| procured a writ of habeas corpus from Judge
Cardozo or some other judge in this city and
brought Ellis from prison to the Franklin
street Police Station. Ellis confessed that he
and Forester had planned the robbery of
Benjamin Nathan's house, and that he be-
lieyed that Forester had carried the planinto
effect. They did not suppose that Mr.. Ma
than or his sons were in the house, as it was
known to them that the Nathans were passing
the summer at their country residence at
Morristown, N. j. The thief was discovered
by Nathan while operating on the safe in the
room adjoining the one in which he had been
sleeping, and he was killed by Forester with
the iron dog" which has been so often de-
scribed, and which is alleged 10 have been
stolen from the wine cellar of j. K. Church,
in Fifth avenue, which was entered some time
previously by burglars. These are believed
to be the principal facts on which Superin-
tendent Kclso Justice Bowling and Judge