The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-28
THE CAPTURE
OF HOWGATE
After a Chase Of Thirteen Years the FuSl
tive is Run 10 the Earth.
Was POSING AS A BOOK DEALER
Captain Henry Howgate, of Washing
ton, Who Owes the Government
$4,000, and Who Disappeared
Thirteen Years Ago, is Captured
by Dete ctive Drummond-Now a
Broken Down Old Man-ls Held in
$4,000 Bail.
NEW YORK, Sept. q

NEW YORK, Sept, 2I
| ~ APTAIN HENRY HOWGATE
u formerly chief of the weather
IN bureau in Washington. and who
W has been fugitive from justice
siuce the winter of 1881, was arrested
today in this city by Detective A. L
Drummond, acting for ]. Sterling Nor
ton, secretary of agriculture, at Wash
ington.
Howgate was not only chief but dis
bursting officer of the weather bureau
His EN- mbezzlements. forgeries and lar
cenies. it is alleged, aggregated $780,.
900 at least. He was an officer of tht
regular army and being genial. wholf
souled man had hosts OF friends. There
are no less than seven indictment:
hanging over him, each containing q
numbe OF counts. The offences charged
are alleged to have been committed for
several years previous to 1880 when the
indictments were found
Captain Howgate when arrested in
1881 asked permission to go into nm in
ner room in the weather bureaus de
partments. He disappeared and has
oot since been seen. lie was kaown to
have left Washington with pretty
young woman not his wife. He mad a
family at that time. The woman with
whom he fed has since left him.
Howgate was when ho fed from
Washington an active black-haired
man in the prime of life. He is now 60
years old, bent and broken, with gray
hair and beard.
Though the United States officers
have been hunting all over the United
States for him be has been living
quietly here in New York city as Il
dealer in second hand books. His place
Of business was No 50 Fourth avenue in
basement He has mad cards printed
bearing the name Of Harry Williams"
and by that name he has for years
been known to the book trade of this
city
DRUMMoND'S LONG CHASE.
Detective Drummond. WHO Tor many
years was in the United States secret
service, has been in correspondence for
long time with Attorney General
Oney with reference to the hunt for
Howgate. DrummOnd even travelled
as far as Seattle and Other cities on the
Pacific coast to find the fugitive. In
1887 Drummonl learned that How
gates daughter lived in Newburyport.
Mass, and he went there and lived
several months in the hope that How.
gate would visit his daughter.
Four months ago Drummond learned
that Howgate was in the book busi-
ness in this city or Brooklyn. A syste
matte hunt Of all the book stores in the
two cities was made.
A week ago DrumnOnd adopted the
plan Of haunting book sales auction
rooms 1t was happy thought. A
clerk from the war deparlm mt in
Washington, who knew Howgate, made
the rounds of the book auction rooms
every day. Ol Monday the clerk saw
him enter an auction room on Broad
way near Tenth street The clerk was
not certain. however, az Howgate had
changed, from man weighing upwards
OF 100 pounds, he had grown TO be u
dried up old man Of 14j pounds. The
clerk went again to the book sales on
Monday and entered into conversation
with Howgate. From his manner of
speaking the clerk was certain that he
stood before the fugitive at last.
Drummond took the midnight train
for Washington on Tuesday and yes
terday got II bench warrant and re-
turned this morning. When Howgate
was arrested he remarked quietly: II
know when | am beaten" Howgate
was taken before United States Com
missioner Alexander aud arraigned on
two indictments on the nominal charge
made in the Washington indictments
in 1879 and held in $40. 600 bail.
Howgste admitted bis identity and
said be could not give bail and he was
taken to Ludlow street Jail pending ad-
vices from Washington.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27-Captain
Henry Howgste, who was arrested in
New York today, was, up to the time
of his disappearance fifteen years ago,
a well known man in this city. lie
was volunteer officer during the war
and after the volunteer army was dis
banded was appointed lieutenant in
the regular army aud assigned to duty
in the signal corps. to which was Civ
en- the duty of organizing the weather
bureau.
General A. j. Meyer was in charge
of the bureau and Howgate was exqcu-
tive officer and had charge of the de-
tails of the office, including contracts
and disbursements. He dealt largely
in real estate, owned a steam yacht and
became quite prominent. In 1881, hav-
ing some disclosures as to u shortage In
the accounts Of the office. Howgate was
and an investigation showed
what were alleged TO be enormous
frauds throu ID which the government
had lost heavily Howgate was ar
tested and released on heavy bonds. In
a short time his bondsmen became IN.
easy and surrendered him. He was
placed in Jail 10 await trial.
Upon the plea that certain papers in
his house were necessary to mis- do.
fense. n marshal accompanied him to
his residence add took seat in the
hall. while Holgate went up stairs to
make change Of clothing and secure
the documents 30 much needed. After
o time, the marshal not hearing any
one up stairs, became suspicious and
made search for his prisoner,
but he was gone; and since that day.
thirteen years ago. no word has been
heard from him The war department
offered a reward for his arrest, but it
was withdrawn after some years, The
aeizad avarvthinU which