Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1895-09-05
DIR. FRAKER FOUND.
CAPTURED IN THE WOODS
IN MINNESOTA.
Caught by Chief of Police wilkerson of
Topeka on Information Furnished by
the Insurance Companies Acknowl-
edges His Identity.

DULUTH, Mimi, Sept. 3.-Dr George
W. Fraker of Excelsior Springs, Mo-,
the man who was supposed to have
been drowned in the Missouri river two
years ago, and to whose heirs the
last of $4,000 was recently paid in
Kansas City, was captured in the
woods near Tower, Mimi, yesterday.
1t was always maintained by the
companies that Fraker was alive, but
his whereabouts were unknown.
Recently it became known in some
way that Fraker was near Tower,
where he was known under the alias
of Schnell, and Attorney Robert T.
Herrick and Deputy Sheriff Wilkerson
of Topeka came here and organized a
party to search for him. He was
found in the woods and his capture
was effected by strategy. He was
brought to Duluth to-day and will be
taken to Topeka at once, going with
out requisition.
Fraker had been living near Tower
for six months. He admitted his iden-
tity and said he did not leave home on
purpose to defraud the companies, but
that while he was near the Missouri
river he fell in. He swan across the
river and got on land. The next day
he read in the papers that he had been
drowned and concluded to carry out
the deception and allow the heirs to
collect the insurance.
Herrick obtained O clue in the latter
part of 1894, which he has patiently
9o11 .iV,oo until Oh A,rk Vvaa1r
ago, when he learned the whereabout
and assumed name of the doctor.
Thursday night he arrived in Tower,
together with John Wilkerson, chief
of police of Topeka. Fraker went by
the name of Schnell and lived with
young man in a woodman's hut fifty
miles from Tower on the Itasca county
road. A variant was secured in
Tower and sunday morning accom-
par by Deputy Sheriff Archie
Phi II y started in rough wagon
over s..ll ougher roads for the place,
taking along provisions for five days,
giving out that they wree to look over
some timber lands.
About twelve miles from Tower
Deputy Phillips, who was acquainted
WIN buG ullhS Vi
saw the doctors companion In a shanty
near the wood, and, on inquiring
where the doctor was, learned that
they had just moved to the place, and
that Fraker was hunting. On examin-
ing the shanty trap door was found
in the floor with a considerable exca-
walton underneath, looking rather sus-
picious. The young man was hand
cuffed and guarded and Phillips pro-
ceeded on the road. About two miles
further man with a gun on his
shoulder was met, who was instantly
recognized as the supposed dead man,
Fraker.
Herrick engaged h i'm in conversa-
ton when suddenly Phillips seized his
arms and Wilkerson put on handouts.
Fraker thought he had been arrested
for killing game out of season, as
Phillips was also game warden. When
the warrant was read to him he was
thunderstruck but admitted his iden-
tity. He was brought to town to-
gether with his companion, who halls
from Wisconsin and seems to be an
innocent party.
In conversation Fraher stated that
he had expected his relatives to get q
portion of the insurance money and |
himself some also. He had been
greatly benefited, he said, by the wa
tiers of spring where he stopped and
had about made arrangements to buy
the place, intending to make it water
cure resort. He would have spent
$50, 600, he said, improving the place.
Ehe prisoner is about five feet six
inches tall, about 40 years old and has
a short, dark beard
Attorney Herrick and Chief of Po-
lice Wilkerson left Duluth on the af-
ternoon train for st. Paul with Fraker
They will go right through to Kansas
City. They did not call upon the
county authorities here at all, and the
Litter are pretty sore in consequence.
Had. Fraker refused to accompany
them they could have done nothing
without the aid of the sheriff of this
county. The authorities here believe
the Kansas men wanted to gobble the
big reward themselves, and made the
"bluff" at Fraker. He gave up meek
", and now the Kansas men are in
shape to claim the entire $4,000 re-
ward.
Fraker will reach Kansas City to-
night. Five indictments have been
drawn up against him, charging him
with obtaining money by fraud. The
indictments are based on special sec
tion 1926 of the Revised Statutes of
Missouri, which makes it a crime to
attempt to defraud by a trick, cheat,
a fraud and deception, false and fraud
ulent represention and false pratenses.
The penalty for each offense is pun
ishable by not less than two /, ears nor
more than seven years in the peniten-
tiary.
1t is probable that Uncle Jake Crow
ley, James Triplett and George Har-
vey, who testified to seeing DIR. Fraker
drown, will be arrested on charges of
perjury.
Quarrel Ends in Death.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo-, Sept. 3.--News