The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1877-08-24
THE ROMANCE OF CRIME,
Capture Of Noted AdTenturer-The Nathan
Mystery Revived.
Baltimore Gazette, August 3.

ba.tlmore Gazette, Augusta
Marshal John T. Gray, on Wednesday
night received a telegram from Union Mills
signed by P. J. Maberry, Sheriff of Wash
ington county, requesting him to arrest,
On charge of swindling, man named
JAS. L. Huff, alias Jas. T. Pearson, who
would enquire that evening for letter at
the Baltimore postofice. Chief Detective
Crone was notified, and Detectives Hall
and Calf were sent to the postoffice, but
were, through some mistake, not notified
when Huff called for his mail. They spbse-
quently arrested him at hotel, and he
was held at the Middle District Station for
a hearing to-day. Huff, it appears, was
on visit to his relatives ut his native
place, Wiliiamsport, recently, and while
there represented himself as detective of
the United States secret service. He prom
ised J. F. Kreps of that place, to secure
him an appointment III the Treasury De-
partment, and received from Kreps fee of
$2O kreps, not hearing anything OF his
appointment, wrote to the Department and
| lCSSlfSu hil ttAoNO1 no SuCH IUaL WdS
connected with the secret service, but that
Huff was no doubt man named James T.
Pearson, who was wanted at half a dozen
different places for various felonies. A
photograph of Pearson was enclosed in the
letter and it established the identity of Huff
and Pearson beyond question. Mr.. Kreps
notified the Sheriff. who followed Huff, alias
Pearson, to Westminster, but friend at
Williamsport had informed Huff of the
movement of his arrest, and he left that
place for Baltimore before the arrival of
the Sheriff. 1t was ascertained he had or
dered his mail to be sent to Baltimore, hence
the telegram to Marshal Gray which led to
his arrest.
On the person of Huff at the Middle Sta
tion were found number of slips cut from
newspapers, giving some particulars of his
career under the name of Pearson and as a |
pretended detective of the United States
Secret Service. It appears from these these
slips that at the tune of the burning of |
Fox's Thcater, Philadelphia, he volunteer
Cs
disappeared in mysterious manner. He
also had connection in the same singular
manner with the Long Point express muir
der and a number of other noted criminal
cases. Under the name of C.. L. Swegle he
fgured in the conspiracy to rob the tomb Of
Lincoln of the remains of the deceased cx-
President, and from a slip found in his
pocket cut from a Western paper he was
denounced as the prime mover in the con-
allracy. Two men concerned with him
were sentenced to the Poritentiary, blt be
escaped. The most remarkable document
found on him was a statement prepared by
him in regard to the mysterious murder of
Benjamin Nathan in New York. He says
he has in his possession the meersehaum
pipe, tobacco box and pipe which belonged
to the murdered man. He states that Gale
Gunnion, Johnny Irving and Billy Forest
er, the latter from Baltimore, went to the
house Of Nathan and were admitted by
Kelly, the housekeeper's son. While Gun
1ion was opening the safe Nathan heard
/,
~ blow from ''dog" in the hands of ! .,
5unnion. Pearson states that Gunnion is
Kelly in Sing Sing -.-.-- Irving apd
,nrn Prison. Nathan was q wealthy citiz III .
,F New York and resided in handsome :
lwelling opposite the Fifth Avenue Hotel.
lis murderer has never been brought to
ustice and the whole affair has batfled the
kill Of the Police and detectives. The
heory Of Huff, alias Pearson, seems to be
plausible one, but it indicates, as do
'ther papers in his possession, on intimate
of the most notorious crinli- -.
1al Since his arrest Marshal Grey has
eceived information tEat Huff, alias Pear ,
op, has been for a long time swindlng .
,eople throughout the country by pretend
ng to be detective in the employ of the
Government, and several charges have been
made against him in addition to the charge
N which he was arrested. The prisoner is ,
tall fine looking man Of excellent address,
nd apparently about twenty-four years of
ge. :