The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-28
AGAIN BEHIND BARS
EDWARD EWING, JUST RELEASED
FROM SALTWATER, is
ARRESTED
DRUGS AND WHISKY CAUSE
His Besetting Sin Is FOrGery--Is
FOrty-TwO Years of Age
Nineteen Years Spent
in Jail.

Edward Ewing a noted forger, who has
spent nineteen years of his brief life in
the Minnesota penitentiary, was arrested
last night by Detectives Morrisey and
Howard upon an additional charge Of
forgery.
Ewing is fOrtY-tWo years of age and
nineteen years of that time he has spent
in serving time at Saltwater, and every
offense committed, for which he was con-
. Victed, has been forgery.
He is charged with passing checks upon
Minneapolis business men for amounts
varying from Sl2 to SO, and freely admits
his crime. He was released from prison
a month ago after serving a sentence of
two and One-half years for the same Of
Tense. He was arrested in september,
1895 by Detective Morrissey for forgery
and was given five years. After his time
was up, he was given a position as book
keeper in the state prison. One day
check for So 900 came through the regular
channels of business from nrm when
had made a large purchase of prison ma
terial Ewing took the check and quitting
his position came to st. Paul, and While
attempting to cash it was arrested For
this crime he was given a sentence OF
two and one-half years
Finishing that sentence a month ago he
went to St Paul He went to see Chief
of Police John J. O'Connor, whom he had
known for a number of years. The latter
told Ewing that he would see that his
wants were provided for until he, O'Con-
nor could find him work. Later he met
Cole Younger on the street, and he en-
couraged him financially as well as In
other ways. Ewing promised to take their
advice and accept their favors. But when
a week later they went to find him, he
had left his lodgings.
He came to Minneapolis and began upon
his old career. AS soon as the merchants
described the forger, Detective Morrisey
knew the man and began searching for
him Last night he met him on Washing
ton avenue south. He confronted him
with the crimes and he freely admitted
the charges which the detectives made.
Ewing passed a check for $15 on j. c..
SOdini: another for a like amount on
Daniels & Riley, 416 Nicollet and still
another for $12 on NJ. Swanson, a feed
man whose place of business is at 1901
East Franklin. The feed man was given
an order for 1857 worth of feed and told
to deliver it to an assumed address on
Sixth street south. But of course it had
not been ordered and would not be re-
ceiVed All of the checks have been re-
fused by the banks. They were drawn in
favor of c. A. Houston and f. c. SUMS
ton and were supposed to have been
drawn by the Nelson-Tuthil Lumber COM
pany.
but DeHlllu All OL IneSe crimes - q SCOt
of a life wrecked by morphine. That in
a measure robs it of its viciousness.
When a little boy in New York state.
Ewing was injured and his life despaired
of. To assuage the eXcruclating pain,
doctors gave the little sufferer morphine.
He acquired the morphine habit which
has followed him into prison and out of
prison.
Ewing says although it has been seven
years since he has taken any of the
drug the old habit came back to him soon
after his recent release, and his present
crime springs from a craving for the
drug and whisky. He is a refined, well
educated man, and in his cell last night
said, having long ago despaired of ever
seeing his old home again, he was now
convinced that he would spend the rest
of his life in prison and all for the crime
OF forgery.