Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-06-17

ii. Hotter, a moulder well known In
this city, who was reported to have
been drowned off the wharfboat at
Cairo, after getting off the steamer
Vint Shinkle. AT that time it was
strongly limited that he was not
drowned, but was alive, and was play
ing bold game to get the $1,000 in
surance on his life, which he held in
the A. o. U. w. organization of this
city. Subsequent events have shown
this s~upposition to have been correct
land that
HoFFER is STILL IN THE LAND or
THE LIVING.
When suspicion about Hoffer's death
was first excited, a committee was APP
pointed by the A. D. wv. to inves.
tigate the matter, and during the past
week that committee has learned that
Hotter is living at his mothers house
at Big River mills, in st. Francois
county, Missouri. Steps have beentaken
for his arrest, and the prospects are
extremely favorable for Sheriff Kerth
to have another, and possibly several
more insurance co%nsplratorS conhded
to his care.
At the time Of Hoffer's disappear
ance it was impossible to ascertain the
circumstances surrounding the case,
but everything goes to show hat
THE PLOT FOR HoFFER's DROWN
ING"
Must have been Matched about the
time Charley Lucas was eontempla-
ting an invasion of the retreat of the
piscatorial tribe that dwells in the
Ohio opposite the willows" 1t also
appears that the conspiracy was form
ed while Hoffer was in Meridian,
Mississippi, where he had three
brothers living--George, Andrew and
John. He left this city on the 21st
day Of December for Meridian, saying
that he had to finish a contract there
which he had made during a former
visit. He promised to write to his
wife, who, with two small children he
had left behind, in a few days, but she
did not hear from him until the 14th
Of January. He stated in a letter
that
HE WOULD HE HOME SOON,
And would telegraph her when he
started. The next time he wrote her
was on the 9th of February. The
letter was dated at Memphis, and in it
he said that he had been there five
days, but would leave that night on
the Vint Shinkle for Cairo. A few
days atterward she received the in
formation that he had fallen off the
wharf boat at Cairo into the river and
was drowned. An extended account
of the death was published in the
Cairo Argus, and in it were facts and
particulars which could have been
furnished by no one but an intimate
friend or relative of Hotter and as it
was almost positively known that
HE WAS NOT ACQUAINTED IN CAIRO.
The circumstance oecadoned consid-
cradle comment in this city among his
acquaintances. Comment gave rise to
suspicion and as the reported details
Of the drowning were more carefully
examined, the conclusion was reached
by the committee appointed by the
A. 0. U. w. to inquire into the mat
ter that Hotter was not drowned at
all.
Mrs. Hotfer on receiving the intel
ligenoe of her husbands death was
almost overcome With grief, for they
had lived very happily together, and
she at once wrote to her husbands
brothers in Meridian to have a search
made for his body. She received no
answer, however, and after writing
several more letters without receiving
on answer. she also came TO the con-
clusion that something was wrong,
and that
HER HUSBAND WAS NOT DROWNED.
She heard nothing of him, though,
until last Saturday, when she met
John Hotter. a brother of William, on
a street in this city, and he told her
that her husband was all right; that
he (John) had gone through with the
drowning part all right; that William
had never got on the boat at Memphis
at all, but had taken the train for St.
Louis. He had drawn SIS from the
A. 0. U. w. lodge Of Memphis and
bad gwen him (John) enough to pay
his way to Evansville and kept the
rest himself.
In an interview with Mrs. HoFer.
she told a reporter that John denied
that this was
AN INSURANCE CONSPIRACY,
but would not tell what William had
disappeared for. Mrs. Hofer asked
him when would her husband send
for her, and he replied: "As soon as
the proper time comes" and with that
Remark he walked away.
Since that day officers have been
searching the city for John, but have
been unable to find him. It was
learned that he had put up at the
MayAower house a few days after the
drowning Of William Hofer was
reported and had given the name Of
Charles White, He stopped there but
a few weeks, however, and since then
has been boarding at different places
under different names, and IL is
thought that he is watching the action
Of the A. o. U. w.
Mrs. Hotter says that John Hofer
told her that his brother had written
TO him several times from st. Louis.
and as he is not there now she is con.
tident that he is with his mother at
Big River mills. She insists That she
had no knowledge Of the Conspiracy
and can, therefore, give no Information
as to where it originated.
Baby Burglars.
New York Herald.l
A boy Of seven years in tie Prison.
prs' dOak for hurolorv ooeto;uIa