The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1894-11-22

CAPTAIN HENRY w. HOWGAIE.
the far north and establish post and base
of supplies. The next summer posts were
to be established farther north at inter
walls of so miles, and thus on till the pole
was reached. Congress having rejected his
scheme, he astonished the world by an
nouncing that he would carry it out at his
own expense, and soon the little steamship
Gulnare was anchored in the Potomac
and fitted out for the voyage. She start
ed and was abandoned in the far north,
the navigators in charge declaring that
she was totally unfit for such work and
would have been crushed to splinters in
the first ice pack encountered.
Everybody wondered where Captain
Howgate got the money for such work.
The answer was soon forthcoming-he
was stealing it from the government
He had become chief of the signal serv.
ice and disbursing officer of the bureau,
lived in tiptop style with his wife and an
unmarried daughter, maintained a mis-
tress in luxury, was socially prominent
and owned Washington real estate valued
at $1s5, 600. All at once irregularities"
were discovered in his accounts, and he re-
signed with a great show of innocence and
indignation. Then the Investigators went
to ork, and Aug. 10, 1881, he was arrest
ed on specific charge of embezzling $780,
600. 1t was nine days wonder yet this
was only the beginning Fraud after fraud
was unearthed till the aggregate reached
1870, 900 Or more, and yet he had influence
enough to secure bail and postpone action
Finally his bOndSmen surrendered him,
and he became prisoner in fact. 1t was
ON April 13, 1882, that he made his sensa-
tional escape.
Many stories have been told about this,
but the admitted facts are these: In charge
of Deputy Marshal Dewing he was permit
ted to go to his own house to take bath
and secure change of linen. His daugh-
ter entertained the officer while Captain
Howgate retired, to the bathroom. An
hour passed. The officer wanted his prs
oner, but he was not to be found Twelve
years and a half were to pass before Mar
shall Dewing saw him again. 1t now ap'
pears that he slipped through rear VIII
dow to an alley little used, and ten mln-
utes after leaving the officer was gong
down the Potomac ON fast steamer IL
further appears that the whole scheme
was cleverly arranged by Nettie BurrllL
Twelve years and more had passed away
when Captain A. L. Drummond OF the
United States secret service got informa'
ton which led him to suspect that Cap
tain Howgate was in New York. clerh
who knew the fugitive we'll went to thai
city, but it was not easy to see in the bow,
ed and decrepit man of 60 the stalwart ana
handsome soldier of 1872. The two DE-
came confidential, however, and then th7
clerk could swear to him. One fine morn
ing the old book dealer (that had been Dis
business for five years. stepped out OF lll'
dusty shop at so Fourth avenue. A lltts
way up the street Captain Drummonu
took him by the arm and said:
Captain Howgate, want you. Ea'0
warrant for your arrest"
For one instant the man stood as If daT
ed. Then, recovering himself, he sala'
with laugh:
''All right. I'll go with you. l kno"
when / am beat
Later he admitted that he had been eA,
pecting arrest for years and was satlsIcu
with it, was tired of being fugitive hl'
travels and adventures in the II year,
would suffice for three volume novel, al'
altogether his story is sufficient for a Zoi'
ssque romance. JEROME JACQUN