Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-28
HIS SINS FIND HIM.
HENRY W. HOWcATe ARRESTED IN
NEW YORK.
Detectives Had Been Searching the Con
tinent for Him Since the
Winter of fssO-'sI.

NEW YORK, September 27-Captain
iIeury W. Howgate. formerly Chief OF the
Weather Bureau In Washington. ID. C..
and who has been fugitive from justice
since the winter OF lss)-sl. was arrested
to-day at 10 o'clock In Ninth street be-
Detective a. L. Drummond. OF this city.
acting for J. Sterling Morton. Secretary OF
Agriculture at Washington.
Iiowgate was not only chief. but the
disbursing officer OF the Weather Bureau.
His embezzlements, forgeries. and larce-
nies, it Is alleged. aggregated c70co.
He was an officer OF the regular army.
and being a genial. whole-soulcd man.
had hosts Of friends. There are seven
indictments hanging over him, each con-
tanning number of counts. He was
arrested in 1881, but escaped from an
to his home. He disappeared, and has
not since be n seen and Identified by any
United States officer
Eowgate was known TO have left Wash
inpton with a woman not his wife. lie
had a family at that time. He now has
daughter who lives at Newburyport.
Mass. The woman with whom he fled
from Washington has long since left him.
He was. when he fed from Washington.
an active. ck-haired man. In the
prime Of life. lie 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 him. he has been
living quietly here In New York city
as a. dealer in secondhand books. His
place OF business was at No. 80 Fourth
avenue in a basement. He has had cards
printed bearing the name OF Harry
Williams" and by that name he has
for years been known TO the book trade
OF this and other cities. His cards an
noUnced that he dealt in cold magazines.
reviews. and periodicals" His residence
was at No. l9j west Tenth street. where
he had bachelor lodgings" and kept n
large amount Of stock for his store. De-
tectlves hunted the continent over for
him without success.
a CLUE.
-Four months ago DrummOnd learned
that Howgate was in the book business
in this city or brooklyn. A systematic
hunt Of all the bookstores in the two
cities was made II was believed thht
he was an employee as no bookseller
named HOwgate was known 10 the trade.
Whenever any Of Drummonds agents
learned that a man resembling Howgate
in appearance had been found in book
store. that employee was shadowed. His
acquaintance was formed, and his private
life fathomcd by conversation.
A week ago Drummond tried the plan
of haunting book auction rooms. II was
"A happy thought. 4 clerk from tho War
Department in Washington who knew
Uowgate made the rounds Of the book
auction rooms every day. on Monday
the clerk saw HOwgate enter an auction
room on Broadway near Tenth street.
The clerk was not certain, however, as
Howgate had changed. From a man
weighing upwards Of 10 pounds he had
grown 10 be a dried-up old man or about
10 pounds.
The clerk went again to the book-sale
on Tuesday and entered into conversation
with Howgate. From Howgate's 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 yesterday
got a bench warrant from Judge Bing-
ham, Of the Supreme Court lie returned
this morning.
THE ARREST.
When Howgate was arrested he re-
marked quietly: Il know when L am
beaten
The detective and his prisoner got on
board a Fourth-avenue car, ana went 10
the Federal building. United states COM
miss oner Shields turned the case over
To United States Commissioner Alexander.
United states Distrct-Attorney Wallace
McFarane appeared for the government.
Uowgate had no counsel. HowSate was
arraignei on the nominal charge, made
I'm the Washington indictments IN 1873, or
obtaining $500 on a forged receipt from
II. D. Sawyer, IN July. 1879.
'You understand this charge" asked
Commissioner Alexander
yes" said Howgatc. with a feeble
smile. 1T is one of the old series. sup
pose"
This" said the Commissioner. rs an
application to hold you. in order that a
warrant may be obtained from United
States district Judge so that you may
be taken 10 Washington. DO you demand
an examination"
"No, no; | waive an examination. and |
admit my IDENTIFY" said the old man.
There is no object in delay"
"Bail fixed at Sl0000," said the Com
missioner.
There is another charge, said District
Attorney McFarlane, "of embezZling the
sum Of $1,000"
Same bail fixed for that-S1OOOO." said
the Commissioner
Howgatc said he could not give the bail.
end he was taken to Ludlow-Street jail,
pending adyices from Washington.