Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-19
HOWARD FRANKS
ANNOY NEIGHBORS
SPECIAL OFFICER FINALLY
SWEARS OUT WARRANT
Nightly CIamor In House Of Wealthy
Man on West Adams Street
Results In Legal
Action

A warrant was yesterday issued fol-
the arrest of w. d. M. Howard, who
owns a house at Kenwood and West
Adams streets, valued at about 100000
The warrant was issued on the com
plaint of Special officer M. d. Walter
who charges Howard with creating dis
turbances to the peace Of the neighbor-
hood.
The complaint was made several days
ago at the instigation Of property own
ers i'm that district, who claimed that
Howard's language at all hours OF the
day and night was an annoyance tc
those living near.
Wednesday Howard told Special OF.
ficer Walter that he was going to Sar
Francisco, and since then he has not
been seen In Los Angeles.
1t is probable that the warrant will
not be served upon him unless he at
| tempts to return to his residence or
West Adams street.
According to Officer Walter and
neighbors Of Howard his house has
been the scene of discord since he be.
came a resident there about a year ago
officer Walter said last night:
"a little over six months ago How.
ards wife secured a divorce from him
on the ground of cruelty. Following
a wrangle that was heard for blocks
around the wife left her husbands
house and boarded a street car for the
city.
Pursues Wife In Auto
"As she did so Howard pursued ir
his automobile and chased the car fol-
nearly a mile. He signalled and yelled
for the motorman to stop the car, and
when he had done so Howard jumped
aboard and after cursing his wife In
language that was both abusive and
vile, he literally dragged her from the
car into his auto.
"a few days after this occurrence
Howard's wife succeeded in making an
escape from him and shortly after OBJ
tained a DIVORCE.
Howard acted as If insane, for he
did the most erratic things imaginable
"On October IL he gave a dinner al
his place in the evening. 1t was the
occasion of his birthday and he had
invited a friend-a well known lawyer
of Los Angeles-to dine with him
Toward midnight this gentleman ap-
pealed to me to help him get his hat
from the residence of Howard, saying
that his host had suddenly become an
gered and had thrown him from the
house hatless.
II went to Howard's door and rang
the Dell. Inc QOOr was opened ana
was told that If I wanted the gentle
mans hat might enter. When I had
done so Howard made a dash for me
and attempted to throw me from the
house also. overpowered him, how
ever, and had handcuffed him before he
had done me any violence.
Another instance that demonstrates
Howard's queerness took place about O
week ago, when a messenger boy was
sent from a drug store to notify How
ard that he was wanted at the tele-
phone. Without having any idea who
was at the door Howard opened 1t with
a shotgun in his hand, and told the
boy that If he did not leave his prem
ises he would kill him.
After Howard's wife got a divorce
he took a woman to his residence as
housekeeper, and from the womans
cries for help that were often heard by
neighbors it appeared that he was even
more cruel to her than he had been to
his wife,
Scarcely a night passed but I was
summoned to Howard's house by the
blowing of a police whistle by the
woman, but when 1 arrived she would
never admit that the man had abused
her, although she was often badly
bruised"
Howard is mining engineer, q
graduate of Harvard university an6
appears to be wealthy.