Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1897-02-03
LONG CHASE ENDED.
BUTLER, TIRE AUSTRALIAN MURDER
Err, TAKEN YESTERDAY.
HIS SHIP ARRIVES AT FRISCO.
DETECTIVES WAITING FOR HIM AND
LAND HIM IN JAIL.
Denies That He Is Butler, hut Il Pos
itiveIy IdentiiietI-AccuScd of y"
Fewer Than Fourteen MUIR
ders in AustraIin-oth-
cr Crime News.

San Francisco. Feb. 2.-Georse Edward
Butler. alias Ashc. tho murderer whose ar
rival from Amsterdam the ship Swami
hiidf has been 50 long. expected, IS no" III
San francisco in jail. The Swanhllaa was
sighted at 5.l5 this morning coming through
III, heads. in tow of the tug Alice The tug
bl.yv six whistles. the signal agreed upon II
Butler was on board but detectives walt
ing down the bay did not near them, and
although they knew the Swanhilda was
coming in they did not know whether 5ut-
Ter was on board or not. Suddenly a red
light flashed out through the darkness.
This was another signal. and the officers
knew their man Was there.
The custom boat Hartley. which had
been pluced at the disposal of the police,
WAS boarded in haste by six detectives ic"r
newspaper men and four revenue officers
and the little vessel steamed rapidly away
10 the Swanlilda, which was met of tort
Point The detectives remained concealed
IN the cabin. while the revenue officers went
on board the SwanhiIda to see If Butler
lad been put in irons. They reported he
had not and the detectives went on the
snip. Butler was pointed ont and In a see
ond he WAS hnndcuffed. He denied that he
WAS Butler. but WAS positively Identified 10y
Detectives McHattie and Couroy who came
here nom Australia Tor that purpose.
The suspected murderer was taken on
board the Hartley. which soon landed him
n; the wharf. The patrol wagon was wait
ing and he was hustled off to the prison.
Although the arrest was a complete sur
prise TO the suspected man, he maintained
remarkable cuoluess ana calmly puifed
cigarette As he went ashore.
Captain Frazier. OF tn. SwanhildI. said
Butler shipped with hin. as seaman. under
the name OF Lee Weller one of his victims.
All went well ON the trip across the Pacific,
and it was not known tndt the notorious
murderer WAS on board. Yesterday. when IL
WIS known the vessel was near San Fran
cisco, Butler asked Captain Frazier when
the pilot appeared to Slow up. he
pccted letters from Australia. When the
pilot came aboard Butler approached him
and asked: well, is U-yeS or no."
The pilot did not know what he meant
and he gave no explanation. Captain Fra
Zier was informed by the pilot that ii was
supposed Butler was on board under the
name Of Lee Weller and told of arrange
munts for his capture. Captain Frazier
police. Nothing was said to Butler and the
ship brought into port
IL WAS agreed that when the crew lined
up for inspection. Captain Frazier was to
slip in front Of Butler When the police
came on board and the men lined up But
Ter was the second man In line. Captain
Frazier stopped an instant in front Of him
and at the same time Sergeant Bonner. of
The local police, covered him with pistol.
a Buffers hands went up like Il flash. Irons
were slipped over his wrists and one of the
most notorious criminals OF modern times
WAS prisoner.
Detectives McHattie and Conrov. who
knew Butler in Australia. Conroy having
narrowly escaped being one Of his victims.
Swanhilda. when they charged Butler with
the crimes attributed TO him. He professed
entire ignorance and denied that his name
WAS Butler. on board the Hartley. on the
way 10 the shore, the disguises were re-
moved, and still Butler pretended not to
know his captors.
On the voyage from Newcastle Butler
-"Orked as an ordinary seaman. In his kit
= ere found garments bearing different
marks which coTresponded to the initials of
1ome of his victims
The Australian officers are overjoyed at
the successful outcome of their long jour
ney and weary wait. Extradition papers
have ALREADY been served and the detect
ives expected 10 sail for Australia with
their Prisoner Thursday, but his attorneys
demanded time on the cXtradiion hearing
next Monday.
Butler rs extremely English in appear
anre. and speaks with q pronounced Eng
llsh accent He gave his name at the city
prison as ElERn.
Butler is credited hy the Australian police
with having murdered fourteen men. HIS
plan was to ca;iCe men whom he knew
10 have money into the interior under the
pT'tensc OF eNaminE "A mining claim and
Then murder them. His fast victim was
IgptaiG Lee Weller Il retired captain But
lie! took his money and clothes and shipped
on the Swauhllda under thr name OF Well
&C. Butler declines 10 be interviewed. re-
fUsinE 10 make any statement as TO his
identity further than that his name Is
F.lEHH. but hc admits having shipped under
tho n"mC o: Lee Weller. He refuses
however. to give any REASON why he as
sumcd Welicr's name. and declines 10 adj
NIT That the ever knew Waller. He SAYS
nan h. innocent until he Is proven guilty
and says nc VIII make no statement re-
tr.rfFrg any unriiCa o. his nast history
fFsF-4 4. H.
and sits uncouceruedl. facug his question
csS with cSntemptgou# glanCcs. lie af-
fccls to he ruthcr amused thar otherwise
ai his urediramcni
He Is below medium height and is de-
tid,dly insignificant in appearance He hns
a. raHIevOlcut expression. hut hardly looks
like e roEnrm'd criminal. lie j. apparent
ly about = wears old and his address
suggests man Of fair education
When his baggage was hrpugGt ashore
agHiust him was found carefully packed in
viii. his own bctonrinEa. \ photograph OF
Mrs. Weller q pair Of hluchCrs, on which
was stamped Wellers name. two watches.
- spectacle case AMI watch Unaia with
il,l,,.I all bearing Leo W,llrr'- name or
usDuor;Hm q number or hooks. on the lily
lytiyps of which we're the names Of Weller
and his wto. and many other articles are
,r";inE him with the murdered sea captain
and proapoetnr. The detectives are very
positive as to The identity Of their prisoner
and SCOT ~ any possibility pi a mistake.
The Australian detectives have been in
Su Francisco awaiting the arrival OF the
Swauhuda FOR some DAYS. As -uou as il
was learned thar Butler sailed on the
swan hilda the detectives were dispatched
20 Victoria. T. G.. by steamer. whence th-y
-aru" 10 SIu Francisco 10 intercept Butler
when be arrived.
Naua t'al.- Feb. Mrs Eta Butler OF
%aua thinks that shc may hc the wife OF
Murderer Butler. who arrived CT board the
s'Ns Ul7EIia. She wa married to Butler i've
NrarN aun and lived with him in san Fran
CISCO = f"w wcpl,ss when he deserted her.
She altrrwHrls heard he wont to Australia.
Sru HAS % itgv wears old. hN him. now in
;hr Nalpip DrnhnuS home. Mrs. Butler has
gone TO SAN Francisco 10 see Butler.
STILL SURE IT IS TAYLOR.