Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-01
The Absconding Fine Collector
Brought Back to Washington.
SHED COPIOUS TEARS IN THE DEPOT
Williams Attributes His Downfall to
Playing the Races.
TOOK NEA RLY 1000

to face his friends and answer any charges
that may be put against him. He arrived
at the Baltimore and Ohio depot about
o'clock this afternoon, in charge of Detec-
tive George Boyd. The sight of old friends
at the depot caused him to break down.
and he gave way to his feelings in man.
ner which attracted general attention. He
was soon able to check the flow of tears
however, and then. in company with De-
tectives Boyd and Weldon, Precinct De-
tective Hartigan and several reporters he
walked to police headquarters
The prisoner had had a shave and hair
cut, and had been robbed Of his side
whiskers. His appearance was that Of "a
man who had undergone terrible mental
strain, and who, although in custody, felt
relieved because he had returned to hts
home, where he had violated the confidence
his chief had put in him.
On his way from the depot TO the office
OF Maj. Moore he talked freely of his con-
duct. and said he had no fault to find with
what had been said about him, except so
far as his relations with lewd women were
concerned. This he wanted to deny, and
said that for year he had been a physical
wreck
When left here" he said Il went on
the impulse of the moment, and had not
STUDIED any trip. l knew l was far behind
IN my account, and [ was almost crazy
What to do L didn't know, and so / went
away.
Stole Nearly $4,000.
When asked the amount of his shortage
he said he thought it would not be more
than about $1,000, and said he had not
taken a cent of the money until after the
1st of May the time his accounts were last
balanced.
"1nfatuation for playing the races" he
said, got me in all this trouble and don't
know how l am going TO face my old
friends. l have no excuse to offer but the
races. and that's where all the money
went"
His Trip 10 the West.
Speaking of his departure, he said he
| went TO Baltimore on the 10 o'clock train
and when he concluded to purchase ticket
| for st. Louis he had about SD in his pock-
| ct. Upon reaching the western metropolis
he had but little more than one dollar
| left. He went to a boarding house and
| registered his name Dan Williams
making 10 effort to conceal his identity.
| At no time did he give a fictitious name.
He wandered about the streets, and when
| his last cent was gone he pawned his ring
Then he telegraphed to his wife for so.
He Would Have Returned.
"If the money had been sent to me-" he
said, Il would have saved all this expense
| for it was my intention to return home
Had not that been my Intention l would
| have given fictitious name"
| Then he came down to the matter Of his
arrest and treatment while in custody in
| st. Louis. He said he was treated meaner
than dog. For twenty -four hours lie had
| not meal to eat, all that was given him
being piece of hard sausage and some
had IN hn
boards, where the knots were 81 big and
hard that he is still suffering from sores.
Il didn't get any decent treatment until
| Detective Boyd arrived there" he said
land then 1 was given something decent to
| eat. l had few cents, but the police
wouldn't let me send out for anything to
| eat, nor would they send A note out for
me. 1 have q cousin in st. Louis but /
| didn't know her married name and I
| thought by giving something of my war
| record she would recognize who was locked
| Up and come to see me-
The publication had the desired effect fo-
his cousin called, but so did Detective
| Boyd, and then he felt greatly relieved.
There were thirteen cells in the station. he
toughest and most boisterols characters
| he had eyer seen. They rendered sleep i'm
possible.
Last night when I got in Pullman
sleeper it was like getting in heaven" te
said. land had a good nights rest
Ruined by the Races.
Questioned about his home on Capitol
Hill, which is in his wife's name, he said
| that none of the stolen money was applied
to the purchase of that house. A house he
owned before he moved there, he said, was
sold and the money applied to the purchase
Of the new house. In addition to this, he
| set aside monthly amount which was
put in the building association.
When speaking of the races, the prisoner
n in nln dntvyy
temptatitn was so great that he found it
| Impossible to resist it. In this connection
he said his mind was gone. and he had no
control wha tever over himself The money
| he took he said, was applied to nothing at
all except the purchase of tickets on the
races. He said he made a return for the
| month of June, but his return, OF course,
was not correct
In conclusion, he said he was glad to get
back here again, for ne would rather spend
| a year in Jail here than he would two
nights in st. Louis police station. Now.
he says, he is ready to admit his guilt and
take whatever punishment is given him.
Williams Statement.
Mr.. Frank Wollard Chief Clerk Sylves-
ter's stenographer, took the prisoners
statement in full. In this statement he
simply reiterated what he had said in his
| interview, and his statement was taken in
case it may be necessary to be used in
court later.
Although the prisoner was taken in the
| back way to avoid the gaze Of a crowd of
curious people in front of the building. it
| soon became known that he was in Mai
Moore's office, and a number of friends ir-
| GLIDING Police Court officials, called A
| number of lawyers who had known the
| prisoner in his better days We're among
| those who wanted to see him. They were
| willing to lend what assistance they could
| in the matter of procuring bail. Hack In
| spector Croft, who is an intimate friend Of
! the Williams family, was among the call
| ers He had a short conversation with the
| man with whom ne had been friendly for
several years, and when he left he started
! for Williams home to see his wife, as the
accused officer was anxious to see her once
again. None of the officers relatives were
at the depot to see him.
A Reception.
Wien Williams statement had been
| taken he was taken to Inspector Holm
| berger's office, where he held a reception
Later in the afternoon he will be taken to
| the sixth police station and made as com
| Portable possible. Tomorrow or Thurs
day he may be taken to the Police Court
and released on bail or committed to Jail.