AN AMERICAN FUGITIVE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9140, 8 May 1908, Page 2

AN AMERICAN FUGITIVE.

After being chased _ over 27,000_ miles, Horace G. M’Kinley, one of the chief figures in the notorious Oregon land frauds, lias at last been captured, and on the prisoner’s arrival at San Francisco an amazing series of escapes from justice was unfolded. M’Kialey is implicated in the land-grabbing scandals with one United States Senator, several Congressmen, and others. Arrested two years ago last November, in Oregon, he suddenly disappeared, leaving his bondsmen in the lurch, and after having married his typist to prevent her testifying against him and his associates. Leaving her behind, he travelled to San Francisco, where he eloped with a woman known in that city as “Little Egypt. ” He was next heard of in Shanghai, whither he had escaped from San Francisco, in disguise. In Shanghai he roamed at will, believing ho was immune from arrest. as no extradition treaty existed between the United States and China, but Secretary of State Elihu Root, as a special favor, secured his arrest. It was at Mukden, as M’Kinley was making his way towards Harbin, and thence across Siberia to Europe, that he was arrested last November by the Chinese, and placed in gaol, awaiting word from America, He heard there of the hatred felt for the Chinese by the infamous Huuhus pirates, who infested the neighbourhood, and he resolved to take a chance of securing their Md. Through an American embezzler there he got word to the pirates, and made his escape. Later, an alleged friend betrayed him, and he was recaptured. M’Kinley was permitted to enter a small house for a few moments. A woman’s dress and other garments had been depositsd there, and these M’Kinley donned, escaping through a-window after having placed his coat in a position that would indicate to his custodian that he was still in the house. His absence, however, was soon observed, and then began an excited search through the streets of Mukden. Ha might have been recaptured had the pirates not gone to his assistance, and roughly seized him, as thougix anxious to rob him. He stayed in their company from November 11th until December. The Han bus were helpful in providing him with tiie costume of a Russian drovor and a false beard, and they finally took leave of him, miles to the northward of Mukdep. M’Finley gradually worked uortuward, and on one-occasion slept for days and nights in a Chinese coffin owned by a peasant family with whom he stayed. He bad grown careless by the time lie reached Harbin, and walked the streets fearless of arrest, still wearing his Rnsisan costume. Ho made acquaintances, but one, discerning his disguise, betrayed him to the police. His weeping and deserted wife tearfully met him on the night of February "l 9th at San Francisco Ferry, and accompanied him, with the police, to Portland for his trial.