The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-12-30
A RAJAH OF SlNINDLERS.
Rev." William Hammond Plying
His Old Games.
A REMARKABLE CAREER OF CRIME

Confidence Man, Bigamist, SwindIer,
Almost Every Kind of a Criminal.
Married Nine Times-Five of His
Victims Living.
BosToN, Dec. 80.-"Rev." William
Hammond, known throughout the United
States, and especially Now England, as
q confidence man, bigamist and swim
dler, has been upto his old tricksin Auck-
land, New Zealand, according to ad-
vices received by the police of this city,
who were applied to for information by
the Auckland authorities. Before he
was exposed, however, he succeeded in
marrying wealthy widow there, and
after securing $4,000 of her money de-
serted her, leaving for Japan, where he
is now supposed to be. This marriage
makes his ninth, as far as known, and at
least five of the victims are living.
He has acted as Methodist, Unitar-
ian, Free Will Baptist and Presbyterian
minister, as a physician and lawyer, and
had Joined and been expelled from many
secret societies. Yet, with all his mis-
deeds, he has been arrested but twice,
and each time escaped punishment by
some startling theatrical play at his
trials.
He appeard in Yulia, Cal, some years
ago, and had with him two women, one
of whom he called his wife and the
other his sister. He preached in the
Methodist church, and his apparent
piety won for him high regard. Com
plants began to arise, however, of his
attentions to women of his congregation,
and while the citizens were preparing to
investigate him his alleged wife and
sister died within week Of each other
He collected some $1,000 on policies on
their lives and shortly afterward skipped
the town, leaving number Of creditors.
AT South Poultney, n. Y. he acted as
Catholic priest, and is said to have ap-
propriated sum OF church money when
he left town suddenly. In Allentown.
Pa, he is remember as Presbyterian
minister and "conscienceless liar and
profigate.' In Ligonier Ind, he APP
peared as physician, but the town
growing too warm for him he went to
Wold Lake, Ind. When he left there
the citizens expressed their gratitude by
firing cannon.
At Franklin Falls he appeared as a
Free Will Baptist minister, and made
love to widow, Mrs. III. w. Brockway,
who had money. She finally consented
to marry him. Just after the marriage
he got 81 900 deposited in savings bank
in her name and also secured 81, 900
bond she held. Then. Mrs. Brockway
says he dosed her with morphine and
left town.
Hammond next picked mp woman
whom he called his wife, and came to
the surface in Montreal He procured
employment for a time i'll the Etna Life
Insurance agency in Montreal, but was
discharged He had obtained his situa-
ton on forged letters of recommends
ton. A few months later he was ar
rested for perjury, and the police found
in his room a full kit of burglars tools,
and in pawn shop, for which he had
tickets, a set of safe breaking appliances,
including brace and diamond drills.
In the summer of 1887 he was law
yer in Macon, Fla, and married wife
No. 8. He was arrested for selling
liquor without license, but jumped
his bail and deserted his WIFE He
turned up in Savannah, Ga, where, rep
resenting himself ~ q Mason and an
Odd Fellow, he sold piece of land
which did not exist to Mr.. Jackson
In December, 1887, he was arrested in
Fulton county, His, the day before he
was 10 marry again, and was charged
with fleeing farmer out of 81 900.
The money was refunded and Ham
moned got off with an eight months
sentence. After his disappearance he
was heard from in two or three western
towns and cities, but in 1899 he again
disappeared and has just been heard
from again.