The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-02


regular session Tuesday next.
STORY OF THE CAPTURE.
Detective Perrin, who has been on the
trail of Novak since Feb. 6 last, three
days after the burning of the store, and
the murder of Edward Murray, told an
| interesting story of his chase after the
prisoner Novak, he traced to Iowa City,
about seventy-five miles from the town
| of Walford, which point he reached
| week or so after the crime had been
committed. From there Novak went to
| Omaha and at that city Perrin learned
| that a man answering the prisoners
description, had gone to Baltimore. To
| Baltimore went the officer only to find
| on reaching there that the person was
| not Novak. Returning to Omaha the
| trail of Novak was found and the de-
| tective arrived at Seattle only to learn
| that Novak had taken the steamer to
| Port Townsend, and from there had
gone to Juneau. At Juneau the detec-
tive ascertained that Novak with
party of seven others had purchased an
| outfit and had gone into the interior
with the intention of making for Daw-
son City. Detective Perrin returned to
Iowa for proper papers and from that
point to Washington, D. c., to procure
| eXtradition papers. Returning to Ju-
neau on June IL, the detective, with a
1 SIdI leu lOI AlOlloIhC Wy W1y u
| the Chilcoot pass.
| At Lake Lindermann a boat was
built, and June 20 he started down the
| lakes to Dawson City. AS the detective
and his guide sailed down Lake Ben
nett he passed Novak and the party he
was with in scow, although this was
not discovered until after the arrest
had been made. From this time it was
case Of Novak chasing the detective
l until 10 Tjtu reached De-
| tective Perrin reached Dawson City
| July 1, ten days ahead of Novak. A
careful search was made Of the various
camps, the detective having been ad-
vised that Novak was an excellent Vlo-
| linist particular attention was paid to
| the dance halls and other resorts where
musicians were employed. July II No
yak and the party he was with arrived
at Dawson City. The arrival of all new
| corners was watched by the detective
| and shortly after the scow on which
| Noyak came in on it's arrival was re-
| ported to him. After some trouble the
| party was located, and July II the de-
| tective called on Capt. Constantine,
| who has charge of the mounted ponce
and requested the assistance of two OF
his men to make the arrest. Novak
| was
CAPTURED ON THE BANK
of the river near the scow which he ar
rived on, and within twenty-four hours
after his arrival at Dawson City. NO
yak, who was going under the name OF
| J. A. Smith, which cognomen he had
assumed at Seattle, did not in every
way correspond to the photograph and
description which the detective had
with him. The photograph showed
Novak to be smooth shaver, while the
man under arrest had full long beard;
| Smith, as he called himself, INSISTED
| that he was not the man the detective
was after, and claimed that he was
| from Chicago. BY requestionlng MIN
the detective learned that Smith had no
| idea at all of Chicago, and felt more
| than satisfied that he had the right
| man. He had with him specimen OF
| Novak's hand writing and purpose!v
asked Smith to write his chicago az
| dress on an envelope. AS soon as the
detective was handed back the enVeiope
| he recognized the handwriting as that
| of Novak and knew he had captured his
| man.
In order to make certain, Dr.. Miller,
| the physician connected with the
mounted police, was called In ana from
the insurance policies, which contain
ed a full description Of NoVak, the
Identification was made complete. T1ls
was particularly convincing as 10 the
| teeth anu IlOulIl VI Tic VI loOiCi' bAAS
description of the teeth filled and those
absent in the mouth of the prisoner
agreeing with the description Of No
walks mouth and teeth in the policies.
Detective Perrin took his prisoner to
FIT. Cudahy Jail, fifty-fve miles from
Dawson City, and locked him UP. On
July A. the detective and his prisoner
| took the boat down the Youkon and ar
rived at ST. MichaeIs July 25. At this
. no cfn Nrf-
| land was awaited and he was joined
by Detective Klouse, who had been
stationed at ST. Michaels to watch the
| boats while Perrin went into the l<lon-
dixie by way of the pass. The steamer
arrived at Seattle Aug. 20, and without
wasting any time the prisoner had
been hurried on to st. Paul.
ADMITS HIS IDENTIFY
Two days after leaving FIT. Cudahy
Jail Novak told the detective that he
was the person wanted. What other
statements were made by Novak as
to the commission OF the crime, if
there were any, Detective Perrin re-
| fused to talk about. Asked pOintedly
as to whether there had been any con-
fession to him by Novak the detective
said there had been considerable talk
between himself and the prisoner, but
| he did not recollect just what was said.
He did say that Novak had told him
| he had no idea of going to the gold
fields until after he had reached Seat
tie At the time of the arrest Novak
had revolver on his person, but made
no attempt to use the weapon. He had
made no effort to escape and appeared
1 to be satisfied to return without max
| ing any trouble. His actions, the de-
tective said, might indicate that he
intended to commit suicide, but fearing
such thing a close watch had been
kept on Novak since his arrest.
Both of the detectives are not plug
ging very hard for the gold fields. They
| have with them some Of the nuggets
brought down from the Klondike, and
while admitting that there is gold
| there, say it is hard to get and the
work of getting there, at least over
the Chilkoot pass, involves a deal of
| hardships. Detective Klouse, who was
stationed at st. Michaeps, said his ad-
| vice to any one would be not to go TO
the Klondike country.