Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-06-04
CAREER OF A FIEND.


Auu otueT Cllles, HIS DecH iouiiu IA
Frank Butler, with various aliases. lie
Is an Australian criminal of the same /
extreme class as that to which Holmes
belonged. In some respects his feats
in crime equal or surpass those OF
Holmes.
The criminal career Of Butler in AUS
tralia displays consummate depravity
and cunning. His methods were like
those of Holmes in some respects. he
advertised for assistants in his bust
ness undertakings. generally In pros
pecting for minerals. But only men
were his victims Holmes advertised
for female assistants. who became vic
Tins first of his lust and then OF his
murderous propensitics. Holmes was
the greater criminal.
The various aliases Of Butler, social
Ell, included the names Of Ashe, Har-
wood and Lee Weller. 1t is cOnjectured
that Ashe is his real name and that
Butler Is one Of his numerous aliases.
But his origin is obscure. except that he
was known in some Of the English sea
ports before he drifted to Australia.
The facts appear to be that number
Of mysterious disappearances were re-
ported to the police at Sydney. In some
of the cases the missing persons were
men without relatives in Sydney, but
they had become acquainted with peO-
pie residing there. In other cases men
more or less known in business had
been missed. In still other cases new
romers supposed to have money for in
vestment were lost to view.
The entire number Of mysterious dis
appearances amounted to ten or twelve
within a short time. 1t was then no.
ticed that for about the same period OF
time occasional advertisements had
been printed in the Sydney papers ask
Ing for partners, generally to engage In
prospecting for gold in the mining rc-
giOns. 1t became known that persons
answering those advertisements had
bought camp outfits and prospectors'
tools and had left Sydney with a per-
son giving the various names by which
Butler or Ashe was known. But 1t was
always found that a man giving the
name of the person who had disappear
ed was afterward seen about Sydney.
though not recognized as the missing
Individual.
At length a well-known sailor OF Sgd
ney named Lee Weller and carrying
the title OF captain" from once having
commanded vessel, announced to his
friends that he had answered an adver-
tisement in which companion was
wanted for prospecting In the noun
tains. He was not seen again, but an
other man calling himself Captain Lee
Weller appeared at sydney, remained
there some time and then shipped under
that name as sailor ON q vessel bound
to San Francisco.
After this shipment the facts as to the
many disappearance were collected.
The police arrived at the conclusion that
the person advertising for partners in
various enterprises, including that Of
prospecting In the mineral regions, had
taken his companions to remote noun
tain neighbOrhOods and there murdered
them for the purpose Of getting their
money and property. The case Of Cap
tain Lee Weller attracted particular
attention. A grave in the mountains
was found. from which the body was
exhumed, the clothing on the remains
proving the Identification.
The police authorities cabled to San
Francisco. asking the arrest Of the sail
or who had shipped under the name OF
Weller when the vessel should arrive
1T that port. Outside the harbor Of San
Francisco police tug met the vessel
and detectives swarmed over its decks
The sailors were stationed in line and
1 detective pointed out the man under
the name of Weller rs the fugitive from
Justice whose arrest he was authorized
to make. 'That Is the best sailor
among my crew." said the captain OF
the vessel. The prisoner was taker
ashore and is awaiting the result OF
extraditlOn proceedings.
The most Interesting part of this
criminal history is the episode relatin.
to the device which the multimurderel
adopted to divert pursuit from his Grim
lnal tracks. He would carry a maj
away into the mountains. murder him
seize his property and return to sgd
ney, registering at hotels and appear
Ing at business resorts In the name o
the man whose death he had caused. l
was by this device that he assumed tn
name Of Captain Lee Weller, his las
victim, under which he shipped for Sal
Francisco, where he was arrested.
It II extremely improbable tina
Holmes and Butler. alias Ashe, ever ha
criminal correspondence. But the fac
that their methods were similar i
many respects renders the case Of In
terest to those who have studied tn
criminal history Of Chlcago.-Chica:
Chronicle.
slow Pay.
"The wages Of sin IL DEATH" quote
the preacher.
III that IL the case" remarked NJ
Grumps, soto voce. there In a gres
delay In paying OF some people
know."-New York Herald.