The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-11
LoNDoN's BIGGEST swINDLER.
"NIscount" Howard, who FIeeced
Lord ROsebery is in Jail.
From DC New York Journal.


From the New York Journal.
London, Oct. S-The most notorious
swindler of London. William Howard,
alias Viscount Howard, the man who sue
ceeded in fleeing Lord Rosebery, has been
sent to her majesty's prison al Worm
wood Scrubs, to serve a six months SEN
tence.
"Vicount Howard was not paymaster
in her majesty's navy, nor was he Tate
of the Guards" nor was he a general
In the French Foreign Legion, as he pre-
tended to be as occasion demanded. He
was plain William Howard the son of
country solicitor who disowned his son
many years ago.
The 'Viscount" went for high game,
and seldom failed. He is proud of re-
peating how he victimized the prime min
lister of England, Lord Rosebery and in
this connection he speaks for once in a
way a word of truth By some means
Howard obtained the information that
Lord Rosebery was an admirer of "a Jockey
named Constable and after the latter had
been dead some weeks the 'Viscount' put
himself in communication with "a brother
sportsman as he designated the premier
and obtained a check for f25 under some
false plea. ! think he tried the brother
sportsman" second time, but II was not
successful, and the check was returned
Towards last exploit was most disas-
trous.
In January this year the London and
Northwestern Railway Company were not
ihed by the "Niscouut" that while de-
scending some stairs at Kensal Rise STA
ton he had fallen, owing to the negli-
gence OF the company's servants in leaving
hole a the bottom of the stairs unpro-
tected, and had seriously injured his head
and his ribs. He claimed 1888 damages
and issued in due course a writ, but he
subsequently, after causing a lot of trou-
BILE abandoned the action. Certain sus-
pclous circumstances connected with the
matter led TO Detective Inspector Pearson
one of the cleVerest railway detectives in
England and chief of the London and
Northwestern police department. taking
the matter up. He discovered after the
expenditure of a lot of time and money,
that the whole mater was a fraud that
the ''Viscount" had never fallen, and had
hardly seen the hole. The affidavits he had
made We're a tissue of lies, and he was in
the habit of borrowing pence from the
porters, who knew him as racing tips
ter. Air. Pearson was able TO lay such in
formation before one of the London mag
tstrates that warrant was issued, and the
"Niscount arrested.
He is a man of many parts; he speaks
and writes five languages; he is an artist
and musician of no mean ability; and II
IS said that what he does not know of law
is not worth knowing" He has been ad-
viser-in-general to some of the best crimi-
mails in London and has been responsible
for the defense and subsequent acquittal
OF many an Old convict
He has taken the chair at Conservative
and Primrose League meetings, and even
gene SO far as to suggest that ne should be
put up as a candidate. He has held an
audience spellbound by his eloquence. viili-
fled the name of Gladstone aud The Liberal
party generally, while the clothes upon his
back were purchased by defraudng a LIB
eral NJ. P. by means of a fraudulent beg
ging letter.