Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1899-09-23
REV, G, F. B. HOWARD
Caught at His Old Tricks-Agair
Behind Prison Bars.
Tho Famous Fugitive Gagged Under tht
Name of Robert Harper-H0Wards
Conviction In 1898 and Sub
sequent Escape.

JACKSON, Mich, Sept 17.-Postoflice
Inspectors William c. Baird, Of Chat
tanooga, Tenn, and Guy Gould, OF
Chicago, have been in the city several
days. Yesterday morning they cap
tured a man at Horton, near this
city, who has perhaps given the pos
tai authorities as much trouble as
any man in tne United States in recent
years, and they have worked long and
faithfully to accomplish the object
The man is e, f. Il. Howard, alias VIII
| liam Lord Moore, alias Robert Harper.
/ lie was known by the latter name at
/ Horton, where he has lived for seven or
eight months, and where he organized
church known as the Ethical Society
While here he also worked a foreign
Inheritance scheme. lie inserted an
advertisement in London papers IN
which he claimed there was an estate
here of S2j4, 600, and the heirs wore in
England.
Howard, which is said to be his origi-
nal name, was also engaged in anather
fraudulent scheme with Chicago for Its
headquarters. lie, in some way, pro
cured some Chicago customhouse sta
tionery, and wrote to number OF per
sons, stating that there was a package
at the customhouse addressed to thu
person named, aud that on receipt o
$40 to pay the duty on the package
= would be forwarded. His letters wer
signed Robert Harper, customs coIIeC
tor. The inspectors located his board
~ ing place in Chicago last Thursday, ou
-, failed to find the man,
The inspectors had been looking &c
Howard, who escaped from the Colun
bus penitentiary in 1897, but had I
~ thought that Howard and Harper wei
III the same man. Through Postmastt
~ Edwards they learned that Harper WI
at Horton and came here. Hesterdi
Nc they drove to Horton and capture
,e their man. They were considerao
surprised to find Howard, whom l
H.. spector Baird knew well. He W
nd brought to this city and taken to q
rs cago on the afternoon train.
ID. His Checkcred Career.
be Howard seems to have had chez
ey cred career. lie is an Englishman
ed birth, but was obliged to leave his I
tive country on account of shady ira
sh actions. He came to this country a
re- located in New York city under
UP name of William Lord Moore.
40 finally drifted to Jackson, Tenn, whit
vi he secured the pastorate OF the N
90 aristocratic church in the city. BY
ms eloquencc and attractive ways he Sc
''e secured a warm place in the hearts
his people The editor of Jack
paper, however, in some way lear
the history Of the man and publish
an article showing him up in his
light. This led to libel suit brou
by Howard against the editor Of
led paper f..
About this time the postal authori
learned that some one was using
mails to defraud the people by work
''''' the foreign inheritance scheme.
l''' plan was to write to people inform
. Nv" them that he had discovered that tt
y u was an inheritance awaiting Their
~ England and for small fee he VIC
onu procure it for them. A man OF
stamp always finds victims, and he
ines ceeded in living well without dc
itv. much work. After some investiga
and Inspector Baird arrested Howard
htc the charge Some six months wa
d. cupied on the trial. The first prov
mistrial and on the second Tn
r States Ambassador Robert T. Lin
Tan and two Scotland Yard detectives
the fed as to the character Of Howar
u England. He was finally convlc
re- and in 1894 was sentenced to tw
rom Years in the Columbus o. penitenti
''' In 1897 he escaped by bribing g
' az, and has since kept out OF the va
, ~, the officers until today.