The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-11-30
AN IMPOSTER.
A Man Sentenced to the Penitentiary for
ImpersOnating Boston Corbett.

The trial. at San Angelo. Tex. Of an
alleged Boston Corbett has resulted in
the imposter's being found guilty and
sentenced to the penitentiary at Atlanta
for three years. The real Boston Cor
bett escaped from the insane hospital
at Topeka in May, 1888, and went to
Neodesh1, from which place he started,
saying he YVES going to Mexico, since
which time there have been a number
of groundless rumors in regard to him.
At that time Judge George A. Huron,
of Topeka, was Boston Corbett's guard
| ian, having been so appointed in 1887.
In the Spring Of 1900 a man claiming
TO be Boston Corbett entered into cor
ITespondence with Judge Huron, for the
purpose OF being restored to the pen
sion rolls. At that time there would
have been due Corbett $1,000. Since
| that time the pension has accumulated
at the rate Of 500 per year. Judge HUI
ron believed at first in the pretender's
claims, and used all his powers Of per-
suasion to induce him to return to To-
peka and be restored to his rights as
a citizen, so that he could draw his
pension without the Intervention Of a
guardian. In 1902 Judge Huron became
suspicious as to the pretender's person
| atty, and the next year, In company
with Police Sergeant John w. Gardi-
ner, he went to Knox County, Tex, to
| 1t was seen that he was not Boston
Corbett. Boston Corbett was. or is, a
very small man. being five feet four
inches and a half high and weighing
from 125 to 1875 pounds. If living he is
now 70 years old. The pretender is
cular. weighing from 100 to 200 pounds
and from so to 55 years Of age. The
pretendcr followed the business Of wolf
| trapping and also engaged in selling
| medicines for the Gavitt Medicine Co.,
Of Topeka, his field being Oklahoma
and Texas The matter was brought to
the attention Of the Pension Bureau,
which took energetic action and brought
| the pretender to trial. At this evidence
| was given by Edward Kirk, a hardware
merchant Of Chicago, who was a Cor
poral in the company in which Boston
| Corbett first enlisted, and drilled him
until he became fairly proficient. He
kept up his acquaintance with Corbett
until after the close of the war. Anoth-
| er witness was r. +. Thatcher, teach
er in the Normal School in Edmond,
Okla. T., who was for three months q
prisoner with Corbett in Andersonville
and intimately acquainted with him.
Other witnesses remembered Corbett
while working in the Salvation Army
| in Topeka and also In the insane hos
pitaI. It seems that the pretender, after
assuming to be Boston Corbett, pro-
cured letters from the Superintendent
OF different insane asylums, and when
| peddling medicines in the cities that
| required license he would exhibit one
of these letters, and tell the officers
that he was all right so long as he was
let alone, but IL they interfered with
| him and got him excited return OF
his insanity might make him q charge
upon them for months. The jury was
only out 10 minutes before returning
q verdict Of guilty.
Apropos Of the above Capt Henry
Barclay, Jefferson, Iowa, sends us the
following:
Editor National Tribune: On Oct. 4
addressed note to the Sheriff OF San
Angelo, Tex, regarding Comrade Bos-
| ton Corbett. 1t resulted in my receiv-
| ing a reply from Corbett. It was crude
| ly written and put together. Poor fell
| low, I presume, owing to his situation
and surroundings, he could not do bet
| ter. I have put it In shape, so you can
understand it.-Henry Barclay.
San Angelo, Co., Tex, Oct. 8,
1905.-Capt. Henry Barclay: The Sheri-
| if of San Angelo. Tex, has just told
me Of your living In Iowa now. II 1T is
a fact that you are still living, please
write to me. It does me lots Of good
to hear from any OF my old comrades,
especially you. We have had lots Of
hardships together. I have met with
| bad luck, and have been in the asylum
| but am getting better. I have just
| about forgot nearly all my past life.
Yours truly-Boston Corbett.