Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-22
COL WARD IN THE TOLLS.
Alleged Confidence Man to Undergo
Trial in Boston

MAJ. Sylvester, Inspector Boardman and
members of the police force who did duty
many years ago are taking a deep interest
in the case of Daniel s. Ward alias
Wood, Or Col" Ward as he is more
Familiarity known, who. as stated in The
Star several days ago. is under arrest in
Boston. Col Ward was in the habit
of showing up in this city upon such oc-
casions as inaugurations and other cele-
brations which attracted large gather
ngs. He came at times when the judges
of the Police Court held persons under
the suspicion" clause OF the vagrancy
act, and under which clause the al
legged confidence man was hailed into
court.
Upon the occasion of one appearance
before Judge Miller he WAS defended by
Attorney Sillers. His appearance at that
time proved Of interest to the police. the
defendant. who was then advanced in
years, going the witness stand and
telling the story of his life. He posed
as horse dealer, but the police alleged
that he was one of the CLEVER con-
tidence men OF the country.
Col Ward was in the city a few days
ago, the police say, and is alleged TO
have passed worthless check at the
National Hotel, giving it in payment for
his b.N, it is said, and receiving the bal
ance in cash. He arrested in New
York early this week land turned over
to the Boston authorities. Dealing in
worthless checks on the Fletcher National
Bank of Indiana polls, the city in which
he was born Seyenty-four years ago, was
apparently his offense.
At the beginning of the civil war Ward
enlisted IN the Confederate army and
served S n spy, having previously been
employed dis pilot on the Mississippi river.
1t is said he had become a professional
gambler by the time the broke out.
Another charge against him is that in
the fall of 1864 he went to New York
for the purpose of assisting two other
men in the work of starting fires in the
big hotels and public buildings. Fires
were started in several buildings and
Ward. Capt. Kennedy and Capt. Beale.
alleged accomplices, were apprehended-
Kennedy and -Beale weres executed. but
Ward escaped the death penalty and was
afterward pardoned by President Lincoln
After he was released he returned to
the Mississippi river and ran on the
famous packets Natchez and r. r. Lee
Later he followed the races and became
the owner of a string Of horses. He did
not make a success in this venture, and
he resorted to the work of preying upon
the unwary. When Lieut.. Jere Murphy
took him to police headquarters III New
York this week the cd man stopped IN
front of the buildings and said:
Il spent four months in this same place
in 1861, when l was suspected OF pelhs
in a conspiracy to burn New YORK city.
Kennedy and Beale lied on me anu am
glad they were executed.
Before being taken to Boston the ageo
prisoner said he had been in The habit OF
taking from forty to flfty drinks gay
a,d he feared he would suffer if he could
not get a few "nips'' occasionally. 1t
lis said Ward married half-breed Indian
several months ago and went with her to
Providence, r. l. While there, IT Is re-
norted he visited the state Legislature,
intrnduced himself as Col Ward Of Ken
tucky. and was permitted to address one
branch. of that body, recess being taken
in order to hear what he had to say.
II is said by the police that the elderly
wan has served time in many prisons
throughout the United States for having
anpaged in various swindles.