The sun., 1897-09-14
TRUSTY HOWARD ESCAPES.
PREACHER SUINDLER GETS OU7
OF THE ONO PENITENTIARY.

Apparently Slipped Away from the Front once
or tho Penitentinry while tho Guards Were
Not Lookibn-Hia Career In tho SOUTH
English Estate swIndIinE HIs Speciality.
COLUMBUS, o.. Sept. l3-Tho Rev. G.. P.F
Howard, the most noted prisoner in the Ohio
pcnitcntiary, escaped this morning. Tho man
ner in which no gained his freedom Is still
mystery. Howard had been "trusty"
about tho prison since he was made
editor of tho PenHcntidrv Ncns, several
months ago. and account of his plhco
as an editor had all the privileges 10
was possible 10 give to man in his situation.
Tho guards outside OF the prison walls were or.
pected 10 keep him under their surveillance
when he was about the front office. Tho only
reasonable theory as to his escape is that the
outside scntinels became careless and allowed
Howard to pass them by unnoticed
Howard was in his prison garb, and photo
graphs and descriptions of him have been sont
all over the country, so the chances are that
he will be caught. He is said TO have had
considerable money, and 1t is not believed that
he Is without friends in this city. II is the opin.
ion of some that he is now in hiding in some
house in this city. Howard has attracted the
notice Of woman who has visited the prison
several times of late and who always insisted
on being shown through the printing Office. Her
name is not known, but the police are cndcavor.
ing to find her from description which has
been given to them.
Ever since Howard entered tho prison, ON
jan %. 1894, he has been struggling to get
out. He has tried every conceivable plan,
attempting to win the confidence of
tho officers and getting them t. eign
petitions for his release. and begging help
from distinguished persons all over the country.
Not long ago he tried to get the prison physi.
clan to assert that he was sufferer from
Bright's disease. He had six wears yet to serve.
THE REV. @. b. HowARD's CAREER
The Rev. &. B. Howard has been Il sailor In
the merchant marine and in the United States
the Peace ' lawyer M the nss pPncpa Of sPSs 20
school. college professor, and a preacher Of
land, about forty.hye years ago. His mother
dicd when he was nhont year old. His father,
II he be still alive, Is II retired London police
man. His name as a boy was Frederic Atryde
Hewlett, and it was as Frederic Hewlett that he
began his American career as sailor in the
navy in 1874. and he kept this name for num-
Der OF years while he taught negro school at
Smokes Cross Roads, Colleton county, S. c.,
and az Justice of the Peace and lawyer 40
1t was at this time that his criminal car er be-
gan, and he away 10 escape the service Of .
warrant for. his arrest lie was next heard OF
at Port Robbins. 5. c. where he induced the
with him lie imposed upon Alexander stephens
ana Judge Lnmpkin until they discovered thaB
ana m d1oh ms
%Sene hd He ,aPS Sss nsT "a Mswnr
practiccd law with Eugene Blaylock AS his part
ner Here he Joined the Baptist Church, and
was eeived BY the best people until Judge
story. and d drove him out of town again.
At Atlanta. where he went later. he was al
Burk, a sister of Congressman Cobblnness and
Editor Cobbinness OF the Atlanta Journal
the baptist ministry and la later A bec"me sn the the
pastor Of the First Baptist Church at Jackson.
jackson he called himself George Frederic Bur-
Goyhe Howard and said he came OF Il distin.
general air .; led T 70 his being sing
made mad, professor OF moral philosophy at tho
or AhaBs 6n n1 B. Auburn
His first wife having died. he was married
Der OF good family. In Jackson he established
new church and also a newspaper, tho Tru0
baptist and it was out OF a warfare that he
sued tho Blade OF Jackson Tor $50, 900 damages.
tory was gathered from his youth. Tic got q
verdict. OF one con. damages and had to pay tho
when he came TO New York ostensioly to prao-
He lived on Staten Island, kept yacht. and
pr9fcssed a new creed Of occpittsm, which he
days of Buddhn. He talked of his mother hav-
inS been Begun OF India, who let him the
had been !. ember OF Parliament, a soldier in
India. and that he was Knight Commander OF
the Bath and a member OF the Order OF tho
Garter; 1t was during these later years that he
entered into the business which finally landed
him In jail. This was sw!nd!ing Americans who
imagined that they were heirs TO English es-
| tates.
In London he had an Office at ; Shepherds
Bush, lngcrsol road, where he was known as
William Lord Moore, and in New York ne
| called himself Joseph Leger and +. Ross The
public got after him here in 500, and that fall
| ho returned to jackson. From there he con-
| tinucd the business under the name OF u. F. p.
| Howard. He wrote Ia the persons whom he had
| already feccod as Moore. Lcger, or Ross, saying
that he had just returned from Europe and had
| in his possession valuable information regarding
| the estates In which they were interested. This
generally brought an answer, and upon the pay
| ment OF fee OF so so their cases were gone
into" Later. he would write and say that the
| case was encouraging. and that he would under-
take to recover the million dollars or 80 which
| he found was coming 10 the person, for a fec
| OF per cent In time he wrote that n decree
| had been received. which nc would forward on
| Il payment OF $35 costs. He had false seal
| with which he stamped these decrces OF the
| "Supremc Court of ChrnCery, London.
| He WAS tried at jackson. Tonn.. in the begin
| ming OF s9i for using the United states mails
| for fraudu lent purposes and convicted. after
one mistrinl. He was sent To the Ohio Peniten-
| In