Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-24

NOTE LEADS
TO CAPTURE
MAN SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD
FOUND HERE
INSURANCE COMPANIES HAD
PAID ON POLICIES
Note Left at Time of Death by Woman
Beneficiary Results in Chase
Chase Across Atlantic and
Capture Here

letter from northumberland, England,
to Los Angeles will probably prove the
downfall of William Watson, said to
be wanted by English authorities on
a charge of defrauding insurance COM
panies out of $4,000.
For more than a year Watson was
thought to be dead. 1t was supposed
he had been drowned while bathing at
a coast resort, where he had been visit
ing with his wife and a number of
friends. So convinced of his death
were all that one insurance company
paid to his wife $1,000 and to another
woman $4,000 on policies held by Wat
son.
In July, 1906. according to informa-
tion filed with Capt. Auble of the Los
Angeles police department. Watson,
while visiting at the coast resort, sud
denly disappeared.
He, with party of friends, had been
lying on the beach. Springing to his
feet Watson said he was going swim
ming. He went to bath house a
short distance away, where he donned
a bathing suit and soon reappeared.
For some time his friends watched
him sporting about in the water, but
at last their attention was attracted to
other things.
Man Is Missed
When they looked again at the spot
where they had last seen Watson the
man had disappeared. Thinking Wat
son had finished his swim and was
changing his bathing suit for street
clothes his friends felt no alarm, but
waited for him to reappear. After
some time they went to the little bath
house and opened the door. On the
floor of the little house was Watson's S
clothing, everything complete, his
watch and chain, pocket knife and
money, but no trace of the missing
man.
They gave the alarm and in a short
time the little beach resort was
aroused to a high pitch. Divers made
unsuccessful attempts to find the man,
and searching parties secured the
coast, but without result His wife
was stricken with hysteria and for
several days her life was despaired of.
The high tide failed to bring tidings
of the missing man, and it was sup
posed he had been washed to sea by
a strong undercurrent. Watson was
mourned as dead and the life insur-
ance policies were paid.
At the time of his disappearance
Watson was a partner in pottery
factory, had no financial embarrass-
ments and was considered a prosper
Gus manufactures. He belonged to the
church, was a member of a fraternal
organization and was looked upon as
a model citizen.
Pay Death Claims
Although the insurance companies
had paid the death claims they were
suspicious, as one of the policies was
made payable to Mrs. Lambert,
widow, with whom Watson is said to
have been friendly. The companies
began Investigations and learned Wat
son had borrowed money from the
widow She was closely watched and
questioned, but no information was
obtained.
Several months ago Mrs. Lambert
died and among her effects was found
a letter bearing Los Angeles post
mark. The letter was turned over to
the insurance companies and while 1t
did not have a name signed to it the
agents decided to find the author.
Their representative at San Francisco
was communicated with and given the
facts of the case and a description of
Watson. This representative forward
ed the papers to a Los Angeles insur-
ance firm who in turn handed the data
to Capt. Auble. He began an investi-
cation and after many difficulties sue
ceeded in locating his man.
Capt. Auble ordered Watson taken
to the station. At first Watson denied
his identity. He was living under an
assumed name, but at last was con-
fronted with evidence that could not
be lmpeached, and finding his denials
useless Watson is said to have told
Capt. Auble his story.
Questions Watson
"Watson was brought to my office
several days ago." said Capt. Auble.
He is employed as an engineer and
is living under an assumed name. At
first he denied he was the man. 1
asked MIN to write the name William
Watson He did so. Then L produced
several letters which had been written
by him before he left England. l COM
pared the writing with the signature
of the letters and found them identical.
After l showed him some billheads of
Watson's firm and photograph of
himself he admitted he was the man.
After leaving England Watson went
to Quebec. He stayed there a while
and then crossed the United States and
stopped at Seattle. He remained there
four months and came to Los Angeles
in November. He is now working in
this city.
"Watson said that after succeeding
in creating the impression that he had
been drowned he stayed in England,
and when the insurance money was
paid Mrs. Lambert she gave him part
of it and he LEFT for Canada. He said
he wanted to leave his wife and that
he owed the widow a considerable
amount of money, and he thought by
defrauding the insurance companies he
could carry out his plans of leaving
his wife and settling the debt.
II understand the insurance COM
panies will endeavor to recover their
money by suing the estate of the dead
widow. Watson will not be molested
unless the English authorities serve
the necessary requisition papers. The
man is earning an honest living here
I'd / will not give out the name he
" going under
has no children and his wife
ing in England.