The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-11
The Nathan Murderer Known.
DESCRIPTION OF THE AssAssIN-TIIE DETEC'
TIvEs STILL AFTER HIM.

The New York papers of Thursday state |
that the man who killed Benjamin Nathan
in his house last August is positively
known to the police. His name is William
Forester, and his description is given in
the following circular:
Two thousand five hundred dollars 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
Ma rshall alias Billy or Frank Campbell alias
Frank Livingstone, alias Frank Harding, alias
Frank Howard; age thirty-f live, height hve
feet six inches, slim build, but tough and wiry;
rather broad, square shoulders; weighs lao
pounds; rather long, spare face black eyes,
having a wild expression high, square fore
head mouth narrow, and corners drawn down;
upper lip stands out a little; medium sized,
straight nose straight black hair, cut short;
heavy black moustache, curls at the ends
toward the mouth; sunken cheeks, but high
cheek bones small narrow foot; generally
walks with his hands in his coat pockets;
tooth out left upper jaw; bracelet in India ink
on left wrist. JAMES ). hELso,
Superintendent Police City New York.
This last mark, says the Times, ought to
| lead to his detection. 1t was supposed that
a convict named Ellis knew something
about him, and he was brought from Sing
Sing to New York. What information
was gained from him the police refuse to
state but it is certain that the first clue to
the assassin was obtained by the pratlng
of this convict who declared that be and
Forester, some time before the murder,
had arranged to plumber the Nathan man.
sion, and but for the accident of his pre-
vious arrest for another crime, he would
himself have been involved in the terrible
tragedy. Upon this point, as well as upon
all others involving the nature OF the evil
deuce against the assassin, Superintendent
Kelso said the public must for the present
be content with the assurance that the
police do not doubt its concluslveness, and
earnestly desire that its strength may be
tested by the arrest and trial of the ac-
cused.
Forester is a sneak thief of ordinary
caIibre, who is known to the police OF al
the large cities, and who is wanted IL
several of them for UNPUBLISHED crimes
has managed for seven months to battle the
combined detectives, not only OF New
, York, but of nearly the whole country
Superintendent Kelso knew by the middle
of August that Forester fled from the city
almost without taking time to wash The
tell-tale blood of his victim from his per
son, and also the direction which he took
The fact that he was wanted for the Nathan
murder was not divulged to any one, bu
the police everywhere were requested by
; telegraph to arrest and hold him for ;
! reouisition which would be immedatel,
forwarded. lie was discovered severa
tines as stated, bat, owing to the cupidit.
or negligence of distant officials, the arres
was not consummated.
Hundreds of messages regarding thi
fugitive have passed between this ant
> other cities by telegraph, and the burdel
of those received has been an intense de
sire to know for what he was wanted, an
how much he was worth. Scores OF time
: such efficient detectives as Dusenbury
\ McCord, Farley, Irving, or Eustace hav
: been hastily sent to remote points, arme
9 with all necessary documents, only to fin
: the game lost when they have arrived
! Often has the fugitive disappeared sud
denly and completely from police know
h ledge for weeks together, and then re
;. appeared as suddenly in some remote spo
: but only to subject his pursuers to anothe
e disappointment. AT last he seemed
. tire of being constantly in peril of cap
ture, and weeks ago all trace OF him wa
lost and has never since been recovered.
The fugitive is man who has been {
war with the law from his boyhood, an
is loaded with innumerable crimes. Il
has been an inmate Of many jails, only
slip from them with facility that prove
his dexterity in Guiding the punishmer
due his acts. When he committed I'll
>. Nathan murder he was an escaped convi
/ from the Illinois prison at Joliet, OWN
y thirteen years service; and since th'
l. crime he has committed another, which
almost its exact parallel in every respec
: except that the brutal assault did not en-
20 in death, and be owes the State where
st was done imprisonment for life. A ma
utterly without conscience, rockies
he daring, destitute of these accomplishment
IN which have made burglary fine art, wi
he fitted by his character and experiences
Or commit the deed which appalled, the eli
last July, and to elude, ever since tn
ic time, the most strenuous exertons ev
TO made to capture criminal,