Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-04-12
Arrest Of an Accomplished Bigamist
and SWindler-His Career.
NEW YoRK Aprn 9

NEW YORK, April 2.
William c. Russell, the check-passer,
who is also known by the name of Ballard,
Maltby, and other aliases, was taken into
custody on Saturday afternoon, while loiter-
ing in the neighborhood of the house in
which dwelt Miss Van Houten, the young
woman whom he married in Baltimore in
December last. and abandoned in few
weeks afterward at Earl's Hotel. in this city.
It was during Detective William McLaugh-
Inns watch that Russell put in an appear
ance. Arriving near the bank on which he
had attempted to pass the forged check,
he turned to Detective Sergeant McLaugh-
lin and said: 6 am now satisfied that
it is your intention to show ME up. It's no
use, surrender" The prisoner has within
the past two years proved to be skilful
forger and slayer down" of worthless
checks. When he had made up his mind to
become criminal, Russell, late in the sum-
mer of 1881, went to Newburg, N. Y. He
appeared there under the name of Il. S. Bal
lard. and in the role of a retired Philadelphia
physician and land Spectator. He engaged
board at the house of a 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
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, a grocer
at that place, to cash check for him. 1t
was for 500, and was drawn on the Tuar-
raick bank. He succeeded in passing the
check by representing that he had suddenly
run short of funds and desired to go to Goshen,
N. Y, to search the titles of some property.
La IL, l,,,l u,
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 comedy
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 a
courtship of a few days they We're married.
On the 10Th of November Russell came on
with his bride to this city, going to Phila-
delphia several times and victimiZing several
persons there. December 90 he gave his
bride as Christmas present check
for So, 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 Earl's Hotel he
was told that Russell, during his wife's alb
sence, had called for his bill, which he
paid, by a check for $50 on the
Fifth Avenue Bank. and had left for
parts unknown. This check was also
worthless. Mrs. Russell's story wa9
found to be true, and she was thereupon re-
leased, and went to live with her brother at
Eighth avenue and Fiftll-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 in 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 number
of checks, which were all filled out ready for
rSG