The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-05
HOWARD S HOPE GONE
President Refuses to Pardon
Arkansas City Doctor
DYING OF ABROKEN HEART
And of Disease in Federal Jail
at Menard, Ill.

George B. Howard, alias DR.. Clawson,
whose arrest at Arkansas City last sum-
mer caused sensation, has met with
another reverse in his long effort to Sc
cure a pardon, and is said to be dying
of disease and broken heart. The last
application for a pardon mas just been
denied by President Mckinley, and How
ard is doomed to spend the rest of his
long sentence in the penitentisry at Me-
nard, IL. where he was taken from here.
Many will remember the sad case Of
Howard, who was brought to the Sedg-
wick county Jail after his arrest at Ar
kansas City by Deputy United States
Marshal Fred Trigg and Detective SUIT
ton of this city. Howard had escaped
from the prison asylum at Washington,
D. c., after he had feigned insanity in
the Illinois penitentiary, where he was
serving long sentence for having forged
pension vouchers. Howard came west
and settled down in Arkansas City,
where, at the time Of his arrest, he was
an exemplary citizen and q physician
with a growing and profitable practice.
While he was in Jail here his friends
started petition for pardon and nearly
everybody in Arkansas City signed it, to-
gether with many in Wichita who had
been struck with sympathy for him and
his wife and little girl.
A dispatch from Washington gives the
following particulars or Towards petit
ton for pardon:
Washington, Jan. 4.-The president has
denied the application of George B.
Howard for a pardon from confinement in
the federal prison at Menard, Ill How
ard was formerly a resident of Arkansas
City, Kan, where he was prominent
physician and an exemplary citizen under
an assumed name. Some time prior to his
appearance at Arkansas City Howard
was convictet in New York and later in
Illinois for forging pension vouchers. H.
was sentenced to a term of about eight
years in the federal Jail at Menard. From
there he made a daring escape and the
authorities lost all trace of him. It de-
veloped afterward that he went to Arkan-
sss City and began the practice of medi-
cine there under an assumed name. His
wife Joined him and for a number of
years he escaped detection and attained
prominence and success in his profession
He was betrayed through his mother-in-
law, who, in her anxiety to remove the
cloud from his life, appealed to Attorney
General Griggs for a pardon for Howard,
stating that he was now leading an exem-
plary life and was the head Of a family.
This led to an investigation and, follow
Ing the clue of the letter, Howard about
a year ago, was re-arrested and sent
back to Menard. His Wife lives in Kan
sas, but of late has been at his bedside
in prison. Every possible effort was made
by her and her friends to secure a pardon
on the ground that Howard would die in
jail. owing to hopeless illness, unless re-
leased Attorney General Griggs recon-
mended that the application be denied
on the ground that Howard had, during
his first confinement. simulated disease
and insanity, and the president has now
confirmed the sentence. It IS said. never
theless, that the representations in regard
to Howard's illness are true, and that he
Is very ill.,