The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-08-14
CHARGED WITH FORGERY.
Edward j. Howard. Prominent Boston
Man Says 1t Must Be Mistake.

Several weeks ago gentleman Of this
city met an old army comrade of his in
the city and invited him to make him q
visit. The Invitation was accepted. Then
the visitor went to Ponos's hotel at Long
Island. He said that he was on yaca-
ton; that some time ago he was getting
off Car of the West End railway at
Union station, Boston, and by the sudden
starting of the car, without warning,
his knee pan was twisted and his leg
otherwise badly injured, and that he was
just recovering from the accident. He
stated that he had placed his case in
legal hands for settlement. The visitor
was Mr.. Edward J. Howard, well-known
to the Boston professional and mercantile
men. When mere lad he enlisted in ths
18th Massac husetts Volunteers, the
same reg iment to which his Portland
frieni belonged. After the war he en-
gagged in various pursuits. He was in
charge of the system of registration of
voters during ex-Mayor Cobb's admins
tration, and for long time was mana
ger or assistants manager OF the Boaton
Board of Trade and Merchants Elk
change. The last time his Portland
friend saw him, before he met him i'll
Portland, was at the time Of the reunion
Of the Army of the Potomac In Boston.
several years ago, and ne was then in q
produce house on South Market street.
ID O not flri mt TO lynr
and from his intimate acquaintance with
prominent men, has perfect treasury
of aneodote about them.
Wednesday night Major Murphy, who
was at Ponoe's hotel, became impressed
with the idea that Mr.. Howard intended
TO leave the hotel without settling his
bill, amounting to some 81, and he in
vited him to go to the marshal's office,
which Howard did. Mr. Howard was
shown into a lodging room. and yester-
day morning he limited that the friend
he had been visiting in Portland would
vouch for MIN and that his Boston remit
tanoe had been delayed. An officer was
detailed TO go and see the friend and as
certain Ii Howard's story was true.
The officer had hardly left the
ter from Inspector Watts of Boston, ask
ing him to arrest a man, whose photo
graph was enclosed. who was wanted for
forgery and whose name was Edward j.
Howard. When the deputy marshal saw
the picture he told the marshal that
H..
and had just gone out with the officer.
Another officer was dispatched to bring
she two back. They returned, and about
the.same time the friend of Howard came
into the Marshal's office.
At Ponoe's, Howard had assumed the
name Of J.E. Hamilton. When Howard 8
friend asked him why he had not spared
himself Of the disgrace of arrest as he
would gladly have guaranteed the hotel
bill and addressed him as Howard, the
marshal said:
You know this man as Edward j.
Howard2''
eyes, said the friend.
'Then Mr.. Hamilton, OF Mr.. Howard, !"
said the marshal 81 arrest you on
charge of forgery.
The friend WAS terribly taken back,
but Howard made no comment. When
told the Boston officer would be sent for
him, he replied he would go, and merely
said there must be some mistake about
the charge.
Officer Collins of Boston came after
Howard on the Pullman last night and
returned with his prisoner at O'Clock.
He says that he knows nothing further
about the case than that Howard is want
ed for forging the name Of Stephen Jen-
nings, a money lender at 200 Washington
street, for $500.