Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-09-07
ISADDASE OF RQOGR10N
Once . Millionaire Now an Out.
cast and in Court For
Theft.
He is a Confirmed Kleptonaniac and
Repeatedly Robbed His Best
Friend.
W. E. D. Stokes, Who Befriended the
Unfortunate Man Tells Strange
Story.

and numbered among his friends men
prominent in the financial and social
world of the city, Herbert Houghton
was remanded to prison Thursday be-
cause he could get no one to furnish
$500 bail for his appearance in the west
side police court.
The technical charge against Hough-
ton is petit larceny-the theft of Shut
the complainant w. E. d. Stokes, who
appeared against him, believes ne has
been robbed of thousands of dollars by
the prisoner, whom he had taken into
his home and befriended for old ac-
quaintance sake.
Houghton was shabby dressed when
farraigned. He had nothing to say and
Magistrate Mott sent him back to
prison pending an examination, The
man is 40 years old and when arrested
he told the police that heNhad no occu-
patton and no home.
The prisoner, Mr. Stokes says is the
son of Mr.. Houghton, who before his
death in 1893, was a member of the firm
of Ellison, butcher & Houghton, deal
Rers in real estate and owners Of the
stock yards in this city. In 1879 the
elder Houghton owned the block on
which the Windsor hotel stood before
lit was burned.
When Houghton died he left for
tune of several millions. which was di-
yided among several children. Herbert
receiving as his share $1000000, accord
ing TO Mir. Stokes. He was soon after
Wards married and then began to spend
his money freely. He was separated
from his Wife. Mr.. Stokes says, and
soon became an outcast.
One day in November of last year
Mr.. Stokes saw Houghton, who was a
former schooi.nate, walking the streets.
He was shivering from the cold and
complained that he had had nothing TO
eat for several days.
The millionaire took him to his home
at 22S West seventy-tifIh street. He
bought Houghton new clothing and
supplied him literally with money. For
several months Stokes has been miss
| ing articles OF jewelry and money and
more recently has found that his sup
ply of whistles and wines was running
short.
He suspected servant and told.
i AT one time four quarts of whisky
were taken and according TO Stokes,
I Houghton was intoxicated for several
days thereafter. Wednesday morning
when Stokes got out of bed he says he
found that his clothes had beer rified
i and $50 taken.
4 In the eYs.ins when he retired Stokes
marked 81 bills taking the numbers
4 1.
let. AT about O'clock he was awakened
by some ont Walking i'll his room. and
looking up. saw Houghton He watched
jhin, and after he had left the room
Estepped to the telephone and notified
THE detectives at the West Sixty-eighth
8sfrsst STATEN OF the alleged robbery.
4sergt. Churchill sent Roundsman
Brown and Detective Day to the house.
stokes admitted them. and Day. who
impersonated guest, Went to Hough-
tors room and knocked. Houghton
was in bed, but got up and opened the
door, and Day told him that the house
had been robbed again.
4 EIGughton said that he would dress
himself at once and help search for tbs
4 burglar, exelaiming at the same time
5Ithat it was the French butler. In a few
moments Hpughton had come down the
lhall and was near the front door wher
Detective Day told him he was the thie
land led him away to the police station
I1oughton protested mis- innocence, say
ling that he would not be guilty of rob
i bling his friend Stokes.
When Heughton was searched tn
marked money was found in his pockets
together with forty pawn tickets, be
sides a number of letters.
..FIoushton is a kleptomaniac," sal,
r Mr.. Stokes tOf that / am satisfied
His family want him cared for, as the.
& are confident that he is not sane
learn that his mother, who was a mem
Der of the Richardson family of Ne,
York, was similarly afflicted. She wa
an inmate of the Bioomingdale asylum
s She is dead.
II regret that / was forced to tax
this action against Houghton, but
am informed that he has taken thing
before; also that his brother, who
connected with the park board, ha
been threatened by him.
.But i am anxious to recover m
missing things. How many they are
can not say. Altogether should sa
S.. 900 or $4,000 worth of stuff is gon
And that isn't the worst. Ny friend
were robbed in my house. Think of i
Why, their money and clothing wei
g taken from their rooms at night.
made me feel terribly.
Sometimes my underwear would /
s. found with Chinese laundry mari
r upon it. Fancy! OF course was al
!, noyed I did not like to suspect any
. my servants, and, of course, not Hougl
u ton What could l do? Even napkin
n vanished.
Finally Houghton went to the poll,
and told them that he suspected n
French boy George. Then / began
set traps for the real thief.
"Oh, yes, Houghton admitted son
s. things. poor fellow. What could he
=|with forty-cne pawn tickets for n
Il things in his pockets? Yet he was
4 nervy fellow to come into my room
might and take things from my pocket
running the chance Of getting shot. T
had TO come downstairs. too, for
slept on the floor above the one slet
on.
Il am too busy man to go thru n
house and look around to find what
have lost. SO really don't know, but
hope Houghton will give me a list al
tell me where they are. really dor
want to send him to Jail. but expe
= that his family will care for him. +
81 l,o -,,1o tn, v,lo