The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-24
HOW HE WAS CAUGHT.

hoN lie w AS OAUOEII.
From here he went North. The next
heard of him was at Nashville. He ar
rived there early Wednesday morning
The rest of the story is told in the fol-
lowing letter of July 81, to Mr.. Jerman
from Bradford Nichol, a Nashville fur
niture dealer:
| Dear Sir: Your circular was handed
me in my mail this morning, | examin-
ed it closely and found it to exactly fit
ID. ID. Durham who is badly wanted by
| fifty dealers and has escaped for two
years. Soon after reading the letter that
identical party came in Offering Pal
mer and Embury' parlor goods.
spotted him instantly and carelesslv set
a trap by sending him to A. J. Warren
and Company, four doors off. Here by
another accident Bob Newcomb of Chi
cago, saw and identified him as ID. ID.
Durham A secret detective was tele-
phoned and we had him secure in ten
minutes.
Your description fitted exactly ex-
cepting Mr.. Clark-Durham' never lifted
his hat in your presence for we find his
forehead extends back close to his rear
neck.
"At the police station he was
confronted with his picture from
the st. Louis News and your
circular to me. He confessed
to having served time in New York
prison in 1890, also to having gotten
money from various parties. He did not
mention you. however.
He had 5000 a handsome and very
fine watch and chain, various odds and
ends, and a thorough equipment of stem
ellis pads. checks, etc, etc, to last term.
claimed to be a Mason. I proved by
telegram this statement to be a lie. He
claimed he was just from New Orleans.
We find, however, firm in Chattanooga
that regrets his presence there yesterday
to the tune of 800. He is your fell
low.
Although you call him Clark. his name
is Durham. He had a card of VIM.
Holman, n. y, thirty-third Mason. and
Lied about that also. | never saw such
a brazen, cool, scamp before He wine
ed only when a letter was taken from
him, from a lady in New Orleans. Mem
| phis, Tenn, has two claims on him and
| hardly think you will get hold of him,
as they are furious. l telegraphed you
IN order that you could legally estop his
funds, thereby gripping him at Mem
phis and so keep the scamp from offer
ing compromise for his Wrong doing.
'He stated that he would cheerfully
go to Memphis and hoped to pay off and
make for Alaska. He said he intended
after working here to make for that
country You see your circular came
none too early.
Il am stranger to you, but have TAX
en- your interest in hand as doubtless
YOU would have done for me. 1t cost me
nothing but time, and | very cheerfully
tender this TO you, hoping you may en-
balm him in quiet retreat for fifty years"
HAD PLENTY OF MONEY.
The following from the Nashville
American completes the story as related
in the above letter:
Durham arrived in Nashville yester-
day "wednesday morning and register
ed at the Tulane He started out early
with his grip of samples and photographs
and visited several furniture houses. A
bout 10 o'clock he entered the house of
A. J. Warren & Co., on North College
street, where, unfortunately for him,
e. w. Newcomb, a travelling sales
man for the Parlor Furniture Company.
of Chicago, was transacting some bust
ness. Newcomb knew Durham, having
become acquainted with him when he
was a legitimate drummer
"Newcombe telephoned to the station
house for detective. Detective Crock
EFT and Detective Koran, of Memphis.
responded and placed the noted forger
under arrest. He was carried to the
station house and locked up in the cage.
He was first carried into Chief Clack's
office and interviewed at length. Nearly
every furniture dealer in the city was
present. Durham confessed that he had
forged numerous checks throughout the
country. He was searched and S271 in
money found on his person. He admit
ted that with the exception of $3.50 he
had obtained the money on him by means
of forged checks. The $3.50 he said he
had borrowed from woman named
Hattie Campbell, in New Orleans.
Chief Clack wired to the Globe Furni-
ture Company and also to the two Mem
phis firms. The welcome news of Dur
hams arrest was in this manner flashed
over the country and all throughout the
day kilograms were received from diff
ferent States and cities asking for Dur
ham, At least fifteen or twenty tele-
grams were received in all. Answers
were sent to all the interested parties;
stating that the prisoner had been turn
ed over to Detective Koran, of Memphis,
and would be carried to that city.
MEMPHIS NOW HAS HIM.
Detectives Koran and Crockett left
for Memphis last night with Durham.
The forger will be dealt with by the au-
thorities there before being turned over
to the police of other cities. 1t looks as
if Durham will spend almost the remain
der of his life behind the bars if all of his
victims feel disposed to prosecute.
"Sheriff Sharp last night received q
telegram from Sheriff d. S. Hammond,
of Paris, Tex, in regard to Durham,
the alleged forger. The message said
the man was wanted badly at that place
and the authorities would send for him
If hp could he obtained Durham was