The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-12
MIR. WHlTNEY's CONTENTION
SEVERAL QUESTIONS PIT ny THD
SUPREME COURT JUSTICES.
Two Decisions Involving the Tarin
Law-Msrch Crop Report OF the De-
partmcnt OF Agriculture.
peclal to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. March 1.-THE recent ac-
quittal of Captain Howgate has far more
serious aspect to the government officials
in this city than appears at first glance.
After Captain Howgate's flight from WASH
ington his property in this city was con-
fiscated by the general government and the
greater part of ii sold 10 reimburse the
government for Captain Howgate's alleged
embezzlement. His acquittal of course.
wipes out his guilt in the indictment al
ready tried and as that was the test case.
the one upon which the government de-
pended, it is but fair to presume that
no better luck Will attend the prosecution
in the eight cases yet 10 be tried. If he
is acquitted in the other nine cases, IL all
are brought to trial, he will be in a posi-
ton to bring suit to recover the property
confscated by the government, and, In
the opinion of the best lawyers of the city
he has a perfect case. His acquittal OF
the charges will establish his innocence so
far as the law is concerned, and the con-
fscation will be shown to have been Illegal
and without justihction. He has for an
attorney Jere NJ Wilson. one of the strong
est lawyers in the city and Judge Wilson
is confident that his clients claim in case
of acquittal in the other indictments, is as
strong as it could possibly be.
Should he recover the property confiscated
by the government at the time he fled from
the indictments charging him with embez-
element and forgery. he will be one of the
richest in Ihe city OF Washington.
The property at the time of its confiscation
did not possess any great value but 1t Is
most of it located IN section of the city
that has Increased constantly In value for
ten pears past and is now worth many
80. I
of the real estate then taken by the govern
ment was not more than 100000. Now il
is worth nearly a million. and il
sold little over two years ago when the
real estate boom WAS at its height would
have been worth fully so per cent. more.
Nearly all the property in question is near
the heart of the business section the house
in which he used to live with his mistress
being only square from F street, where
business lots sold at s45 square foot two
years ago. 1t will be rather unique con-
dition il Captain Howgate recovers his
property or its equivalent and settles down
again in Washington amid his old friends.
That he would take this course no one who
knows him for moment really doubts,
for ne is one of the hardest headed Welsh
men that ever lived-as hard as a keg OF
spikes and cold patent refriger-
atng car. He has % nerves and no regard
for public opinion. IL he should wish to
take up his residence in Washington he
would do it and live comfortably here with
out ever exhibiting any concern for What
had happened in the past.
A FAIRY TALE
One Of the pretty little fairy stories told
about Captain Howgates escape has bt-
come classic. This Is the story OF his
daughters collusion with Howgate in ef-
fecting his escape The story usually
told is that Howgate was accompanied
home by deputy marshal, who was asked
to remain down stairs while the prisoner
went into the upper portion Of the house
to take a bath. The story then relates
that Miss Ida Howgate, the daughter, en-
tertained the deputy marshal by playing for
him at the piano such beautiful music that
he fell captive to the sirenlike strains and
forgot his prisoner and all else in his aD-
sorptIon. On his recovery, however. he in
stituted an Investigation and found that the.
Captain had escaped long before. The story
brings the mistress of the escaping prisoner
into the affair and places her outside the
G-street door, where she waited with a
closed hack and two of the fastest steeds
is said to have clanDored down a rain
spout to the ground on the G-street SIDE
hack and was driven furicusly away Dy
his faithful female friend.
This story is all purely imaginative, and
the true story of Captain Howgate's escape
has heretofore escaped publication. II is 80
/ simple and bare as compared with the
beautiful romance just outlined that it al
most seems a sin to spoil such a rare bit
of fiction. AS a matter OF fact, there was no
coliusion OF any SOFT, 20 a1h a. sss, hss ia s
left the house as the deputy himself There
was closed carriage outside and no
cambering over gutter spouts to reach the
street According to the statement OF Capt
Howgate to a personal friend, borne out BY
the statements of others OF the family, he
had no idea of escape when ne went TO the
house TO get some personal belongings tN-
cept perhaps a vague nope tnat somcthlns
portunity TO get away. When he asked the
deputy to allow him to go upstairs alone 10
take bath he really had no settled plan
OF escape. AS he left, the parlor In which
the deputy was seated he started first for
house. h then noticing that the door in the
front of the house was partly open he went
to II, pulled 1t wide open and looked osit
nected with the marshais Office, and, gain
ing hope and courage, walked out on the
He looked in through the window and
the deputy marshal with his back TO the
With With a bold and fearless tread and walked
straight up Thirteenth street until hs
struck the Gonry % eSt ia o %aess Ssl for ss
months afterward. a tramp OF the most
ordinary character often without food or
sities of lie. The Stories Of his receiving
assistance from friends and allies who had
profited by his course are as Wild as the
stories of his escape. He left in bank only
$1,000. which the wife and daughter DIRE W
upon. Beyond this IL Is not likely that he
had a cent. Five years ago he started hts
book store In New York. but up until that
time his wanderings had carried him 30
every section Of the country.
This perfectly true story OF how Captain
Howgate escaped from custody explains 4
remark which he made 10 hts daughter on
being greeted by her when brought back to
washington by Drummond.
We'll Ida" he remarked II see yea have
developed into quite q musician since s&W