The Hawaiian gazette., 1893-01-17
BILL HAMMOND.
Mysterious Deaths Mark the
Track of Master Grim
fnaI, Who Escaped the
Jail by Dramatic
Expedieufs.

/
from the Philadelphia Record Of
Dec. 80, 1892, and refers to the
notorious DR.. Hammond who was
here some time age. The place
was made too warm for him, how
ever, so he departed When last
heard from he was in Canada. It
will be found interesting:
BosToN, Mass, Dec. 29.-After
long career in the United States,
thick with all sorts Of criminality,
including forgery, bigamy and grave
suspicious of much worse things,
"Rev." William Hammond has been
heard from at Auckland, New Tea
land, where he has been up to his
old tricks according to word received
by the police of this city, who were
applied to for information. Before
he was exposed, however, he sue
ceeded in marrying a wealthy widow
there, and, after securing $1,000 Of
her money, deserted 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.
PIoUs FRAUD AND DEoEIvER OF
WOMEN
He has acted as a Methodist, Uni
tartan, Free Will Baptist and Pres
byterian minister, as physician and
lawyer, and has joined and been ex-
PEELED from many secret societies.
Yet, with all his misdeeds, he has
been arrested but twice and each
time escaped punishment by some
startling theatrical play at his trials.
He appeared in Yuka, Cal, several
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. Complaints began to
rise, 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 a week Of each
other. He collected about $1,000 in
policies on their lives and soon after
wards skipped the town, leaving a
number of creditors.
FIRED CANNON WHEN HE LEFT TOWN.
At South Poultney, N. Y, be acted
as Catholic priest, and is said to
have appropriated a sum of church
money, when he left town suddenly.
In Allentown, Pa, he is remembered
as a Presbyterian minister and a
constituencies liar and proAigate."
In Ligonier, Ind, he appeared as
physician, but, the town growing too
warm for him, he went toWoh Lake,
Ind. When he left there the citizens
expressed their gratitude by firing
cannon.
At Indian Lake, Ind, house that
he lived in burned and be secured
$500 Insurance on the furniture.
Here another alleged wife died and
$1,000 life insurance came to him.
Late in 1885 he appeared as a Uni
tartan preacher in Bedford, Mass,
and after six months service was
driven out of the town.
DosED HIS WIFE AND TOOK HER MONEY
He then went to Madison, NH
and latter appeared at Franklin
Falls, in the Same State. He was a
Free VIII Baptist minister there and
made love to widow, Mrs. DR.. 81.
Y. Brockway, who had money. She
finally consented to marry him. Just
after the marriage he got $1,000 de-
posted in saving bank in her name
and also secured a $1,000 bond she
held
Then, Mrs. Brockway says, he
dosed her with morphine and left
town. A neighbor found Mrs. Brock
way in stupor and saved her life.
The $1,000 was in form Of draft On
Boston, payment of which was stop
ped by telegraph. Hammond 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 criminal
TOOLS FOUND IN HIS HOUSE.
Hammond quit Franklin Falls, and
picking up woman whom he called
lis wife, came to the surface next in
Montreal. He was employed for a
ime in the Etna Life Insurance
agency. but was discharged. He had
btained his situation on forged let
ers Of recommendation. a few
months later he was arrested for per
ury, and the police found in his
DOM full kit Of burglars tools, and
4 pswnshop, for which be had
ckets, set of safe breaking sppli-
noes, including brace and dia.
lond drill. In the simmer Of 1887
g was lawyer in Macon, Fla, and
larried wife No. s. He was arrested
n selling liquor without a license,
ut jumped bis bail and deserted his
80