Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-28
HAWLEY FOUND GUILTY.
STRANGE CONFESSION OF AN EX-
TRAORDINARY CRIMINAL.
Gambling His One PrOfessiOn-Opera-
) ton Covered All Quarters Of the
Globe-Many Times Arrest
ed, but Never in Jail.

William Carroll Woodward. alias big"
HawIey, was convicted in New York In
the supreme court of having
to blackmail millionaire Samnel W. Brtdg-
ham out of 100000.
During the days proceedings Big Haw-
ley ted with a bravado how he had been
arrested thirty-seven times in the thirty
seven years of his life.
Assistant District Attorney Carpenter
questioned lin
Did YOU act in London as the Hon.
Licnel Musgraye?"
.oh. yes. / had a place there and lived
under that name for awhile" answered.
the witness.
And you got away with a good deal Of
money there?"
yes. quite a good deal. perhaps $1,000
600" answered big" Hawley. as though
that was a very trivial matter.
"And you got that money fleeing people
in card games?"
81 got it playing cards: that's my bust
ness" answered the witness.
was 1t before or after that you went
to Ceylon?" To-
ut was before"
And you had a little affair there In
relation TO some diamonds. didn't you?"
'tOh, / won some diamonds there. worth
about $1,000 I guess"
And you got away with them. too.
didn't you?"
''weil.". replied the witness. ''Ceyion is
an English colony and I am ready to be
extradited any time the charge is brought
against me-"
rested thirty-seven times" he added; and
seemed to be proud Of 1t. 1T is predicted
that / will be arrested three times more
n that then I will give the world some
great medical discovery. A Gypsy told me
that when I was a child
Trip Around the World.
Answering questions from Justice Furs-
man the witness went into details concern
ing his trip around the world. He told how
also visited and operated in Australia. Van
Dieman's Land and the Hawaiian islands:
II was arrested at Melbourne and
a laugh. But the Captain Of the ship and
the steward and 500 passengers knew me.
and / was honorably discharged. I got
back to America in April. about a year
..When did you leave New York;"
'Oh, / was running in and out of here
playing the trains between here and Bos-
ton" was the reply.
Playing the t~rains?"
Yes. playing cards with the dudes.
howing dudes how to play cards" !
But after some time in May you didn't
come back at all. did you. until you were
mo, sir, the season opened in the White
mountain district and I worked the trains
in that section. / was looking for money
and there was more there"
Never Convicted Before.
So the witness went on confessing every
thing which was brought up against him
concerning his past life. but denying al
correction with the conspiracy against
Mr.. Brigham. On redirect examination
when Mr.. Atchison, his counsel. brought
out from him the statement that he hat
never been convicted. although he had 81
often been arrested and accused of crime
he volunteered this statement | p
II was never guilty of any of these OF.
ferses. It is a fatality that I cannot exact
ly understand 1 must have committei
some crime in some other life for which
i am being punished now. / tell you
though. that any man that has ever trick
to punish me maliciously has suffered FOL
1t. Swift retribution has overtaken him."
What Is your occupaton?' he was asked
"A gambler. a card player" he replied.
Can you read and writer"
You just convicted me of having writ
ten a letter here, haven't you," he an
swered surlily. 100
What religion have you. If any," h,
was asked.
II believe in God" he replied. mot n.
read about Him in books. but as I Sc,
Him manifested every day."