The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-15
TURNS FROM HIS SIN.
A Burglar Is Converted and
ConfesSes His Crimes.
READY TO RETURN TO PRISON.
Elijah Brown Tells How He Escaped
From the Kansas Penitentiary
and Joined salvation Army.

Elijah Brown. alias J. w. Howard q
convicted burglar who escaped from TIE
Kansas state prisoEs three years ago With
eight long years yet % sarve. was con-
Tertet In this city last Saturday nigat
at the salvation Army barracks ard he
Tow notifies the governor OF Kansas aud
the warden Of the state pea!tsntia-y ST
Lsayenworsh that he Is here and ready
and willing 20 80 back 20 Kansas and ex-
plate his crime Whenever sent FOR. Brown
came into the Post-Intellig@acer Office
yesterday afternoon and told his story
with some hesitsncy as follows:
II was arrested the first time In iSSs
on a charge of burglary, bu. escaped jail
and was then re-srres.ed and sentepced
20 one years Imprisonment on a charge
of jsli-oreaking. After serving my SEN
tence / was mixed up In another burglary
with two other fellows. We burgiarigei
a restaurant one night at Chsn1te. kak..
and for this we were all arrested. The
other two fellows escaped. but one OF
them was located IN Colorado and was
shot and killed while resisting arrest. I
vas tried and stuck for twelve years. I
served four years and escaped from the
penitentiary al L-eavenworth three years
ago and came West.
Since that time they have hounfei me
good deal and have made my life miser-
able. although have been an honest man
after me, but I GOT wind Of their i1ten-
ton and slipped away and they could not
locate me. For some months cast l have
ben working al boarding house at 1927
Third street, washing windows, etc. /
have never told my story before. although
for some time I have been living under
my right name. which Is Elijah Brown.
In Kansas the police and the warden OF
the state penitentary win know me by
the name OF J. w Howard"
The man says that he Is - years oil,
and that he was first arrested when he
was 10 years old. He committed his last
crime when he was . years OLD. hf1t he
says that he was never criminal at
heart: that ne was led into the crimes
by older companions. He is medium
sized man with stubhy brown beard.
and does not look like criminal lie
says that for some time he has been on
deavoring to become Christian. but that
his past life has come up before him as
barrier and has prevented him from
considering himself good enough FOE the
society OF other men. He wants tn atone
for his misdeeds by publishing hss crime
20 the world and by notifying the gov
ernor of Kansas and the warden e the
state prison OF his whereabouts so that
they can come for him IL they want him
10 serve out the balance of his sentence
eight years. Brown concluded his story
with:
II have not told nv story 70 any ere
before in years The Salvation Army peo-
pie know nothing about IT. | was con-
verted Saturday night. and then der ided
to come around and tell you people who
I was did not have heart To rome
around Sunday and decided TO come on
Monday, but yesteray I could not hiring
myself 10 the point of calling. Last night
could not sleep. and so today I m here
and am ready TO so back 20 prison ard
start In life, when my sentence is over.
owing no man anything and devote the
rest of my days 20 doing all the good |
can Tell them / am with Corps No. J.
Salvation Army, Seattle. AMI win stay
here until further orders.
The officers at the Salvation Army bar
racks, when seen last evening. said that
Elijah Brown was one OF the two men
who voluntarily professed religion at the
barracks last Saturday night. Brown was
noted for the sincerity OF his profession
and his desire TO do penance for his sins.
He. however. said nothing TO the officers
Of his criminal record, and seems TO have
reserved that for the Post-Intelligencer.
Last evening. while Brown was on MS
knees in the midst OF prayer meeting, =
reporter called out the captain TO inquire
what knowledge he had of Brown. The
captain could give no Information beyond
the fact Of his conversion and the earn
estness of his devotion. When told that
he was a eelf-confessed escaped convict,
the captain excused himself, went to the
kneeling figure, and after a whispered
question and answer returned 10 the re-
porter and said: Yes, ne admits tslat he
ia an escaped convict, but he proposes 70
do right, no matter what the eonse-
quences may be-