The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-04-07
Arrest OF aa Accomplished Bigamist
md Sviudlpr- lis Garccr.

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NEW YoRK. Aprile.
William C. Russell, the chcck-rasscr,
who is also known by the name Of Ballard,
Mlltby. ana other aliases. was taken into
custody on Saturday afternoon, while loitcr-
ing IN the ncighborlood of the house in
which dwelt Miss Van Houten. the Young
woman whom he married I'm Baltimore i'm
December last, and abandoned IN q few
weeks atterward at Earl's Hotel, i'm this city.
Tt was during Detective William McLaugh-
Inns watch that Russell put in an appear
aucc. Arriving near the bank cn which he
had attempted to pass the forged check,
he turned 20 Detective Sergeant AIcLauCh-
lin and said: 81 am now satisfied that
it is your intention to show me up. Its no
use, ! surrender Tie prisoner has within
the past two years proved 10 be a skllul
forger and layer down" OF worthless
checks. When he had made zap his mind to
become a criminal. Russell, late i'm the SUM
mer of 1881, went TO Newburg, n. Y. lie
appeared there under the uamo of r. S. Bal
lard, and i'm the role OF a retired Philadelphia
physician and land Spectator. He engaged
board at the house Of q Mrs. Brock and there
perfected his schemes. To better carry out
his plans and also remove suspicion, he APP
peared to be smitten with his landlady's
daughter. On the oath OF August. 1852,
he was married to Miss Amelia Brock,
by the Rev. A. Mclean, at ST. Johns
Church, Newburg. Two days after his
marriage he induced Samuel Ward, grocer
at that place. to cash a check for him. 1t
was for 500, and was drawn on the Iuar-
RACK bank He succeeded in passing the
check by representing that he had suddenly
l.. L. ,A.,f ty.gl,
n. Y, TO search the titles of some property.
He left Newburg and his bride on that day,
and never returned again. About the
middle of November, however, he turned up
under the name of Ballard at the Eutaw
House, Baltimore. While there he
made the acquaintance of comely
and respectable seamstress named Van
Houten. She was dazzled with his preten-
sions of wealth. He had exhibited to her
numerous bank-bOOks containing entries OF
large deposits, bundles of railroad shares,
deeds of property, and other securities. The
seamstress accepted the offer, and after
courtship of a few days they were married.
On the both of November Russell came on
with his bride to this city, going to Phila-
delphia several times and VictilniZng several
persons there. December 20 he gave his
bride as a Christmas present check
for 50, 900 on the Fifth Avenue Bank. She,
unsuspecting woman, went to the bank to
draw the money, and then learned that it
was worthless. While she was there word
was also received that the check which her
husband had deposited for collection from
the Western Bank of Philadelphia was
worthless, and was returned Endorsed ''no.
account" She was detained, and subse-
quently handed over to Detective Slevin,
When the detective called at Earls Hotel he
was told that Russell, during his wife's alb
sence, had called for his BILL which he
paid, by check for $3.50 on the
Fifth Avenue Bank, and had left for
parts unknown. This check was also
worthless. Mrs. Russell's story was
found to be true, and she was thereupon re-
leased and went to live with her brother at
Eighth avenue and Fifth-ninth street.
At Police headquarters he conversed free
! ly touching his swindling operations, and
limited that he had swindled the East River
National Bank, the National Bank of Ma
ryland, Riggs & Co., Of Washington, bank
ers, and many business men i'm this and 9TH
er cities. The police are of the opinion that
| he has boarded up his ill-gotten gains In
his room last evening was seized a number
of checks, which were all filed out ready for
|