Year: 1864

The authorship of the bogus proelama-
ton has been traced by the Government
authorities In this city to Joseph Howard,
late city editor of the New York Ddily
Times, and at the time Of his arrest city ed
itor of the Brooklyn DGilg Eagle. The
method by which the authorship of this gi-
gantic hoax was traced to its author was
most ingenious, but can not at present be
made public. 1t is sufficient to know that
it was most successful, and that while the
perpetrators of the swindle managed the
major part of the affair most adroitly they
still left sufficient traces of their work to
enable the detectives to get at the principal
offender.


THE ARREST.


The evidence was found to be conclusive
against the accused as early as one o'clock
yesterday morning; hut the arrest was de-
layed until half-past three o'clock in the
afternoon. Major General Dix then issued
ali order directed to United States Marshal
Murray, who detailed Deputy Marshal
Tooker to act with detectives Radford and
McDougal in making the arrest. The Off
GERS proceeded to the office of the Brooklyn
Edqle, and found the accused, to whom they
stated their business, telling him they had
the most conclusive evidence of his guilt.
and that they had traced the origin Of the
matter to him through several different
sources. Howard appeared like one thun-
ders truck, and as the detectives detailed
point after point to him in the chain
of testimony they had gathered he appear
ed bewildered, and at once confessed his
guilt. He was Immediately conveyed to
Fort Lafayette.


THE PRISONERS MOTIVE.


The prisoners motive in promulgating
the forgery, so far as himself was concern
ed, appears to have been merely to advance
his own interests. His means were limited
to degree; but he had used such as he had
in the stock gambling operations in Wall
street. Not being altogether in the ring,
he became loser, and saw himself on the
verge of ruin, through some unfortunate
speculations into which he had been in
duced to embark. The idea entered his
mind that well devised story, that would
send a chill over the entire nation, already
getting eXuberant over the victories of
General Grant, would be sure to send up
gold and stocks, and if he could manage to
buy for the rise he would pocket snug
profit. To do this he was obliged to lend
himself to the designs of other gamblers as
desperate as himself, and even more un-
scrupulous; those who had two fold object





damage the Union cause abroad. Hence the
selection of Wednesday morning (steamer
day. for the publication. The long famili-
arity the accused had with the operations
of the New York press and his minute
knowledge of the usages and workings of
the Associated Press, and the manner in
which their telegraph matter was pre-
pared and delivered, enabled him to con-
duct the affair most successfully. He knew
that so important matter as "Proclama-
ton by the President" coming in at an hour
of the morning just before the moment of
going to press, when seconds even are more
valuable than grains of gold, could not have
that careful attention which would have
been given it at an earlier hour of the night,
and he selected that moment for the delivery
of the bogus dispatch.


THE PRISONERS ANTEcEDENTs.


1t will be curious fact for the public to
learn-though it may not astonish them
mueh-that the accused has for long time
past been an active member of Plymouth
church. Brooklyn, and that his father is
deacon thereof and that he has sat under
the drippings of Father Beecher's sanctu-
ary, and enriched the columns of The Inde-
pendent with sketches of the prominent
members of the editors gospel shop" The
reading public are pretty conversant with
his egotistic. not to say bombastic, How
ard of the Times" which glared out in
Haunting capitals as preface to his arti-
cles in the weekly papers. His career as a
reporter for the public press has not been q
long one. His influence from Plymouth
church, more than his ability, it is said.
procured him his situation as city editor of
The Times-a place which he did not long
retain, What he was previous to that Is of
little Importance to know. His crowning
act is sufficient to give the true impress of
his character, as it has been made by SUI
of egotism, a superficial edu-
cation, and brain completely turned by
the infatuation of Wall street gambling
and manipulated by the most desperate
Wall street gamblers. What the Govern
ment NAV ultimately do with him is at
present unknown. For the time being he
will be held in Fort Lafayette, solitary
prisoner, on soldiers rations.