The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-12-30
HAMMOND D'SEEILREG0RDI
The Notorious Swindler Has
Been Working in Auckland.
mARRlGs WIFE NO. 9 AND Roes HER

Hc Is wen Known In This Country-Has
Posed as Clergyman of Various De-
nominations Great Delight Victim
izing ConAding women-The Mysterious
Deaths Of Some of His wives.
BosToN, Dec 30-The "Rev. p" William
Hammond, known throughout the Uni
ted States and especially New England as
"a confidence man. bigamist, swindler and
almost every kind of a criminal in the cat
egory, has been up to his old tricks IN
Auckland, New Zealand. according to ad-
vices ssceived by the police of this city,
who were applied to for information by
the Auckland authorities.
Before he was exposed, however he sue
ceeded in marrying "a wealthy widow
there and after securing $S, 900 of her
money, deserted her, leaving for Japan,
where he is now supposed to be.
This marriage makes his ninth, so far
as known, and at least five of the victim
ized women are living.
He has acted as a Methodist, Unitarian,
Free VIII Baptist and Presbyterian min
ister as physician and lawyer, and had
joined and been expelled from many Sc
cret societies. Yet, with all his misdeeds,
he has been arrested but twice and each
time escaped punishment by some play
at his trials.
he appeared in Yuka, 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. His alleged wife and
sister died within week of each other
He collected some 81, 200 on policies on
their lives and soon afterward skipped
the town, leaving number of creditors
behind
In South Poultney, N. Y, he acted as a
Catholic priest, and is said to have appro-
priated a sum Of church money when he
left town suddenly.
In Allentown, Pa, he is remembered as
Presbyterian minister and a, conscience
less liar and profigate." " In Ligonier,
Ind, he appeared as a physician, but the
town growing to warm for him he went
TO Wolf Lake, Ind. When he left there
the citizens expressed their qualification
by firing cannon At Indian Lake, Ind.
house that he lived in was burned, and
he secured 81, 800 Insurance ON the furni-
ture. There another alleged wife died,
and 1000 life insurance came to him
Late in 1885 he appeared as preacher
in Bedford, Mass, and after six months
service was driven out of the town. He
was Unitarian there He then went to
Madison, N. H., and later appeared at
Franklin Falls, the same State. He was
Freewill Baptist minister there and
made love to a widow, Mrs DR.. w. Ii.
Brockway, who had money Just after
their marriage he got 81, 900 deposited in
a savings bank in her name and also Sc
cured 81, 900 bond she held. Then he
dosed her with morphine and Immediate
ly left town.
A neighbor found Mrs Brockway in g
stupor and saved her life. The 81, 00C
was in form of draft on Boston. Ham
mond was arrested in Boston and taken
TO franklin Falls, but when his wife
| found that her money was safe she was
| persuaded to drop the complaint.
| few months later he was arrested foI
! perjury in Montreal and the police found
/ in his room full kit of burglar tools.
In the summer of 1887 he was lawyer
| in Macon, Fla, and married wife No, s.
! He turned up in Savannah Ga, where
representing himself as a Mason and Odd
Fellow, ne sold a piece of land which
did not exist TO a Mr.. jackson for 81 600
In December, 1887, he was arrested in
Fulton county, ILL.,, the day before he wai
to marry again, and was charged witt
fleeing farmer of 1000. The money
was returned and Hammond got off witt
an eight months sentence.
After his discharge he was heard from
in two OF three Western towns and cities
but in 1889 he again disappeared and ha
Just been heard from again.