Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-09-15
FORESTER.
Career Of the Murderer Of Mr.. Nathan
OF SeW York.

| The maine ofWilliam Forester having beer
l again brought before the public In connection
with the Nathan murder, II may be that tn,
| following facts will answer the query as uC
/ who William Forester Oiids Billy Forrest
alias Billy and Frank Campbell, alias Frank
Livingstone, Glids Frank Harding, alias Franh
Howard, dtlds William Brown, alias -
johnson, really is. This man, says the New
York World, is n native Of New Orleans, and
first made his deblst before the public in the
character OF an escaped convict from the JOl-
let, Illinois, penitentiary, 20 which institution
he had been sentenced to thirteen years I'm
Prisoument- Forester came east, and one OF
bis eurliesJ adventures was
ROBBERY IN BOSTON,.
Massachusetts. in November. For this he wa
arrested. but escaped, and on November 26
1855, was again collared by Detective Dearborn
Of boston. who concluded 10 bring him "a
New York aBd turn him over 10 Pinkerton
who still retains the requisitiOn for his return
10 Illinois. Dearborn telegraphed to Superln-
tendent Davies, Of Pinkerton's New York
agency, TO meet him at the New Haven depot
for the arrival OF the evening train, prepared
10 receive Forester. Preparations were ac-
eordinglN made for the reception of the man
bat in about two hours "a second dispatch VIA
received from Dearborn, stating that Forester
had made his escape al New Haven by jump
ing from the train after Il had started. Dear
born fired az him, but without effect and For
rsster was once more out OF the clutches OF
the law. He was next heard OF
AT WILKESBARRE, PENNSYLVANIA,
where on February !, Is72. in company with
Jim Elliott atlas COck-eye Elliott who first
appeared before the public ss a siX-foot prize
fighter, Walter Davis, William Fox Qli0S Ri
ley, and last, hat not least, George Ellis
directed his attention 70 the bank OF +. v.
Rockefeller, but before they had commenced
operations on the safe, in which about four
hundred thousand dollars awaited them they
were surprised. and beat a retreat. For this
affair Forester was again arrested by Pink
erton 5 men at Pittsburg, but escaped at Phil
adei phla NhlIe 81. route 70 Wllkesbarre. He
then turned up in the Crescent City, where
on June IS, 1870, he was arrested by Chief OF
Police Badger, who, cognizant Of the fact of
AN ESCAPED CONVICT.
from Illinois, and, knowing that he was
wanted for the Wilkesbarre robbery, tele-
graphed TO PinkertOn's agency In Chicago
and New York the fact of FOrrester's arrest
and stating that. he would be held until the
papers could be sent for his return north. Mr..
". A. PinkertOn at once aeft ior New Orleans.
from chicago, and an agent was dispatched
from Sew York to Harrisburg TO procure a
requiSitiOn from Governor Geary upon the
Governor Of Louisiana for Forester FOrreS-
ter had only been about ten DAYS in New Or
leans when he was arrested, and public atten-
ton was at first directed to him BY his
riotous conduct and fast living. He was gam
bling heavily, and, n IS said, had lost about
ten thousand dollars. At the time OF his ar
rest he was driving ~ buggy out OF a livery
stable, and upon the horse being stOpped by
the officers he took in the situation at "A
rear of the buggy, struck on his feet and
started to run. He was. however seized by
the officers and after showing pretty good
nght, surrendered 10 superior force. on being
taken to the StatiOnhOuSe he acknowledged
his identity, but intimated that he would
prefer
" "SHUFFLING OFF THE MORTAL COII. -
70 venturiug to Illinois. He also endeavored
10 convince the chief thai four thousand dol
lars of mis- money was better than three hun
dred dollars OF Pinkerton's, and lntiInated
that II the chief would allow him TO go, he
lthe chief would have "forty-centuriesn and
''nO questions asked" etc. That official how
ever, was inexorable. and Forrceter's bail was
fixed at five thousand dollars, which he at
once produced and was released by the Magis-
trate. He was, however, at once re-arrested
and taken to the parish prison. On the way
thither he jumped from the cab, and ran two
blocks before he was recaptured by the chief.
He was soon after brought up on q writ Of
hdbede corpus and discharged, and again re-
arrested Tor the burglary in PennSylV lVanfa
On the following DAY second writ OF hdbe0s
corpus was granted, and Forester was
brought before the District Court, and no par
ties appearing against him, he was discharged
Inc keeper OF the prison had promised TO noti-
~ the Chief Of Police should any further
writs be granted. but failed 10 keep his word.
Upon being
DISCHARGED
the last time, Forester at once made himself
scarce, and when the agents from PennsylVa-
MIA and Illinois arrived on the day following
they were very much chagrined by the an
nouncement that Forester had been released
on hst6eas corpus, and that his present where
abouts was unknown 10 the officials OF the
Crescent City. The city was thoroughly
secured by the police, but without re-
suit, and the places that formerly knew
Forester knew him no more. His
wife, who is said TO belong to q very respecta-
bic family, was living with him IN New Or
leans at the time OF his arrest. The suspicion
that Forester was the murderer Of Mr.. Ma
than was first created in the minds of the
New York police about the first OF September,
1870; and il Is said that the first intinlation OF
this came from
A NOTORIOUS NAN
In the city, who, at that time, was supposed 10
be endeaVoring TO atone for his misdeeds by
"giving way" thieves TO the police.
AS 8n instance Of FOrrester's daring. Il Is
related Of him that few months since
number Of his friends were confined In one OF
the stOutest iails in New York State; the crime
for which they were Imprisoned was certain
TO give each long sentence, and their friends
used every endeavor 10 get them out, but
wishout avail, until Forester took the matter
in hand. One dark night be went TO the
got TO the outside door, and picking the lock
OF IL with a tool used for that purpose, he
passed into another room, where he found the
turnkey on his cot asleep. Going up to him,
Forester very adrOitly distracted the KEYS
from his belt, and proceeded directly TO the
cells. unlocked the doors, and II liberated his
friends, three in number, all OF whom made
thelr escape without being seen. After getting
his friends out, Forester locked the cell
doors, and, going back 10 where the jaiher was
lying, very coolly replaced the keys In he's belt,
and going out through the same door, locked
II with the same instrument with which he
effected an entrance.