The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-14
Is GEN. FAULKNER ALIVE7
mrs BROTHER, JUST RELEASED FROM
PRISON, INSISTS THAT HE Is.

He Says That Dummy with Mask Was
Prepared For tho Funeral. and that the
General Fled to Mexico to Escape n
seven Years Sentence - lie May Have
the u ody Exhumed to Prove His Charge
several Persons Sny They saw Gen.
Faulkner Aner He Was Reported TO Be
DenG-Story OF the G ene, ais Double Life.
DASsvr1IF, Aug. 13.-The bitterness between
tho brothers Faulkner. who owned and were
convicted of wrcckng the First National Bank
o! Dansvile, has not ceased with the pardon
by President Harrison OF tho manager OF the
bank. james Faulkner. which was fully re-
ported in TIE sun last Monday As intimated
then. James Faulkner will not be further
prosecuted. and his rcarrest at Bufalo on the
charge Of forgery. when he left the Erie
county penitcntiary. was due to delay In the
delivery of telegram from District Attorney
Reed OF Livingston county, countermandng n
old warrant issued for forgery
Mr.. Reed says that he will not prosecute the
charge Of forgery because he thinks Faulkner
has been sufficiently punished by an impris-
onment of n year and half in the peniten-
tiary. The hundreds Of depositors. however.
who realized what they could on $4,000
assets in a 100000 failure. hardly think that
Faulkner has been punished enough. and from
conversations held with some OF them by The
Bun correspondent. it would only need a
leader to effect an organization to prosecute
or pilloty him.
For the present Faulkner ie free. for nobody
seems willing to take the lead in protesting
against the action Of the District Attorney in
refusing TO prosecute indictments found by
the Grand Jury Of this county. The subject
will, however. be brought to the attention OF
tho mex. Grand Jury. and IL tho District At
torney persists in his determination not to try
Faulkner there will be an interesting conflict
between the inuuistors and their legal ad
WISER
Since James Faulkner's second liberation
he has been talking freely with his acqunint-
ances. and has revived the story that his
brother. Gen. Lester b. Faulkner, did not die
on Jan. 81. 1890. but that dummy was buried
and the Ceneral left the country When Gen.
Faux, or died Tor fed according to his
brother. he was out on ball on an appeal
from n conviction which meant seven years
Imprisonment IL the conviction was affirmed
Gen. Faulkner was living apart from his wife.
from whom he had never been divorced. and
she knew nothini; personally about his death
There was the greatest secrecy about 1t. and
the announcement made stir at the time.
The Albany Journal first printed the story in
March. 1890. that Gen. Faulkner was alive and
well in Mexico. That story has never been
disprovcd by the most efrectual test. exhum-
Ing the body, and James Faulkner now says
that they did not dare go to that extreme In
the denial Of the report James Faulkner re-
peats tho charge that a conspiracy existed to
pass Off gardeners body as the Generals.
and he says he knows that mask was made
for the gardeners corpse. The story told by
James Faulkner about this branch Of the case
is as follows:
Il do not believe that my brother is dead.
nd I hoyo bonr I'd mr. al 70 frnp partiaa hpliava
tote reliable that he is engaged in the bank
ing business in Mexico. In January. 1890.
when his reported death occurred was in
confinement ana viewed the scene from dis
lance. Lester had nicely fixed UP ranch
about eight miles southwest OF the village.
Kuhn and Allen. who were mixed up in tho
banks failure. were both at the place where
Lester is said to have died. According to them
tho funeral was to take place on Thursday.
but the body was buried on the previous day
wednesday,. a very suspicious circumstance.
There were many other suspicious circum-
stances. Why know prominent Buffalo
business nan who told me the name OF the
person who made the death mask for the
corpse buried on that OCCASION"
The question now revived. rs Gen. Lester
B. Faulkner dead or alive 2" may not be settled
unless his brothers firm bolef that he is alive
leads him to force an investigation. Whether
he will do this or not he does not say. Perhaps
he may have the grave opened. Gen. Faux
ner's DEATH as reported at the time occurred
under unusual circumstances. Just before
JAN 81. the day he was reported to have died.
he was around in apparent good health.
lie was sick and died ut Dr. A. 7. Bacon's
house. on his farm. No announcement was
made OF the death until the day Of tho funeral
when it was announced that the body would be
buried the ne1tday Only afew persons saw the
corpse. The Rev. W. X Ward. who performed
the services did not see the face. it is now as
serted. H. v CrandalI. proprietor Of the Gran
Dali House at ohnaserngo says that he at
tended the funeral, saw the body. and knew it |
was that of Lester Faulkner Outside OF the
physician who certified to the death there arc
very few persons who saw fine body. Many |
saw the coffin. railroad man here is positive |
that he say Gen. Faulkner the day after his re-
ported DEATH.
A farmer, who was drawing load OF wood to
road Just aiter4 o'clock on Monday morning
Of that week. says hat he saw n man coming
s "n G s %hS h Ss
road mans story that this person boarded the
eeaboos Sc, Of Lehigh Valley k9road freight
70 Buffalo. There were other persons who
claimed to have seen the General, and one
up in bed smoking II cigar about the time the
doctor says no died. The undertaken. how.
81 II Gen. Faulkner was not dead when got
him. no was dead when l got through with
MIN,
outside Of tho undertaken there arc two
positive witnesses to tho death-the Roy. Mr..
Ward and DR.. bacon; No effort has been made
In which Gen. Faulkner was held pending
sentence ana District Attorney Alexander 10
perfectly satisfied that the General is dead.
Gen Faulkner is described by his brothe as
ayian ut heart and in action. His double
life. which wa. fact beyond dispute. is given
As an illustration of his rea tendencies. When
the bank trouble occurred. Gen. Fauikncr's
wwiie Joined in morGaGinG their property for
his defence in tho criminal action, taken
agni INST hm by the United States Govern
ment At that time his widow says. they
mad3 =, h mutual wills wills. he giving his prop
months before hi death. His will disappeared
disturbed.
John 3 stanch0cli Of Elmira. Senator Hills
CORNER law partner. was retained by Widow
Faulkner 70 look. after her interests. When
the case came hcfore the Surrogate OF Living
ston county another will was presented for
probate In favor ofanothcr woman. After this
usual proceedings. surrogate Nash refused to
AUNT ms Will t. probate. DR.. Bacon and
comfort Allen. who We're among the wit