The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-08-03
SEEKS PEACE in
A PRISON CELL
Fugitive Ex-Mayor Belcher Gives Him
self Up.
HAUNTED THE WANDERER A YEAR
Paterson ~ ~ Official Who Disappeared
With Sz5,000 Says he HAS Been in
Every State In the Union and 10 Canada,
but Has Been Wrecked Physically by his
Consclence-A "Year Of Hell"

Paterson, N. J., (SpeciaD .-Ex-Mayor
William Belcher, who absconded year
ago, having taken $4,000 from the Man
chester Building and Loan Association,
and from various friends and institu-
tons, and who has been missing ever
since. appeared at the county jail Mon
day morning and gave himself up to
the jailer. Belcher said that he was
tired of being a fugitive and wanted
to face the punishment, if any might be
melted out to him.
Mayor Belcher had changed little in
his year of wandering, except that his
hair had become grayer. "It has been
year of hell" Belcher said to Sheriff
Bregen. II don't care to talk about
what l did after left Paterson | did
not leave the country, though, except
for a short trip in Canada. When /
found / was not followed there l re-
turned to the States. | Travelled as Tar
West as California. l did not stay long
in any one place.
IT have been in Boston and the White
Mountains" he said. "Only once ] left
the country for short trip to Canada.
] have been in pretty nearly every state
in the Union since I went away. | have
not seen face 1 knew since l left Pat
erson am glad to be here, although
] am prisoner"
What have you done with the
money you got?" he was asked.
"That is the subject of which J. am
not willing to speak at this time" re-
piled BeIcher. eff 100000 is gone some
one else must have got it and blamed it
on me; but I shall 1implicate no one in
what | did | shall stand alone. The
stories that l am going to implicate sew
eral officers in the city government are
false. There were many times when |
was absent when I would have welcomed
arrest"
Il was not logged by detectives, but
] never got over the haunting feeling
that if l settled down anywhere some
one would turn up on my trail.
couldn't keep moving on. A rolling
stone, as you know, gathers no moss,
as my health began to give out
Il went to Bartlett, N. H., and lived
at hotel there, hoping to recover. My
nerves got worse, SO / determined when
my year Of wandering was up TO sur
render myself.
When the news spread that he had
returned the jail was beseiged with call
ers who were personal friends of the
former chief executive of the city. Law
yer William ]. Barbour, of Haledon,
who was one of his closest personal
friends, was the first man called for by
Belcher After several hours converse
ton he left, but refused to divulge any
thing. His only words were: MIR.
Belcher has returned and will take his
medicine like man, just as | main
tanned he would do"
Later in the morning several city Of
hcials who had held office under Bel
cher visited the Jail They all held short
conversations with him, but none would
utter word of what Belcher said or
what he proposed to do.
Mayor John johnson was an early
caller, and he had long talk with
Belcher. Belcher may apply for trial in
special sessions before Judge Francis
Scott Friday afternoon He has not
yet engaged counsel, but there is strong
4dtiiOA mat 0ClldlOl w OOQ 4A(INOS
will be engaged to defend him.
Belcher had between 5000 and $ro-
600 when he went away, one year ago,
and when asked for his valuables he
handed over gold-flled watch and
$174o in cash. He went direct to Can
ada after leaving Paterson and then
travelled all the way from there to Stock
ton, Cal, and about month ago he ar
rived in Barnegat, N. H. His wife left
Paterson at about that time, and it is
said she visited her husband there She
arrived back in town in the early part
of last week.
A dozen indictments have been found
against Belcher, in which he is accused
of embezzling $I5o,ooo The Manchester
Building and Loan Association, of
which he was president, was forced to
go into bankruptcy.
LIGHTNING STRIKES CAMPERS TENT.