Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-01-28
HOWARD ARRIVES
IN BURLINGTON
Former Clerk at Fort Ethan AL
len Is Jailed Here-Alleged
FOrger Seems Game.

John A. Howard, the six-foot ser
Ecant. whose real name is Klaver-
wcidcn, once quartermaster's clerk at
Fort Ethan Allen, from which office
he fled to Canada with a large amount
of the governments cash and bride.
formerly Miss Violet Lovcdalc is again
in this city. lie is now behind the
bars of Chttenden county Jail, having
been brought to Burlington from Rut-
land Friday night by Deputy United
states Marshal f. S. Whittaker Ser
Eeant Howard is well and in good
spirits. He told a Free Press reporter
who interviewed him at the jail that he
was glad to get back to Burlington
again.
Sergeant Howard also told the news
paper man that he did not care to
make any statement that sufficient
had been said in the, papers about his
trip and too much about Mrs. Howard.
the latter being entirely unwarranted.
SAYS HE is SORRY.
Are you s-rry?" asked the reporter
OF course I'm sorry. got in bad" re-
piled Sergeant Howard. I was getting
only $50 month at the post and it was
! small salary for man with SO large
responsibilities I had charge of all the
financial accounts. Commissioned officers
with not half the responsibility get NOR
Than twice as much
And there were temptations" inquired
the reporter
Sergeant Howard did not reply directly
10 this but he looked as though he thought
there were.
Are YOU going to plead guilty? Have
YOU hired counse?' was asked next
Certainly. I'm going to plead guilty"
answered the soldier ! have not en-
ployed counsel. ! can tell my story as
we'll as lawyer I expect that will be
tried in February here. I am sorry Judge
Martin is dead I would like to have
been tried before him"
We thought that you would enlist in
the English army" suggested the re-
porter.
GAVE sLECTHs THE SLIP
We'll had a chance to do that and
get a commission too, and five dollars
day for salary My intention was to
90 into business at Winnipeg. where
have a cousin. I gave the secret sorv-
zee men the slip for three days They
had the wrong dope to my direction
and were sure ! was going tc the coast.
Had I thrown them off would now be
engaged in business"
Did you know that the check you
forged for $500 on the government treas
urv and paid by the Howard bank had
been collected by the bank"
NO. ! didn't know that It must have
been a good forgery"
NOT lie tIa ntot ,,-l,g oh, ~
were arrested"
Forgery. The government can also
take me on the military charge of deser-
ton and give me three years. That Is
why am not anxious to get out on bail.
Perhaps couldn't raise the ten thou
sand dollars fixed in my case, but l
think 7 could get eve thousand. When
7 have served my sentence in this case
I will be soldier discharged without
honor and there can be no further pro-
sccution.
WILL REIMBURSE OFFICER,
What was the cause of the long de-
lay in getting back from Winnipeg to
. Nermont?'
THAT was because there was no deputy
marshal near by at first to bring me
here"
Sergeant Howard said that the amount
of the embezzlemcnt stated at over s.. 00(
In the newspapers was wrong. He added
in this connection:
Lieutenant Sumner Uhe quartermastei
under whom he worked) is a good fellow
I shall reimburse him for anything he
is out"
Well" said the reporter, I'm sorry
for you"
"A lot of fellows are sorry for me-
replied the sergeant
Sergeant Howard seems game and will
evidently make such restitution as he car
and take whatever is coming to him ir
tho way of sentence. without making
any particular objection.
His case will be taken Up before the
grand jury of the February term OF the
United States court, which will convene
in Burlington: the fourth Tuesday in
February.