The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-09-28
LONG SEARCH.
Detectives Looking For How
gate Thirteen Years.
In Business in New York Under An
Assumed Name.
BY The As sociated Press.

by lhe As soclateu lIcoS.
New YORK, sept. 2s-Captain Henry
w. Howgate formerly chief OF the weather
bureau in Washington, was arrested yes
tcrlay I'm this city on the charge OF forgery
and embezzlement Of SS70,0OO committed
in 1878 and 1879 The arrest is the result
of search which has occupied the atten-
ton of A. l.. Drummond, formerly CHIEF
of the United States secret service, for over
l3 years.
Howgate was arrested in 1880 in Wash
ington, bat escaped and has since bafiled
all efforts at recapture. The arrest then
created "a great deal of excitement and
scandal at Washington, as 10 was charged
that other officials high in the service OF
the government Were also implicated in
the charges of fraud and embezzlement.
Howgate has daughter who lives at
Newburyport, Mass. Howgate was l3
years ago an activc, black haired man in
the prime of life. He Is now 60 years old,
bent and broken and with gray hair and
beard.
Though the United States officers have
been hunting all over the United States
for howgate, he has been living quietly in
this city as dealer In second hand goods.
His place of business was at 80 Fourth
avenue, in the basement.
He has had cards printed bearing the name
of Harvey Williams, and by that name he
has for years been known 60 the book trade
of this and other cities IL was through
Howgates known passion for old books
that he was caught, detectives having
found the old man at an auction sale of
books
The story Of Captain Henry w. How
gates exposure and of his relations with n
woman named Nettie Burrill, caused a
tremendous sensation at the time he was
first arrested.
For several ycaIs he had led double
domestic life I'm Washington. Only few
squares away from the home that con-
tanned his devoted wife and the daughter
who was TO cling to him so determinedly
I'm the dark hours to come, he supported a
woman i'm luxurious style.
Old Friends Deserted Him.
When the story Of Howgate's dishonesty
was followed by the discovery of his do.
mestic duplicity, many of his old friends
turned from him. At the Jail he was
treated with more consideration than or
dinary malefactors. He was so utterly OPP
posed to using the common bath tubs in
the Jail that his kindhearted guardians re-
laxed the rules of the institu Son to the
extent of allowing the captain to visit his
residence on Thirteenth street, in order to
indulge in his private baths.
April 13, 1882, the officers remained in
the sitting room while How0ate went up
stairs for his bath. It is said that Miss
Howgate, who possessed an exquisite
voice, sang TO the guardians of her father
and made time pass so pleasantly that an
hour elapsed before they awakened to n
proper realization OF what they were there
for They asked Miss Howgate TO call her
father. She was gone long time, and
then came back pale and excited. She
could find her father nowhere, she said
They searched the house and then rushed
out and gave the alarm. Captain How
gate, by this time, had
Two Hours the start Of Pursuit.
IL is thought he was steamng down the
river below Alexandria before his daughter
had finished singing. He escaped by going
out of the rear OF the house. when he was
supposed To go To the bathroom, and
going out into the blind alley in the rear,
turned into the exit running out TO the
street, where a carriage containing Nettie
Burrill was awaiting him.
A search was Immediately made for him,
but he was not apprehendcd, although 1t
was notorious that communication was
readily established with him when his
friends found it necessary.
1t was generally believed that Captain
Howgate went down the river Immediately
upon his escape and took up his residence
I'm ST. Mary's. It was well known in
Washington that he was continually seen
In that neighborhood
As Late as 1897.
He then went TO New Orleans and re-
manned there until he believed the secret
service detectives were after him. Ac-
cordingly he took his departure westward,
and was seen at one or two places on the
Pacific coast. For two years past he has
been in the east and has made his home in
New York city.
District Attorney Birney said that there
would be no trouble i'm having Howgate
here TO answer the several indictments
against him itf "A -titF-t,t ttse.- When ht.
did reach here bail would be asked for i'm
such an amount as 20 make his appearance
amply secure, and no time whatever would
be lost I'm pushing the cases pending
against him.
There are just III indictments pending
against the captured man, seven of them
charging embeZzlement and the Others
charging forgery, all brought i'm during
October and November, 1891.
Howgate was taken before Commits
sioner Alexander, waived examination and
was held in $4,000.