Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-29
SAYS He IS GUILTY.
Conscience Stricken Henry
Eggers COnfesses to Be-
ing a Deserter
AND PENSION DEFRAUDER.
He Gave His Government Money to
His Boy and Was Fearful
THE INNOCENT MIGHT SUFFER.
Rather Pathetic Story Of a Wanderer
and Ills Many Woes
SERGEANT GRAY'S IMPORTANT ARREST
AND PENSION DEFRAUDER.
THE INNOCENT MIGHT SUFFER.
A Rather Pathetic Story Of a Wanderer
and His Many Woes
SERGEANT GRAYS IMPORTANT ARREST

Henry Eggers, haunted by mis- own dis.
loyalty and crazed by the belief that JUS
tice, long evaded, was about to overtake
him, fell into trap of his own making last
night, and is now locked up in the Central
polIce station. By his own confession
Egpers has been a deserter from the regu-
lar army since 1874, vet he has been draw
ing a pension from the Pittsburg agency
since 1882 He was locked up under pc
culiar circumstances. When driven to the
wall be told to Sergeant Gray pathetic
story of his woes and wanderings
Eggers is a rather good looking German.
He is 42 wears old. He applied at the Gen.
tral police station for nights lodging and
in the course of inquiry that followed his
application his rather sad story developed.
He said he had recently lived at several diff
ferent places In Pittsburg, and one question
after the other from the Sergeant so con-
founded him that he finally broke down.
For the time he became a mere child.
Was an Old Soldier.
Eggers said he had served in the Union
army. Hewa wounded in the back st
Gaines Mills. When the war closed he re-
turned to his home in Illinois During
his absence bis wife had died. One
of his two children died shortly after his
return. He wandered about for time, but
finally decided to return to the army. He
enlisted in New York and was assigned to
duty on the Second Heavy Artillery at
Fort McHenry. He remained in the regu-
lar army until 1874, when he says he went
of on furlough, began drinking and was
afraid to return. From Baltimore he went
to New York, and from New York to Cum
berland, Md, and from there he went East
to where his only child lived.
Later on Eggers says he came from the
West, bringing his bov with him, and both
went to Dunbar, where he worked for the
Dunbar Furnace Company and at the coke
works of the Cambria Iron Company In
1881, while at Dunbar, he says he applied
for pension and in 1882 pension of S12
per month was granted MIN. He says he
received no back pay, and that he has been
drawing his money regularly at the Pitts
burg pension Office since then,
His Conscience Was Troubled.
The prisoner says his conscience troubled
him continually and night and dav he was
restless through fear that the United States
officers would overtake him. He says he
always gave his pension money to his boy.
Three years ago he became suspicious that
he was being too closely watched and de-
cided to come to Pittsburg On arriving In
this city he went to work for the Union Ice
Company. He remained with them for a
short time Again his discomfort drove
him into the world. For a long time he
lived on Second avenue. He afterwards
went to live on Water street. From one
Job he went to another Finally he says he
became alarmed lest his boy, to whom he
had been giving his pension money, might
be dragged into his doings and might be ar
rested for receiving the money
Two weeks ago Eggers says he quit his
last Job Since then he has not worked,
and absolute want had driven him to the
prison for protection and forced from him
the story of his desertion and his pension
fraud.
Eggers will be turned over to the United
States authorities this morning. He saws
they can do with him as they please, as
any punishment would be a relief from the
life he has been leading for IS years.