The Van Buren press., 1895-01-05
Ex.Express Messenger Charles Ketchum
Hardin Again Under Arrest.

Hardin Again Under Arrest.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, Dec. 25.-Charles
ketchum Hardin, h former mes.
senger of the Adams Express
Company, who was tried last
October at Nashville, Tenn, on
the charge of embezzlement of
$35, 900, was arrested yesterday
in this city.
At the trial in Nashville, Hardin
and his alleged accomplice were
acquitted. His arrest tonight
was at the instigation of Special
Agent Dodge of the Wells Fargo
Express Company. The officials
of the Wells. Fargo Company claim
possession of conclusive evidence
against Hardin.
Hardin was arrested at 284
Flourney street by Detectives
Wallace and Fitzgerald of Central
Station. When arrested Hardin
attempted to draw a revolver.
He submitted to arrest only when
the officers placed revolvers
against his head aud threatened to
shoot if he showed any more
resistance.
When taken to the Central
Station Hardin persisted that he
was innocent of any crime.
Detectives who have been work
ing Oh the case say that they have
new witnesses, who assert that
they heard Hardin boast that he
had secured the $4,000, and that
he was too smart for the de.ec-
tives who had tried to prove the
charge against him.
Hardin has several aliases.
One of them is Leslie. He is also
known simply as Charles
Ketchum. He was known under
the latter name in st. Louis. He
also lived at Moreland, Il suburb
Of Chicago, on the Northwestern
Railway, and at the western
terminus of the Lake street l.
road. There he was known as
Leslie, and his wife was known as
Miss Minnie Leslie.
At the time the $4,000 was
stolen, Hardin was a messenger
for the Adams Express Company
on the Louisville and Nashville
road from Cincinnati to Nashville.
In November of 1892 Hardin
received two packages at Cincin-
natl, consigned by firms in New
York to banks in Galveston, Tex.
The money packages, one con-
tainlng $25,00O and the other &c.
900, were sent from New York to
Cincinnati by the Wells Fargo
Company and turned over to the
Adams Company.
When the packages were
opened at Galveston they were
found to contain brown paper,
such as is used by photographers.
Hardin, or Ketchum, aud Carlton
Elrod had been we'll acquainted.
AS the former had worked in the
latter's photograph gallery in st.
Louis and Louisville, detectives
arrested Elrod on suspicion. The
arrest of Taylor and Morris was
effected also at the same time,
Hardin, or Ketchum, being taken
into custody in Arkansas and
taken to Kansas City on an old
charge of larceny, where he was
held until taken to Nashville to be
tried. Elrod was arrested at
Louisville, KY, or at Lexington,
and Morris at Louisville. The
four men were taken to Nashville
and committed to Jail. The trial
in October last occupied two
weeks and resulted in an
acquittal.
Hardin, or Ketchum, was ar.
rested at Alma about a year ago
by Marshal Houck. He has rela
tives in this section.
CHICAGO, December 25.-The
attempt of Kansas City officials to
secure ex-Express Messenger c.
X. Hardin, who was acquitted a,
Nashville on the charge ofstealine
$685. from the Adams Express
Company again failed today
Hardin was charged with
threatening to kill Clara Bushnell
a colored girl, and, she not
appearing to prosecute the case,
was dismissed. The Kansas CITY
officials at once presented
requisition papers and charged
Hardin with assaulting railroad
mi in Missouri City, but Chicago
officers succeeded IN having the
p isoner sent back TO Jail to awaii
II al charged with beiuga Fugitive
Fl ON Justice. The case has