Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-02
a MURDEREK'S ROMANCE.
TSpecial Telegram TO the Globe.

the celebrated DIGESTIVE, has had a hare
time going East with his captive, the no
torioas murderer Lon. Houck, and had il
not been for the aid of General SuPsrIn
tendent Dickinson, of the Union Pacific
railroad here, his man weuld have beer
taken from him ~ Cheyenne. Houcl
Is ths most expert gambler, three caro-
monte mgH and bunko stserer in the West
if not in the country, and of late years ha.
assumed the name of Canada Bill, when the
Original William passed in Ills checks and
was shuftied of into eternity. He is a
handsome man OF thirty-five years and has
Wis tsd, il search fer Suckers, every corAer
O. tse continent. He is one day cattle
man with whip and prod, tho next drUna-
MGR, agsin q poor srniErsnt anxious to tell
his expsrieuce with ''thsm three kssrd fsI-
lows" or occasionally q MASKING dandy
with more monsy than brains.
ANY character which Will serve
his purpose ne assuraSs with s.se, and has
becons in consequence notorious among
the card sharps Of The country. Hs has
hundreds of admirers, and friends among
them who have stood by him constantly
while She hounds of justice have been on
the chase for neSrly Ave ye9rs. As has
already been teiagraped, Houck murdered
Paul Lehman, q com msroiaI traveller, on a
Columbus & Toledo train, Jsly 81, 1873,
during q quarrel over game OF cards. The
stakes amounted 10 $40, which both men
claimed when the hands we're played.
short. fierce quarrel ensusd Tho men
clenchsd IN & struggle for ths money, when
Houck, with the quicknsss for which he is
famous, shot the drummer, killing him in
stantly. He then pulled the bell cord,
stopped the train, and made his escape
The railway company determined
to capture the murderer at
any cost, and engaged John
7. Norris, the famous detectiVe, to follow
him until caught or die in tke search. He
has travelled in his search over $4,000
miles, visiting several foreign countries.
Houck fed at once TO the frontier, and
since the murder has been in Texas, New
Mexico, Arizona, Old Mexico and CGlifor-
MIA. Some time since, hearing that Houok
was in California, he searched the state
from end to end without success or any
trace of him. As he was about giving up
the Job, ne got on his trail il the telegraph
Office of a small town in the interior,
through a message to Eouck from one of
his old pals. It gave him pointer, and
told him to go to Los Vegas. Norris be-
ing an operator, sent the message, having
access TO the Office, and changed 'Las
Vegas 20 Los Angeles" He telegraphed
the sheriff there to arrest him, and going
there Immediately, found everything
lovely and Houck in jail. lie left Los
Angeles at once with his prisoner, but the
news Of the arrest had been tele-
grapbed over the country, and numberless
sporting friends of the captive came
promptly to his rescue. HGuek was re-
leased three times in California on vrits
Of habeas corpus, but each time Norris
succeeded in getting him back into his
clutches. On the way east from California
the news reached Norris ut Ogden that
party of Denver and Kansas City sports
had secured a writ at Cheyenne, and would
take him of thsre on the arrival of the
train. He had 3 consultation by telegraph
with the Union Pacific officials hare, and
to prevent his losing his prisoner it was
decidsd 10 take Houck through Wyoming,
a distance Of 600 milss, on a special, at
such q rate Of speed that il would be out of
the question TO stop him. General
Superintendent Dickinson therefore went
west from here with an engine and his
special csr until he Iast the western train,
when Houck and the detective were taken
on board, and the special preceded the
regular passenger as fast as wheels could
turn. II Whizzed through this city like
lightning and kept up the same speed till
Cheyenne sixty miles east of here was
passed, ana continued on with clear track
to its destination, Barton, station with
nc population save few railroad en-
ployes, Just inside of the Nebraska line
and beyond the power of Wyoming writ.
Here the special awaited the arrival late at
night of the passenger train, when the
prisoner was again placed on board, all
fears of his release being over, as Norris
has more friends in Nebraska, Iowa and
Illinois than the prisoner, and
writ would have been of
very little avail. Norris capture
is regarded in the West as one of the great
est made for years, as Houck is notorious
as one of the boldest rascals in the country,
and will probably get a life sentence in the
Ohio penitentiary. Supsrintendent Dick
inson informed your correspondent that
Houck takes things very easily, and hopes
to escape from the clutches of the law. On
the trip to Barton he gave the party e1hi-
billions of his skill with cards, initiating a
and making himself the life of the crowd.
He related many anecdotes of his check
cred career, and did it with a relish. He
has been everything from a minister of
tba .os pei to Jail bird and a murderer,
aal sent to prison, as he deserves, will
aake MS sentence as philosophically and
o2o3ly as though fleeing g granger on an
migrant train or millionaire on q Pull
nan.
Especial Telegram to the Globe
St. LOUIS, Mo-, April 1.--Detective John
T, Norris arrived in the city yesterday en-
roEae for Delaware county, Ohio, with
Lon Houck, who is wanted in Delaware,
g., for murder. The detective was offered
3. 900 to allow gambler named McNil-
las to change clothes with HOUok ct Kan
sas City, bat the game would not work.
fhs prisoner left lsst night with Mr.. Nor
ris for The scene of tbs crime. In CONVEX
satien with reporter while lying in jail
here yesterday, Houck SAID the hgh'
against him was not for his punishment
but for the proteesioR Of the railroad com
psny in whose train the aGn was killed by
him. The widow has szed the company
for 5000 damages on the ground shat
had tho company taken proper precautions