The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-02-10
CAPTURE OF A FIEND.
HIS TRAIL OF BLOOD EXTENDS
ACROSS AUSTRALIA.

HIS TRAIL OF BLOOD EXTENDS
ACROSS AUSTRALIA.
Arrested on Arriving in San Franoisco--Ai;; I;
Remarkably Cool vInain-rhe Evidence
Against Him Is Regarded as Conclu.
sive. s.4l
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 4.-George,
Edward Butler, alias Ashe, the mur-
derer, whose arrival on the ship Swan
hilda was so long expected, is now in.
San Francisco Jail. The Swanhilda
was sighted at 5 :15 this morning COM
ing through the heads in tow of the
tug Alice. The tug was to blow six
whistles as the signal agreed upon il
Butler was aboard, but detectives
waiting down the bay from Egg
wharf did not hear them and although
they knew the Swanhilda was coming
in. they did not know whether Butler
was on board. Suddenly a red light
flashed out through the darkness. {.
This was another signal and the ofi-,
GERS knew their man was there.
The custom boat Hartley, which
had been placed at the disposal OF the;
police, was boarded in haste by six de-
tectives, four newspaper men and four
revenue officers aud the little vessel
steamed rapidly away to the Swanhil-s
da, which was met off Fort Point.
The detectives remained concealed in
the cabin while the revenue officers
went on bosrd the Swanhilda to see III
Butler had been put in irons. They
reported he was not and the detectives
went on board and Butler was pointed
out and in a second was handcufed.
He denied that he was Butler, but was
positively identified by Detectives:
McHattie and Conroy, who came here
from Australia for that puroose.
The captured murderer was taken,
on board the Hartley, which soon
landed him at the wharf. The patrol
wagon was in waiting and he was
whirled off to prison.
Although the arrest was complete
surprise 20 the suspected mar, he
maintained remarkable coolnass and
calmly puffed a cigarette as he went
ashore. ;
It was agreed that when the cr6w
lined up for inspection Captain Era;
zier was to slip in front OF Butler:
When the police came on board and
the men lined up Butler was the rec;
ond man in line. Capt. Frazier
stopped an instant In front OF him and
at the same time Sergeant Bonner OF
the local police force covered him with
a pistol. Buffers hands went up Like
a flash. Irons were slipped over his.
wrists and one of the most notable
criminals Of modern times was pris5
oner. Desectives McHattie and Con-.
roy, who knew Butler in Australia
Conroy having narrowly escaped pc.
in one of his victims, were disgu
when they boarded the SWanhilda.
When they charged Butler with the
crimes attributed toi him he professed
entire ignorance and denied that his
name was Butler. On the Hartley,
on the way to shore, the dlsguises;
were removed and still Butler pretend.
ed not to know his captors. ss
The Australian officers are over
ieyed at the success of the outcome OF
the long and weary wait. Extradihone
papers have already been served and
unless something nforeseen happens,
Butler and his custodians will sail for
Australia Saturday on the Monowai.
When his baggage was brought
ashore any amount of incriminating
evidence was found carefully packed
in h4s belongings photographs Of
Mrs. Weller, q pair of bluchers on
which were stamped the Weller namel
two watches, a spectacle case and
watch chains with a locket bearing
Lee Weller's name and a number OF
books on the fly leaves of which Bere
the names of Weller and his wife and
many other articles recorded by the
detectives as positively connecting
him with the murdered sea captain and
prospector. The detectives are very
positive as to the:identity OF their pris-
oner and scout any possibility OF 9
mistake. &
. The known victims of Frank Butler
the Australian murderer, it is said,
numbsr fourteen. His trail Of blood,
it is alleged, reaches from New South
Wales to the reefs of Western A1stral-
la, where he is suspected OF similar
deliberate murders. His method was
to advertise in English and American
papers for partner to prospect rich
mineral districts. He stipulated that
the intending victim should have 9 I
capital of $50. He received many re-
sponses and whenever he took q COM
rade into the wilderness to search Tor
gold he returned alone. As no one
knew of the partnership existing be-
tween he and his victims, Captain Lee
Weller and Ed Sorenson, their absence
excited much alarm. Butler had
sailed on the Swanhilda. The first
clue was discovered when the bodies
of Weller and Sorenson were found
by a shepherder. 1t appeared as
though Butler had induced the men
to dig their own graves in pretended
search for gold, for in the pit they
themselves had dug they were found
buried. Evidence was found pointing
to Butler as the murderer and he had
assumed one of his victims names, as
on the Swanhilda's papers was found
the name Captain Lee Weller. The
authorities in England were notified
and detectives started both from Aus
tralia and England to meet him on
his arrival at San Francisco. Accord
ing to these officers the list of Buffers
s. :. 4l., ;,nnoosinn Ha