The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-04
C0RWINE CAUGHT.
The Absconding Paymaster Arrested
at Chicago.


Chicago. March 3.--John Corwine, the
absconding paymaster of the United
States navy, who was stationed at New
port. r. l., was arrested in Chicago this
afternoon. He arrived here this morning
from New York city.
Shortly before 3 O'clock Inspector Fitz-
patrick received a message over the long
distance telephone from H. o. Road, chief
of police of Newport, that Corwine was
in Chicago, and that he would register
at the Palmer house under the name of
J. Reeves. Detectives were immediately
sent to the hotel and arrested Corwine as
he was writing his name on the. register.
Corwine made no effort to conceal his
identity and readily confessed to all the
charges made against him by the navy
department The police recovered s., $50
in his possession.
Corwine decamped from Newport last
Monday after having cashed check for
5000. An investigation of his accounts,
it is alleged, revealed that he was between
5000 and $4,000 short, exclusive of the
amount of the check. Monday he was call
ed upon to explain the deficit Instead
however, Corwine went to the First Ma
tional Bank, the government depository
at Newport, and drew a check on the
Union National Bank of Boston for 5000
and an hour later he had left the city.
The police learned that he had pur-
chased a ticket to New York and detec-
tives were sent to search for him. He
succeeded, however, in eluding arrest, and
to-day it was learned that he had come to
Chicago. His wife lives in Brooklyn, and
according to his own story, he met her
there and gave her 5000 of the money he
had secured at the Newport bank. The
remainder lacking $50. was found in his
possession to-day.
While being questioned by Inspector
Fitzpatrick, he answered freely nearly all
the questions put to him. He denied that
he had spent any money In gambling or
high living, but admitted that he was
several thousand dollars short in his ac-
counts. He said that while he had not
used this money for himself, he was re-
sponsible for 1t. He refused to say what
was done with the cash.
Newport, r. l., March 3.-The police
department have just been notified of the
arrest of Paymaster John Corwine in
Chicago tonight. Corwine has been wir-
ed asking If he will come without a re-
QUESTION to answer to a complaint against
him brought by the First National Bank
the United States depository in this city.
Mrs Corwine, meantime, Is In Wash
ington pleading for her husband. She
claims that the difficulty Is due to a
shortage of his pay clerk on the United
States ship Nipsic, on a Pacific cruise
Corwine made no complaint, upon the
promises of the clerk to make ub the
shortage in installments. but this finally
failed. The government officers appear
to have known something about THE case,
which originated ten years ago. but owing
to the loss of the Nipsic at SAMOA, her
accounts have never been audited and
Corwine has been gradually making UP
the shortage but the appearance of the
chief inspector here this week drove him
to a desperate act. There is mpch SYM
pathy here for Corwine, who has been
living quietly and making up as rapidly
as possible