The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-10
THE NATHAN MURDER.
The Story of Bill For
roster.
M OR e L IG H Il
EYOneratiOn Of the Suspected Member Of the
Victims Family.
Are Parties High in Power
Implicated?
LFrom the Chicago rImes. August 7.l

!
was fugitive from this State having broken Jail and
fed He tried about three years ago1or the muir
der, but it could not be fixed upon him. The prisoner
did not hesitate the time however to acknowledge
that he could If he liked, give such information as
would forever clear up the mystery OF Benjamin
Nathan's death requisition from the Governor of
this State the hands OF the authorities, so that
he evaded the clutches OF the stupid blunder
ing New York police officials he was route for his
old quarters in Joliet and from which he shortly be-
fore that beat such hasty When he that
his fate sealed he offered give away the muir
derer of Mr.. Nathan the condition that he should
full pardon from the Governor of Illinois, but
refused and he lodged safely in the prison
where he now is Since he returned here various
attempts have been made TO gain what knowledge he
had of the murder but all without avail his nvarabe
condition being the the arst-that he would
only 'squeal' when pardoned.
The revelations made by Policeman Conklin revived
the whole subject and in the hope of having 1t either
wholly or partly corroboraed contradicted, if he
could do either, Times reporter yesterday morning
! visited the prison at Joliet.
The reporter when allowed the somewhat noto-
rious 'crack sInan" found difficulty in engaging him
| in conversation
REPoRrER-Have you any objection to speaking Of the
! Nathan tragedy
| FoRREsTER-None in the least. have been thinking
the matter for time. and have arrived at the
conclusion that would be better for make known
! what know about the affair, that it has again
been brought prominently before the public, than to
keep any longer TO myself Nothing come of the
latter course some good may the former What
will tell to-day is partly oldhat is furnished it to
other newspapers about the time of my last arrest but
the greater portion of what will say is new end has
not been divuged to any one.
|
| to the best of my knowledge and belief
| REPoRTRR-What do you know, then, Of the Nathan
murder?
| FoRREsTER-That question is little premature In
order to give you full and clear statement Of what
know about the matter and my connection Herewith,
must begin my story at a period about four months
previous to the murder, and tell you my subsequent
history. Later | will connect the circumstances
that you%ill see the logic Of them About the time
MONDAY, n Y, small place near the Canadian from
tier, to do 'work." We after a bank and
combined, and had all tools along with AS
about TO effect an entrance through back win
dow, scared off by some noise other, and ran
away toward our wagon which the outskirts of
the town waiting for We left tools behind and
they aterward found there by the New York de-
tectives who were sent work DIP the job. You may
the point of my story now, but it will hereafter
appear Jumping into our wagon, We
CANADA,
and kept under cover awhile We finally ventured
| TO New York, and from there went to Philadelphia
About this time the Wikesbarre, Pa bank robbery
concocted, with which George Ellis, Jim Elliott, the
prize fighter; Tom Scott, Wat Dunn and myself were
connected The bank was entered and the vaults
being worked, ~ when the party was pinched" All
were arrested but me, but the Sher.D's in
with the gang they escaped being 'sent up" went to
Philadelphia and was there arrested by Pinkertons
men broke away from them and escaped, going TO
Pittsburg. reward of 500 was offered for me, but
they found no clew 10 my whereabouts until they fol-
lowed my wife to Pttsburg Then they to
| again, and | rearrested and taken back to
Philadelphia was locked up for the night in the
top story Of the Pnkerton building with three men to
guard me, and my clothes all taken away but | man
aged to escape in my shirt and drawers, and get to
where the remainder OF my clothes were This escape
occasioned considerable newspaper comment at the
time, but don't about any further notoriety in
the matter. From Philadelphia went to Baltimore
! Thither the detectives again followed my wife, making
it hot that decided to leave altogether. Ac
cordingly | shipped for Key West thence to Havana
and thence New Orleans arriving in the latter city
on or about the 10th OF May 1870 On the 10th OF that
month was
in New Orleans by Pnkerton's men, and gave bail in
the OF $1,000 After leaving the station l
allowed to 90 three blocks and then re-arresed
This | consider OF the meanest tricks that was
ever played on me- On the 18th | was discharged
on writ of habeas corpus, and the following day
went to Mobile, where | remained about week
For the succeeding six weeks | alternated between
Mobile and New Orleans, keeping under cover all of
the time. Nathan killed the night of Friday
July 20 though | did not know anything about it
at the time On the following morning took the boat
for Lake Ponchartrain. arriving there Sunday
ing. first heard Of the murder either Sunday
Monday, and remarked at the time that would be
" collared on the job to dead certainty" My inn
preston that the work had been done by guns
From New Orleans went to Memphis and while taking
the evening breeze in the latter city one day, saw
couple of friends OF mine One of them was jimmy
Lyons and he had copy OF the New York HERALD in
his hand. He pointed article the Nathan
murder TO me- and then saw for the first time that
WAS ACCUSED OF II.
dozen different fellows got together after n while,
and we discussed the matter between They all
knew was as innocent any one OF them. and they
advised me 10 attend TO the matter else il might 90 hard
with me. went back New Orleans, and wrote to
Captain Kelso telling him that would give myself up
the Nathan matter If he would secure my pardon on
al
stratagem my part to get out Of my Illinois
troubles, as knew they could not hold me on the
Nathan affair. His answer was to be made through
the personals Of the HERALD, but never heard from
him. My letter to him was mailed by John Connors,
the with whom boarded in New Orleans. Shortly
atterward Red Eyed" Egan-and, by the way, want
tell you something about that fellow He used to be
IA detective in st. Louis but he ''stood in" with
press robbery and got the worst OF II aterward The
detectives tried TO ''shake down the other fellows in
the affair but one OF them wouldn't stand it, and he
| gave back his BIT to the express company and
turned States evidence against the others Of course
'Red-Ryo" was coared, and he got ten years but he
NEVER WENT TO THE PESIrESTIARY,
| having influence that secured his pardon He is
United States detective at St Louis Well Egan came
to New Orleans after the purpose OF getting the
Nathan reward but he couldn't find me. though he
knew was there and knew my boarding house Keeper.
He elegraphed to Kclso and the latter sent on two
New York cops Phil Farley and his partner TO ferret
me out They worked on my boarding house keeper
for time, but could get nothing out Of hun until
they offered him 81, 900 TO show me up He told me
about the matter and ! told him TO take the
money, and would show myself in place
where tnty couu NOT ttkc % nc bpIceu 10 90 u,
and the 'cops despatched TO New York for concy
money with which to pay the reward As luck would
have IT, the train bearing the counterfeit money oil
the track and nothing ever came OF the agreement
afterward The detectives left and went from New
Orleans back to Memphis Thence went to Louisville,
and meeting Dave Cummings there sent him TO New
York to sec Barney Aaron, and have him call Kcso
and try and fix up with him to my pardon from
the Governor Of Illinois provided would give myself
up the Nathan matter. Barney did call Keso,
but tho latter told him he could get me without any
pardon. This shows concusively that they knew in
New York that had
NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MURDER,
else they would have been only too glad to take at
my word. | their - stall y throughout. From
Louisville went Nashville where expected to get
private letter from New York but had presentmcnt
that the post office would be watched and did not call
there My judgment was correct as aiterward dis
that Of the only three persons IN New York
who knew that the letter had been mailed informed the
police and the latter telegraphed Yankee Bly,, the
Cincinnati detective to 90 TO Nashville and arrest me