The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-07-03
IS MACKN|GHT An
EX-CONV|CT OF OHIO
If Not Hiram P. MacKnight
is 4is Double.
THE RECORD OF HIRAM
Served Three Terms in States Prison.
A Noted Swindler.
THE RECORD OF HIRAM
SHERIFF JORDAN GIVEN The FACTS
Oct, Give Norris Says Harry Mcknight Appears
:. 10 be The Same Man. Wanted in Colum-
bus. He Has Apparently Vanish
ed from Greensboro.
ed from Greensboro.
Especial to News and Observer.

Especial TO News and Observer
Greensboro, n. c., July 2.-Informa-
ton in the hands Of the officers here
lead them to believe that il. L. Knight,
who was the central figure in the SEN
sational Islander snit from High Point,
which was tried here last week, is an
ex-convict and q swindler OF note. "A
letter from John r. Norris, a detective
of Springfield, Ohio, who was here a
few months AGO on business connected
with the gold brick case, says that
mcknight is in all probability, the II.
=. mcknight who has served three
,..Hrms in the Ohio jenitentiary. He en-
closed a photograph of the Or ~Oned,
which is a splendid likeness of High
Points erstwhile healer and his letter
follows:
"Oftice of Iohn T. Norris. Detective
and Collection Agency, Springfield,
Ohio,
ITO Sheriff Jordan
Seeing an account of the trial Of the
Chief of Police of High Point for SIAN
der instituted by one H. p. Mcknight,
and feeling that I am under some obi.
cations TO YOU for the cOurteSies shown
me while in your city, / consider it my
duty to give what Information | have
regarding one Hiram =. Mcknight,
whose criminal record, together with
his photograph and Bertillion meas
urement l herewith enclose you, and
whom | have reason to believe is one
and the same person with the Harry
l.. aCknght now prosecuting the
Chief of Police of High Point at
Greensboro, and | wish you to say to
the chief of police that any aid or as
siStauce / can render him in tfe way
of information | am at his service
without money or without price.
Yours truly,
j. T. NORRIS.
Record of Hiram p. MacKnight:
Third term in Ohio penitentiary re-
corded as follows from Wood county,
Ohio: First term o. 20093; third term
25l54; received the last time March Is,
1892 and discharged March TO- 1897,
aged, when received, 3d. charge, for
gerry; height. five feet, six and a halt
inches. While in the penitentiary Mac
knight was known as the convict law
yer. He pleaded his own case before
the Supreme Court and succeeded in
being discharged on the grounds that
he was extradited from New York for
an ofcrse larceny or false pretense)
and tried for fol gerry. His case is re-
ported in the forty-eighth Ohio state
Reports, page 5SS eX parte II. = Mac
Knight VS.. State of Ohio. He sued out
habeas corpds in second term, but lost
his case, l believe. After serving niS
second term he opened a law office i'll
Columbus, Ohio. married, got away
with his W:feS property, deserted her,
went TO Indianapolis; there he. com
mitted some devilment of some kind
and went South. Whether he is wanted
in indianapolis or not 1 do not know,
hut | am under the impression that ne
is wanted here for some swndlins
transaction and I am also under the
impression the he is wanted in Column
bus for swindling. / think his wife APP
piled for a divorce in Columbus but
whether a decree was ever obtained [
ann unable to say. The man l refer to
herein is an adventurer of the first
water and the Harry MacKnight, of
High Point fame bears very strongly
the earmarks of Hiram P. mcknight,
late of the Ohio penitentiary."
Sheriff Jordan is in receipt of Il tele-
gram from the superintendent of po-
lice of Columbus, Ohio, saying that
Macknight is wanted there for obtain.
ing money under false pretenseS.
Macknights whereabouts are now
Unknown and it is believed that he has
lift :ire,n.,l orc. lie attende9 the fun
1 BAL of his infant son yesterday morn
ilg and i'm the afternoon went out fol
drive. He has not been seen at his
boarding place since, though all o. lis
baggage and wife are stun there.