The New York herald., 1877-03-21
THE REFORMED c9 BURGLAR
IMPORTANT FLAWS DISCOVERED IN cHnIsTTAN
HANsoN's REMARKABLE TALE-wHAT He SAYS

Is Christian Hanson after all a stupcndous fraud.
and have press tho public and the phanihropis,s
been hoaxcd into charity and sympathy by designing
scoundreiY
Are the brand new clothes and Plccadilly collar. so
generously given by Alderman Morris, being
by barcaced liar who laughs his wellined sleeve
al the gulliblity OF our CITY Fasherss
IL the sympathetic paint man who has engaged
Hanson TO take charge Of his establishment at hand.
some salary about TO hsrbor an unrspentant burglar,
who only for opportunity to 'crack" his en-.
poyers safe IN the manner graphically illustrated
by him Sunday last, aud explained IN the HxEALDs
Have DR.. Harris, Judge Kilbro,h, the officers Of
the Prison Association. and the OF others who
FASTENED TO Int up the fallen been tho victims Of
an accomplished tramp, VINO plays upon tho heart
strings with ability impossible surpass?
Those questions aud dozen others OF similar I'm.
port were asked yesterday In ana about tho TombA
where Christian held his levec IN trus royal style
The first doubt OF Hanson 3 truthiuiness camo from
Mr. Ellis. tho former President OF tho First National
Bank OF Cincinnati who cmphat;cIliy denied that .
burglary had becn committed that bank. Judge
Kilbrch opened his eyes In astonsnmcnt whom this
was told hun, ana a pcns.vo look oversprcad
his face. HIS eye had meaning glance
and the quckncss Of his step and rigidy OF his lea
lures as hc FASTENED tho PRISON Oodcd good
tne unsuspecting Christian Hanson was walking ~
u
thropc G. gar when tho Justice entered Tue iionlzct
burglar doned his hat ana proceedoh the welcome the
new conner The Judge advanced slowly, nnd Christias
appeared astonished at the backness OF his looks
The words ut the conversation must remain unknown
TO tho world both talked in away from lis
tcncrs; but from the gestures made by the magistrate
II appa ent that emphasis WAS leading feature "
tho talk Gradually tho Judge grew mollincd, and
wnen no lett the prison his face bore mystihed look
In ans@er 10 question AZ to what he thought Of The
proiege he only said:--
swat. am satisfied that hc Is u fraud He
tells IL don't Ossblo hat
doccivipg'
The next step was for tho officials to telegraph 70
Cincinnati to ascertain the truth or Hansons story,
butup to tho present writing they had reccivcd
swcr
Ayornrn pAaAGyG DENIAL.
In addition TO The denial by Mr. Eihs, the follown(
letter received yesterday COOS 10 st,l further dscrcd
JUDGE COUNSEL HANK DENIED.
Nsw York, March 20. 1871.
To THE EDITOR HERALD:--
Before bestowng all our sympathy and charity upon
"rhe Reformed Hanson" TO the exclusion perhaps
truth hts sloryS At tho time he alleges no
tried IN Cincinnati Judge Taft judge OF civil
court he superior Court oi Cincinnat ana Was never
judge OF any other, anu could not have tried him.
Judge Cos, whom he represents as his counsel.
was then Judge of the Court Of Common Pleas and
could not have been his counsel Tho First National
Bank OF CINCINNATI nevcr robbed by him or In tho
manner alleged by him, ana no bank OF Cincinnati was
ever robbed IN tho manner Indicated. was, ut tho
mc OF the alleged robbery ana for several years prior
and subsequently, practising attorney Mt Cincinnati
an occupied an oicc In tho Immediate vicinity Of The
said bank and know whereof wriic.
NJ. d. HANOVER. Counsciior.at-L Law.
WHAT CHRISTIAN has To SAY
Anxious to how Hanson acted under the new
state OF affairs, tho writer visited HIM yesterday
afternoon IN me City Prison whcrc he Is held until
tho truth or alsity OF his story is established. Ho
was dressed win noatncss and apparently us Lapi, "
q schoolboy In vacation.
".o Christian. it Is said, on good authority. that
you have been lying, " said the reporter.
II cam, help what they say" replied tho wcli
dressed burglar. knocking the ashes OIL his cigar lts
oasy prove or dsprove my stateuonL All you
have to 20 rs to telegraph TO the Warden OF the saIo
Prison at Columbus or 10 the Chicf OF Police OF Cin-
cnnaii. Detective Meade OF tho latter city, who
arrested me- i am told, lie continued, "tbnt Mr
Elis who president OF tho First National Bank Ut
Cincinnati IN 1866. says that his bank never
robbed In answer will that am sure that tho
bank we robbed was the First National Bank u may
have been 4 bank OF another name. Its you know,
ten years since then, andI was comparative stranger
In C'ncnna ana II was very easy tor the 70 get tho
names Of banks conoundcd. l am sure however, that
tho bank which robbed was situated IN Walnut
street. oil Fourth Filth street We pot
I 100000 IN bonds and alter was nrfessod ! told
where tho bonds we're They hidden In q certain
saloon IN Clncinnat and The bank officials recovered
nearly all OF thcm. "
"Are you sure about the datc OF tho burglary ?"
asked the reporter.
..Yes 1t was early In Fcbruary-on the night OF tho
3d. think, 1866. | arrested In March following,
AS told you last Sunday. My trial did not take place
until December the same year
In to tho request s0mo Of those
he know In prison Ia Columbus Hanson quickly re-
peaied score OF names, many OF whom we'll
known criminals. He also named the different war
dens and keepers with rapdi,y that showed much
familiarity with tho same
mo. SIR" addcd Hanson, warming up and throwing
away his ciyar 81 have told Gods honest truth AMI
you will lind that every word have uttered Will provo
true. don't want to leave the Tombs until everybody
Is satisfied that have not lied" Tho burglars face
| lit up with a look OF manly pride as hc concuded,
'My God 10 you think could be low enough to again
take up honest employment and prove uniaithfu 10
the charitable gentleman employing mes No, sir; all
ask is that every statement havc made may DO
siited aud all will bc found just as have stated"
Should tho cloud now hovcrng about CHRISTIAN bo
finally dispeed by adviccs from CINCINNATI ho will be
released and taken into tho employment
promised Hc Intends to change h,s name, and no
for that purpose that hts employers name Is kept
secret ButashouId Hanson prove to DO fraud,
In response to despatch TO Investigate Hanson's
story mo HERALD correspondent ut Columbus tclc-
graphs tho following which sets at rest all doubts and
stamps tho fellow unwtigaicd fraud, who played
his part with consunlnate skill
NOT KNOWN IN THE OHIO pENITENTIARY--PRoD.
ABLY A FRAUD.
COLUMBUS, March 20, 1871
The alleged confession OF Christian Hanson. pub
lshed In tho HERALD OF tho 10Th, has caused consd-
erabo sympathy TO DO wasted on that Individual A
HERALD CORE espondcnt, assisted by Captain John II.
Grove, warden Of the Ohio Pentcntiary, spent somo
time in examining tho records OF the prison whero
Hanson claims boon confined, which failed to
show that any man OF that was ever confined
there and further, that convict released from
the Penitentary hero on tue day Hanson claims no
was. If Hanson has been In tho Penitcntary
hero IL has bocn under another namo.
PROBABLY LIAR AND A FRAUD
IL ia probable. however, that he liar OF the
FIRST water and that his entire story Is a fraud.
Warden Grove says he has recently received several
letters from police authorities stating that vagrants
they have arrested claimed to hnvo been recently
released tho Ohio Pcntcntary for great crimcA
OF this had failed to obtain work. An ex.
animation OF tho prison records has In every case