The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-02-03
The Mysterious Death of Two Little
Children.
Other Happenings in City and Vicinity.
STEWART, THE BANK swINDLER.


Detective Spencer Arrives Home and Fur
nishes Further "Details Concerning the
Prisoner aud His Tragic Death.
Detective John Spencer, who went 10
New York to bring back John Stewart, alias
George Coleman, the forger who got the
City National bank, of this city, for SO, 100
on forged draft. and who after his capture
by the New York detectives committed
suicide as he was being transferred from the
station.house to the depot, by cutting a
large vein in his neck with a pocket-knife,
arrived home yesterday. The HERALD has
already published an account Of the affair,
but not the particulars. The officer stated
to a HERALD reporter that he arrived in
New York city at 3 p. m. last Saturday,
and went direct TO police headquarters and
making all necessary arrangements he then
looked up Mr.. j. e. O'Connor, the presi.
dent OF the viotimized bank, who had pre-
Ceded him. Everything being in readiness,
the officer suggested that the prisoner be
searched and that he handculf him, but the
New York detectives did not appear to
deem it necessary, and Mr.. U'Connor
agreeing with them they started
on the return trip home.
When arrested the prisoner offered to re-
turn the money he OBJ aimed from the bAnk,
provided he was not prosecuted. Inspector
Byrnes declined TO be party to such an
arrangement, and message was sent to
Texas for the necessary requisition papers.
These papers arrived in due course of time,
and were signed by Governor Cleveland.
Stewart was arraigned before Justice Patti
sol, and was turned over to Detective
Spencer. AT 500 he left there in u carriage
accompanied by Messrs. O'Connor and
Spencer, ana Detectives Reilly and Won
Gerlchten, of Inspector Byrnes' staff
They ahghted at the Desbrosses
street ferry boat and while the tickets
were buying the prisoner drew knife ard
plunged it into his neck under his right
ear, intlic;ing fatal wound. He fell bleed
ing proiuseiy. The detectives took the
knlie-an ordinary bocket-kniie-away
from him. and tried to stop the flow of
blood with his handkerchief, The wounded
man pressed his fingers into the wound and
begged the detectives to allow him to die.
lie mentioned that he belonged to n respec-
table family; that since his arrest his real
name had been ascertained, and that he had
brought disgrace by his conduct upon per
sons near and dear to him. He did not
wish to live longer. In few minutes
he became unconscious and was carried
into the ferry-master's office.
The wounded man was taken to the New
York hospital, where he died. He was
searched on Monday after his arrest, and
knife and a revolver were taken from him
He had during the week been travelling
around the city with the detectives, but
when he started from police headquarters
for the train for Texas, no one thought of
searching him. Coleman, the police allege, |
In q professional t0rger and bank burglar. |
die has served long terms in Auburn,
Moyamensing and Cherry Hill prisons.
At the time Of his arrest he had only been
few months out of prison. When in the
drug store, and seemingly Just before he
became unconscious, he thrust his
hand into his coat pocket, and pull
hurriedly give these to the doctor to mail
for me. One was addressed to q married
sister aud the other to a friend named Ed.
Mathews. The one TO his sister was very
atiectionate, and stated that he was tired of
living, and limiting that he would take his
own life. The one to Mathews stated that
he had always found him (Mathews) tried
and true friend, and that, while he had
shown him a great many favors, he had only
one more to ask of him, and that was
should he meet with any mishap in travel
VI ule III any way, tnat ne would take
charge of his remains and see that they
were properly inferred. He also wrote.
81 am going back to Texas much against
my will, and some accident may occur to
me on the way, and should there, please
see that nay remains are not inferred in
p0tters field The detectives opened and
read the letters, and Detective Spencer saw
them, but does not remember the contents
fully.
Detective Plnkcrton received the. follow.
ing account of Stewart from one of the in.
spectors of Cherry Hill penitentiary, Phila.
deiphia; Coleman, of whom wrote you,
was known here as No. 9720. Hswas at one
time the confederate Of Ike Marsh and
Charlie. Billiard, the. bank burglars. Ike
Marsh is serving seventeen years in the
Cherry Hill prison, for the bank burglary
committed at Wellsboro, Pennsylvania.
Charles Billiard is serving five years in the
state prison at Kingston, Canada, for a
robbery in jewelry store there. Coleman
has been imprisoned in the hulks at Ber-
muda, West Indies"
The silyer.tOngucd orator of Canada r