The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-03

fects in His Possession When Ar
rested-Some Damaging Admis-
sions-The Story of His Crimes.
San Francisco, Feb. 2.-The Swan
hilda, from Newcastle, Australia, ar
rived this morning. Frank Butler, the
Australian murderer, was arrested and
brought ashore.
The Swanhilda was sighted at
o'clock Her tug signalled the wait
ing officers that she had the long-ex-
pected murderer, Frank Butler
aboard. The revenue cutter Hartley
with detectives and reporters aboard,
put off just before daylight. When the
Swanhilda, was reached, her crew was
lined up on the deck by the quarantine
officers. The Australian detectives,
Egan and Silvy, disguised, stood beside
the physician. When Butler was
reached in the line of sailors, the de-
tectives sDrang forward and plnloned
his arms. \ warrant was then read,
the prisoner handcuffed, and with a
rope about his waist he was taken
aboard the Hartley, and afterwards
turned over to the police.
PRETENDS INNOCENCE.
Butler declares his innocence or any
crime. but was troubled and seemed
disconnected when arrested. Inc cap
tain and sailors of the SWanhilda say
that Butler was very quiet ana plouS-
CAPTAIN Hold received warnings from
passing vessels of the character or
Butler but it was not considered nee
essary to place him in irons. Close
watch will be kept on him, however,
and Butler will be returned to Aus
tralia on the first steamer and, no
doubt, will be promptly convicted and
executed for his many crimes. Butter
shipped as a common sailor under the
name of Lee Weller. who was one OF
his victims. He had the murdered
mans gripsack and valuables when he
was arrested.
BUTLER'S BAD BREAK.
While awaiting the arrival If United
States Commissioner Heacock, before
whom Butler was formally identifled
this afternoon, the prisoner lncau-
~tiously remarked, in answer to ques-
ton:
Yes, 1 knew Captain Lee Weller
very well. indeed l met him while
mining and prospecting. L found that
mining paid we'll in Australia Here
Butler checked himself and informed
the officers and reporters shat he would
say no more. A few minutes later,
however, he again forgot himself and
admitted that he was obliged to leave
Australia rather suddenly. He was
aware, he said, that he was liable to
arrest on his arrival here, but would
have no difficulty in disproving the
charges against him. He did not lack
opportunity to escape from the swan
hilda While the vessel was nearing port,
and would have done so had he not
felt certain of his ability to clear him
self of the charge Of murder He
acknowledged that he had appropriated
the name of Weller, but gave no eX-
cuse for having done so.
A tremendous crowd gathered in the
rooms of Commissioner Heacock TO
view the noted criminal Leonard
Stone and John Bidwen appeared as
counsel for the prisoner, while Cor
mack and Donahue represented British !
Consul Warburton.
IDENTIFICATION COMPLETE.
Constable Conroy of Sydney identi
fed the prisoner as Frank Earwood, |
who had been introduced to him as a |
miner and prospector. Conroy detailed |
his relations with Butler while in Sgd /
ney and described the latter's attempt I
to induce him to Join in a prospecting |
trip into the Blue mountains. ConroY |
was only prevented from going by his /
appointment to the constabulary. Al |
the conclusion of Conroy'S statement, /
Heacock, at the request |
of the prisoners counsel, adjourned !
the hearing until Monday next, Feb. &, !
and Butler was taken back to the city !
prison and locked I'D in a steel tank |
During his examination Butler was /
alert and calm. He betrayed no nerv- /
BUSINESS, but was very reckless in his |
speech and frequently trapped or con- !
tradicted himself.
In Buffers valise was found small |
piece of paper, which has apparently |
been torn from legal document, and |
which bore the following inscription:
1.-The original of the will, together !
with other documents belonging to Mr.. |
L. Weller are in the possession of |
Messrs Brown, Donaldson and Wor- |
borough of 20 Lincoln Inn Field, Lon
don,
TOOTHACHE POWDERS.
Concealed within the lining of But
ler's hat were found a number of small |
powders wrapped in tissue paper. The
prisoner claimed that they were tooth
ache drops, and begged that he might |
be allowed to keep them. They were
examined by a chemist and found to
contain pure strychnine.
Later in the afternoon, Butler posed
for several newspaper artists, from
whom he begged cigars and whisky.
He seemed to have regained his spirit
Of bravado, and at times was quite ia
cetious.
Mrs. Eta Butler of Napa, Cal,
claims to have been married to the
who, she asserts, deserted her
in San Francisco five years ago. I'm
upon hearing of his arrest /
Mrs. Butler left Napa for San Fran
cisco TO identify her husband.
BUFFERS CRIMES.
Butler, who is also known in various
sections of Australia as HARDWOOD,
Ashe, Burgess, Glare. Simpson and
Weller, is a criminal Of the most afro
,ious order. He possessed the cum
ling of Deeming and the facility of
execution of H. II. Holmes. AS is
Usual in such cases, Butler is accused
If number of crimes which cannot
1t present be proved against him, al
hough evidences of his guilt are being
every nour. 1t is known,
beyond doubt, however, that at least
wo men. Arthur Thomas, o. Preston
Ind Captain Lee Weller, met death at
lis hands within the past four months.
Early in October Butler, who then
nasqueraded as Frank P. HARDWOOD,
laving assumed the name of a man
Who disappeared while in his company
month before, advertised in a Sydney
'aper for prospecting mate. Preston,
young student at Sydney University,
eplied to the advertisement. Butler
represented himself as mining ex-
'ert and induced Preston to accompany
lin on a trip to Emu Plains, a small
tation at the foot of the Blue mount