Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-05
A TALK WITH HOWGATE
He is Visited at the Jail BY . Star
Reporter.
He Has No Statement to Make Now
of Detective Work.

A Star reporter this afternoon had the
satisfaction of interviewing Capt. Howgate
at the District jail. The prisoner was found
exercising in the corridor in which his cell
Is situated. on the first floor Of the south
wing OF the prison. Capt. Ransdell of the
Jail force made Capt. Howgate acquainted
with the fact that a reporter Of The Star
wished to talk with him and he at once
consented to be seen. He was permitted to
come out into the rotunda Of the Jail, and
upon recognizing the reporter as the one
who had ridden up to the City Hall yester-
day afternoon with him from The railroad
station, cordially grasped the reporters
hand, saying: II am very glad to see you"
You are the gentleman whom L met yes
terday afternoon. And so you are a news
paper mar instead of deputy ma -shal, as
1 took you to be yesterday afternoon
The reporter replied that he was, and
apologized for uninteLtionally posing as a
deputy marshal. oh" said the captain.
don't apologize: you neatly fooled all of us.
ana L don't blame you. i know the enter
prise with you newspaper people, and |
really admire it. Now. what can 1 do for
you! said the captain as he led the way
to a settee near the window and babe The
star man to seat himself beside him.
No Statement to Make Now.
Inc stars representative explained that
he had been sent by The Star to say that its
columns were open to him for any state
ment he desired to make. I'm exceedingly
Obliged to The Star for its kind offer, and
while 1 have no statement to make at the
present time, you may rest assured that
shall not forget The Stars kindness. and l
promise you that when / do conclude to
make a statement, Ii shall be made through
the columns OF your paper. I'm very CRATE
fui TO The Star for the consideration il has
always shown me. but above all for the
consideration shown my family. shall
never forget it"
Being told that District Attorney Birney
had announced today that he would call
one OF the cases against him during the
next sixty days, Capt Howgate said: I'm
glad TO hear it, I'm ready for trial at any
time 1 ask no favors except that simple
Justice shall be done me. All want Is fair
treatment. That believe 1 shall have"
Amused at Drum mOnd's Claim.
Referring to his capture by ex-Chiei
Drummond, Capt. Howgate smiled and
said: Il have been greatly amused at what
Mr.. Drummond claims was a great piece of
detective enterprise. The whole truth rf
the matter is 1 have openly walked the
streets Of New York for the last eight
years. Hardly a day or night has passed
that / haven't recognized and been recog-
nized by people of Washington.
I have served on jury In New York city
several times, my last service being in Au-
gust ESt, having Deen summoned as a
tu-yman just as l was about to take a
summer outing. So you SEE that when my
arrest Is pictured a famous piece of de :
tective work. II is all bosh.
The fact of the matter Is that l could
have been arrested at any time during
these years So the impression which l am
told prevails that 1 was not really wanted
seems to me to be pretty well warrant ed. I"
Il never Intentionally harmed man, wo-
man or child. and / have always endeavored
to treat everybody as I would like to be
treated in return. What most concerns me
now is the position in which my family will
be placed"
Spoke Feelingly of His Daughter.
Capt Howgate spoke particularly feeling
ly Of his daughter. who. he said. was a
noble devoted girl. and then he abruptly
turned to a discussion of the vast improve
ments which In his limited ride through
the city yesterday he had noticed.
He said he could now understand why 1t
was that the people Of Washington felt
such pride in their city. 1t was right
that they should These improvements were
more marked to him than to Others per-
haps, because of the changes which had oc-
CURED during his absence and he said that
he too Joined In the admiration which the
people felt for their city.