Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1914-07-07
TRIAL OF
CAPTAIN HOWGATE

1t required Il chase ol thirteen
years by the best detectives in the
United States secret service to bring
10 justice Captain Henry w How
gate, government official accused
of embezzling Captain Howgate was
connected with the weather bureau
in Washington from the close of
the civil war to 1879, when he was
charged with forgery and embezzle-
ment to the extent of 100000.
Howgate had been arrested in
Washington in 1881, but, obtaining
permission from the officers to go to
his room and dress. he escaped
through the window and from that
time to 1894 he baffled all efforts
to capture him. For several years
he had led a double domestic life,
and when he escaped he fled to New
Orleans and remained there until he
believed the secret service detectives
were after him.
Accordingly, he took his departure
westward and was seen at one or
two places on the Pacific coast. For
two years before his arrest he had
been in the east. and when appre-
hended he was engaged in the old
bookstore business in New York City.
HOwgate was arrested on Septem-
Der 81, 1894, and the following day he
was taken before Judge Benedict in
the United States district court in
New York who honored extradition
papers from Washington, and he was
removed to that city for trial on
Tuesday. October 3 He was placed
in the district Jail and on Monday
December the 31st, 1894, he was
indicted, but pleaded mot guilty.
The indictments against him. how
ever, were sustained and he was
remanded TO Jail. His trial was be-
gun on January 81. and it was con-
tinued with several Interruptions I'M
til June 81 when he was convicted
both for forgery and for classifying
his accounts
Both the captain and his daughter
who had been with him throughout
the trial, took the verdict calmly.
The daughter burst into tears as the
convicted prisoner was taken back
to Jail On July 6, Captain How
gate was admitted to bail pending
an appeal from his conviction and
sentence on charges of forgery and
embezzlement. On September 80,
Captain Howgates bond having ex-
pired. he surrendered himself and
was again remanded to jail. On No
vember - his conviction was con-
| firmed and on November % he was
| taken from Washington to Albany
| to begin serving his sentence Of eight
years
The chief embezzlement charged
against him was as chief disbursing
officer of the signal corps. There
| were in all eleven indictments.
Captain Howgate was an English
man by birth and served with dis
tinction during several years of the
| civil war. He enlisted as second
| lieutenant of Il Michigan regiment in
August. 1862 and served to the
| close of the war on the staffs of
Generals Thomas, Slocum and Sher-
man. He was brevetted captain and
major for gallantry at Chickamauga
| and in the Atlanta campaign.
| While in the weather bureau, How
| gate first attracted general attention
| by projecting a novel method of Arc
| tic exploration, an advance eXpedi
| ton being sent TO the far north TO
| establish a depot of supplies. The
| schooner Florence was dispatched on
this Grand in 1877. but returned the
following year. In 1880 another YES
sci, the Gulnare went north. but ac-
complished nothing and the whole
scheme suffered hideous collapse
Captain Howgate himself never left
Washington in this connection.
WATCH FOR THE NEW CHASE
TRICKS -(Adyertiqement1 N