Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-06-24
AN EVENTFUL CAREER.
y. WHITnORR,
Publisher and Propristor.


Story OF George HOwAIa'. Life
How lhe Manhood was whipped
Out OF Him.
New York Times.l
Detectives King and Dilks, who
are working up the murder of
George Howard, whose dead body
was found near Yonkers, have as
yet met with little success in un-
raveling the mystery. Two of
Howard's former companions, John
Irving and William Porter, have
been arrested, and are now detained
in the Tombs on suspicion of hav-
ing committed a burglary. 1t is
probable that upon examination
they may be able to throw some
light on the dark deed. The facts
regarding Howard's life that have
become known since the discovery
of his dead body show it to have
been desperately criminal to the
end. Some years before the war,
as George Leslie, Howard became
known to the police as the perpe-
traitor Of a daring burglary COM
mitted in Missouri, for which he
was captured and sent to the JEFF
ferson City penitentiary for ten
years. Here he became implicated
in a mutiny that failed. The ring
leaders, Howard among them, were
whipped until their backs were
scored from the shoulders to the
hips. Howard once said afterward
that all the manhood was whipped
out of him at that time, and he
then resolved to pursue his des-
perate career to the end. He sub.
sequently escaped from the peniten-
tiary, and early in the war Joined a
gang of bushwhackers operating in
Missouri and Kansas, rob6ing
Union and Confederate alike.
He was finally driven from Mis-.
souri,, and went to California, where
he went into the hotel business and
made money. He next appeared
as a burglar in Chicago, where he
was the chief in several large rob.
berries. Old Allan Pinkerton made
the town too hot for him, and he
fled to Philadelphia, where he was
known as " Western George" Ii
the Quaker City he organized .
gang which for time proved a ter.
ror to the community and long
bafled the vigilance of the police
1t included "Jack Adams anc
"Little Davy," who are now doing
the State service in the Eastern
penitentiary. In 1870, after many
successful operations, Howard wai
arrested in Norristown, Penn, fol
an attempt to rob a store on thC
main street. While he was in jai
awaiting trial, his Chicago mistress
known as "Red-headed Lizzie" ap
peared on the scene and bailed hin
out for $4,000. They left together
and he failed to return for trial
After this narrow escape Howard
again went West, and with Tx
Marsh and Dave Cummings wa
very successful in a long series o
minor burglaries.
In 1873 all Philadelphia was
thrown into CONSERVATION by tn,
number OF daring robberieS, OF
a large scale, that were perpetratet
in that city. Among them wer
Franks jewelry store, at the corne
of Sixth and Market streets, q silk
store on Church alley, and anothe
iewelry store on Chestnut street
near Seventh. 1t was finally dis
covered that number of the cit,
police force were in the pay Of tn
burglars and working with them
and that the leader of the gang wa
George Howard. The latter Aet
to New York, afterward engagin,
in several unsuccessful bank rob
berries in different sections Of tn
country, one of which was tn
Consolidated National Bank O
Philadelphia. He was also success
full in large operation in Balti
more. 1t is generally believed b
the police that he was finally mur
dcred by a gambler of this city, t
whose mistress he was too atten
tive. He had been threatened wit
death if he did not cease his atten
tiGns to this woman, but he allOwe,
the warning to pass unheeded. III
was last seen alive on Decoration
Day, in company with this woman
in Z" fence" where, among othe
things, he purchased for her
handsome camel's hair shaw
That the woman knew nothing {
his subsequent fate was evident b
her personals in the Herald, beg
giug him to come back. She to
disappeared as soon as the news {
The finding Of his body was mad
public, and has not since been di,
covered. The detectives are
work on the case night and day
and propose to fathom it if such
ihin0 is nOssihlp.