The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-04-24
Nemesis
The Tenacity with Which 1t Pursued
Lou Houlg.

A pursuit of criminal as exciting as any
romance of detective fiction has just ended
in the return Of murderer 10 Delaware,
Ohio, after years of tireless effort. This Is
the notorious Lou Houk q most dangerous,
because fascinating and INSCRIPTIONS Grim
inal, whose successful daring long ago won
him theItltle of the "three card monte king,
The crime for which he is now to be tried
occurred In a smoking car near Delaware In
January, 1875. He and his "eapper,n
fellow named Houghton. had ingelgled a
commercial traveller named Lehman into
game of cards and had won 500 from him
when Lohman accused them OF cheating
aud threatened TO have them arrested al
Delaware. Houk stopped that by putting
bullet through his victims skull, and jump
ing from the train. The pursuit of the
murderer Instituted by detective named
Norris has been remarkable for Its untiring
relentlessness. Often he has lost the villains
tracks, but again has found some elew
and has followed his man from town to
town and country to country like an ayens-
ing fate. Houk, lit seems, went direct TO
Washington after the murder, and lived
there IN fine STYLE, playing with national
celebrities and even sending home e., ms y
Va
him Houk fed TO Richmond and then to
Norfolk and Key West. and finally to Ha-
vana. When that city became too warm for
him the murderer boldly returned TO this
country, and for time piled his calling at
New Orleans, and later found his way into
Texas. The vigilant detective was ever at
his heels, but Houk possessed III remarka.
BILE degree the power of winning friends,
and time and time again when his capture
seemed certain they have warned him and
helped his escape. BY and by Houk went
into Mexico and there he killed gambler
during game Of cards, but before the de-
tectiye arrived Honk had been acquitted ON
the ground of self-defense and again disap-
peared. Next he was heard Of in Arizona
living a respectable life with his wife, and
from here he drifted 10 the Pacific slope,
where as ''Dick Davis he became celebrat-
ed as a most skillfnl and successful gambler.
IL is said, however, that while at Yuma he
and three other gamblers We're led out of
town by the vigilance committee with ropes
hung suggestiYely about their neeks. The
persistent Norris heard of him at Los An-l
geles few weeks ago and telegraphed for
his arrest. But H0uk had won friends
there, too, and strong fight was made for
his release. Writs OF habeas corpus were
secured, warrants were sworn out on false
charges, TO secure the mans release on bail,
and Norris had to use strategy in getting his
requisillon papers through the mail. He
was even assaulted BY the desperado's
friends in San Francisco till two policemen
were detailed to guard him. and finally an
attempt was made to bride him. But the
detective managed each time to get bis man
out Of the way by hiring special trains, and
by that means at last left the State, while a
sheriff with a writ of habeas corpus was
searching the regular train just behind.
Houk bears bimself boldly, and declares
that the shooting was in sef.defense--a plea
which may, unhappliy, possibly prove sue
cessful. since the murdered man died refus-
ing 70 tell the story Of the crime. and there
seems to be doubt If any Of the Other passeE-
gers noticed it.