Evening journal., 1895-02-25

red by the statute Of limitations, but held
that Howgato was not guilty Of the par
ticular offenses charged
After tho verdict was rendered Howgats
was sent back 10 Jail to await trial on the
seven indictments still remaining against
him. it is not known which Of these will
first be tried.
Howgate's Discovery.
The discovery Of Howgate by ex- Chiei
Drummond in New York. where he had
been living for years carrying on a second
hand book business under the alias Of vii.
liams, looked likoa piece Of stage business.
II developed during the trial that How.
gates whereabouts had been known to
score Of persons during the past 3 years.
In fact, his friends had been in more OF
less constant communication with him.
Officials Of the war department could have
arrested him on a dozen different occa-
sions had they seon tit. Sporadic attempts
were made BY secret service officers TO take
him but, warned in time, Howgate would
move on.
These officials arc sharp enough to run
down petty countcrfeiters and minor Grim
innls but a man who could turn aside sew
eral hundred thousand dollars Of govern
ment money seemed TO wear q charmed
veil which rendered him invisible wherev.
er he might choose TO wander More than
once Howgate had been in Washington.
He had travelled over the principal rail.
roads OF the country, put up at prominent
hotels and attempted no disguise. His in.
dividuality is so marked that once seen his
face would never be forgotten. He was
known to thousands, and yet he walked
the streets Of New York for six years be-
fore he was finally arrested.
District Attorney Birncy found that
tho indictments which had previously
been prepared against Howgate were fatal
| ly defective, though they were prepared
by man considered to be one Of the
shrewdest criminal lawyers In Washington
-tholawyer who drew up the indictments
against the star route jobbcrs, which alsC
| proved detective. Mr. Birncy drew now
ones and proceeded to trial.
Then he discovered strange reluctance
on the part Of witnesses when he sought
to obtain testimony Important docu
ments mysteriously disappeared. 1t wa
impossible TO trace them. The clerks wh'
had them IN charge could only twirl thci
thumbs and stammor forth disclaimers
AS the trial progressed pages which wcr
known "a contain discriminating cntrie
were found 70 have been bodily cut from
government books
The Prisoners Assurance.
Yet the ease looked complete The jur
was rather above tho average in intelii
goncc and standing. The government hal
the best Of the argument although How
gate was defended hy two of the ablcs
lawyers or the Washington bar Judg
| McComas' rulings and his charge 20 III
jury were considered as weighing agains
the prisoner
From the beginning Hawgate's dcmeau
or has been ono Of easy assurance He ha
acted like n man who was sure OF acquii
tau. Nearly every one who is famlia
with tho case has the same comment I
make, Howgate knew too much. Wei
thore others concerned with hims II ma
never be known
The management Of the signal servi,
ia the days when he was sailing YACHT
giving tcrrapin dinners and living like
prince ON the limited salary of q capital
in the regular army was relic OF the da,
OF good stealing az the close Of the wa
General Myer-Old Probabilities chief
I the signal service was worried into h
: grave by wrongdoing which he discovcrt
; too late and was powerless "a prevent
/, 1t Is known that for years Captain Hoy
= gate had the private wires between Il
White House and the departments runnir
through his offices. with the result TIL
the most confidential messages hotwes
: the president and the members Of the ca
met were subjected to his scrutiny wit
out their knowledge. 1t was all reveals
by an accident.