William James Webber (1860 - 1942)

Born 15 Nov 1860 in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, United States

Husband of Minnie Belle (Bender) Webber — married 26 Dec 1890 in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, United States

Died 21 May 1942 at age 81 in Los Angeles, California, United States

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Biography

Birth & Childhood

William James Webber was born on November 16,1860 in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio ^[1] to parents Frederick Webber and Minnie Gehring. ^[2] His middle name of James is not certain, as it was only found cited once, in the marriage record of his first daughter. ^[3] On all other records it is only shown as "J". How much of his life was spent in Ohio is unknown. It is assumed at this time he was raised and schooled in Ohio, as records show he had attended school. ^[4]

At some time before 1876, William relocated to Chicago, Cook County, Illinois with his parents. ^[5] In 1877 he is found living at 780 Larrabee in Chicago, Illinois. ^[6] His father Frederick is also listed in the directory as living at the same address. He was about 17 years of age at the time, and was working as a clerk. He soon moved out of this residence about this time. According to the prison register for his sentence at Joliet in 1896, he stated he left home at age 17. ^[4]

A man that would play a role in the education and upbringing of William in his later teen years, was Everlin B. Hamlin. Hamlin lived in Chicago at 421 Fulton. ^[7] According to an article from The Evening Times (Washington D.C.), 07 Jan 1896, Tue, Page 3 titled "To Kill His Benefactor", the following is stated, "William was picked up from the streets by Hamlin twenty years ago, and was educated by the latter and supported until he reached manhood." This may give indication to his being a bookkeeper at seventeen, having been trained in the years prior to 1877. It is interesting to note that twenty years prior to this article (1876) there is a listing for a William Weber as a student attending Bryant and Stratton Business College in the Chicago directory. It is not confirmed or disproven that this William is one and the same with William J Webber of this article. ^[8]

Adult Life

Before and during July of 1879, William committed a series of burglaries with his brother Gus, that landed him in in jail and eventually in court. In a post in the Chicago Tribune, August 1, 1879, Fri, Page 7, William, along with his brother Gus, were charged with burglary of the home of Thomas Jordan. From the paper, it is stated "William and Gus Weber are prisoners at Central Station, and Henry Bothmen is at the Cottage Grove Station, charged with burglarizing the house of Thomas Jordan, No. 103 Calumet avenue and stealing there from an $80 harness, and also for entering the same house some months ago and stealing a quantity of jewelry." ^[9] On August 2, 1879, the Chicago Tribune gave the results of the court hearing; "Justice Wallace: Henry Bothman and Gus and William Weber, burglary of the residence of Thomas Jordan. No, 108 Canal port avenue, $500 each to the Criminal Court". It is not known if William paid the fine or stayed in jail. He was out on the streets of Chicago by early 1879, as he appears in court again on or before October 17, 1879. The Chicago Tribune, on October 17, 1879, Fri, Page 8 published the following on William Weber; "Forty-five prisoners were arraigned to plead in the Criminal Court yesterday, and, as is usual, the "heft" of them confessed that they were innocent...William Weber owned that he was a burglar...". ^[10]

This latest foray into his life of crime landed him a trip to Joliet. On November 5, 1879 William was received at Joliet State Prison for the crime of burglary. He had received a sentence of one year, and remained in Joliet until October 6, 1880 when he was released. ^[11] The Following month in Chicago, a William Webber was again in court, being arraigned on "petit larceney", but this William has not been confirmed to be the same William.

William returned to Chicago after his stay at Joliet. The next record we can find for William is the 1882 Chicago directory. William is listed twice: boarding at the address of 108 Schiller and employed 110 Randolph in Chicago. The two locations are roughly 2 miles apart. The occupations listed are bookkeeper and clerk. ^[12] The 110 Randolph address is certainly William, because in the 1883 directory, Miss Minnie McAllister is also listed as a clerk at the same address. ^[13] Minnie Belle McAllister would later marry William in 1890. ^[2] The business they both worked at was Steele and Price, a company in Chicago that produced baking powder and flavor extracts. The company is also listed in this same directory. ^[14]

William continued to live and work in Chicago until about 1883-84. He then relocated to St Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota to take a position as a clerk with the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway. ^[15] In February of 1884, his first daughter Myrtle Webber was born. William, Myrtle and Minnie Belle were enumerated in the Minnesota census of 1885. ^[16] William remained in the area and employed with the railroad company until 1893, after achieving the engineers chief clerk position in about 1886. William and his families known locations of residence in Minnesota are listed below.

1884: 244 14th St. Webber, Wm J, clk eng's dept C St P M & O Ry

1885: 244 14th St. Webber, Wm J, sec

1886: 391 N Oak Webber, Wm J, eng's chief clk C St P M & O Ry

1887: 260 Nash Webber, Wm J, eng's chief clk C St P M & O Ry

1888: 245 13th Webber, Wm J, chief clk eng office C St P M & O Ry

1889: 245 13th Webber, Wm J, chief clk C St P M & O Ry

1890: 718 DeSoto Webber, Wm J, chief clk C St P M & O Ry

1891: 352 E 10th Webber, Wm J, chief clk C St P M & O Ry

1892: 99 S Victoria Webber, Wm J, clk

1893: Webber, Wm J, Moved to Chicago, Ill

William and family remained in St. Paul Minnesota until sometime before May 1893. We know this from the following newspaper entry from the St. Paul Globe on May 20, 1893.

Rufus J. Reid has attached the effects of William J. Webber and Minnie B. Webber to satisfy a claim of $245.00 due for rent.

The final status of the court ruling and if William and Minnie honored the judgement is unknown. They may have already left for Chicago at the time of the ruling.

In 1893, William and family relocated to Chicago.

Conspiracy To Commit Murder

In January of 1896, William J. Webber, along with his brother Gus Webber sparked a nation wide sensation in newspapers around the United States when they were arrested for the conspiracy to commit the murder of Everlin B. Hamlin. The following account of the conspiracy, crime, trial and sentence is derived from the articles assembled in the process of research.

Around December 1895, William plotted with his brother, Gus Webber, a plan to murder Everlin B. Hamlin, the man who was to resume his position, and take the temporary position of secretary, William's new position, in the Kilmer Bale Tie Company. The following was taken from no less than 41 contemporary articles of the period.

William J. Webber, a bookkeeper, and Harry, alias Gus Webber, his brother, were arrested yesterday on warrants charging them with conspiracy to murder Everlin B. Hamlin, Secretary of the Kilmer Bale Tie company, a concern having offices in the Bort Building, No. 21 Quincy Street. Detectives have found considerable evidence of a conspiracy to kill Hamlin in order to give William J. Webber the opportunity to succeed Hamlin as secretary of the company. Aside from Central Station Detectives, Detectives Hartford and Tierney, Detectives Overhue and Maguire of the Stanton Avenue Precinct Station and James Cunningham, said to be connected with the Thiel Detective Agency, have been at work on the case four days. The murder of Hamlin, the detectives assert, was circumvented by information given by Richard Moloney, who says he was asked by Gus Webber to help "do up" Hamlin.

Attorney D. D. O'Brien, to whom the evidence evidence against the Webber brothers was submitted and who advised swearing out warrants, gave Capt. Elliott at detective headquarters all information in his possession. Cunningham says Moloney, whom he knows in a casual way, called upon him last Friday and told him there was a conspiracy on foot to murder E. B. Hamlin. When asked to tell what he knew about it Moloney said Gus Webber approached him about Christmas time with a proposition to kill Hamlin, and said there was money in it. Moloney assented, intending to get at the details of the plot, and finally discovered that Gus Webber was acting with his brother William J. Webber, who is employed in Hamlin's office as a bookkeeper, but who for several weeks has been acting secretary of the company owing to a temporary disability disability of Mr. Hamlin. Mr. Hamlin has known William J. Webber many years, and employed him in the office as bookkeeper several several months ago because he trusted him implicitly.

William J. Webber was paymaster for the Chicago and Northwestern at St. Paul nine months ago, when he was induced to come to Chicago by Mr. Hamlin, who wished to take a vacation. About the middle of last month, however, Mr. Hamlin returned from the West greatly invigorated by his trip. He was prepared to assume his old position and Webber was given thirty days' notice that the change would be made. He was promised a position with the company, but less lucrative.

One day last week it is claimed Webber went to his brother Gus, who frequents a, resort at 300 Clark street and who has before been in trouble with the police, and told him of his plan to do away with Hamlin in order to retain his position with the Bale Tie company. Gus agreed to execute the work for $20.00, and says that he was provided with weapons with which to murder Hamlin. Every preparation was made for the assassination, and Thursday night Hamlin was followed to a Madison street car. Gus had secured the promised assistance of Richard Moloney, a frequenter of levee resorts.

William accompanied Gus and Moloney to a second-hand store at No. S55 Clark Street, and after buying a slungshot for each of them and an overcoat for Gus gave him a revolver. William then returned, he says, to his work In Quincy street and awaited results. That evening Moloney and his companion waited on the street In front of No. 21 Quincy street for Hamlin. It was 6 o'clock when the latter left the office, and, unmindful of the conspiracy against his life, walked down Dearborn street to Madison, where he boarded a cable train. Moloney and Gus Webber boarded the same car unnoticed by their intended victim. After the train had turned the State Street curve in the loop several other acquaintances entered the car who were acquaintances of Mr. Hamlin, and the purposes of the two men were weakened by the handshaking that followed. Webber and Moloney rode to Fifth avenue, where they left the train, and decided to postpone the work until the following Saturday evening. The next day the circumstances were explained to William Webber, who was told that the plan would be carried out the following Saturday.

Hamlin was again shadowed on Saturday evening, but Moloney refused to perform his part. The undertaking was temporarily given up, and Moloney told a friend that night of his thwarted intentions. Although he told the story in confidence, it was carried to Detective Tierney, to whom the whole conspiracy was made known.

Gus Webber at first disclaimed all connection with the conspiracy, but when confronted by Moloney in Lieutenant Haas' office weakened and confessed. Detectives Tierney and Hartford went to the offices of The Kilmer Company and arrested Wllliam Weber while working at his desk. The charges were at first discredited by every one in the office.

Mr. Hamlin would not believe the charges until he had talked with the self-confessed conspirator. Moloney was released from custody, but the Webber brothers were locked up and will be arraigned in the Armory court this morning. Mr. Hamlin, it is said, has been William Webber's benefactor. Twenty years ago the latter was a street boy and Mr. Hamlin gave him employment. He helped him get many lucrative positions. Webber is 35 years of age and lives with his family at no. 279 North Market Street. Mr. Hamlin is nearly 65 years of age. and has lived on the West Side for a number of years and is well known in business circles.

List of Newspaper Articles Covering the Crime

Tuesday, January 7, 1896

Marriages

William was known to have at least two marriages in his life.

Minnie Belle Bender/McCallister

Children

William and Minnie Belle had the following children.

Myrtle Jessmin Webber: b. 5 February 1884 - d. 4 August 1950.

As of 28 April 2019 DNA evidence points to Myrtle as being adopted by Minnie Belle and William.

Eugene Vincent Webber: b. 25 August 1887 - d. September 1965.

Unnamed Infant Webber: b./d. 24 August 1888.

Research Notes

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 25 August 2018), memorial page for William Jay Weber (15 Nov 1860–21 May 1942), Find A Grave Memorial no. 148467176, citing Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale), Glendale, Los Angeles County, California, USA ; Maintained by Romper90069 (contributor 1277) . Url: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/148467176.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "Wisconsin, County Marriages, 1836-1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRFH-2LZ : 16 March 2018), William J. Webber and Minnie Belle Bender, 26 Dec 1890; citing , Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison; FHL microfilm 1,276,053.
3. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:243Q-PP3 : 10 February 2018), William James Henner in entry for William Nesenger and Myrtle Hebber, 23 Sep 1903; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,570,985.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Illinois Department of Corrections & predecessor agencies. Joliet Correctional Center, Volume 07. Will County, Illinois: Illinois State Archives, 1895. Description: Registry of prisoners incarcerated at the Joliet Correctional Center, Volume 07 (August 14, 1895 -- August 6, 1896) Page 196. Record for William J Webber. Url link: http://www.idaillinois.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16614coll29/id/13668.
5. ↑ City Directories for Chicago, Illinois, 1876. Chicago: Donnelley Loyd and Company,1876. Source citation: Page 1041 for Weber, Frederick patternmkr. House 284 Mohawk. Url link: https://www.fold3.com/image/5/77692476 (requires subscription to view).
6. ↑ City Directories for Chicago, Illinois, 1877. Chicago: Donnelley Loyd and Company,1877. Source citation: Page 1021 for Weber, William, 780 Larrabee and page 1020 for Frederick Weber at same address. Url link: https://www.fold3.com/image/5/78221617 (requires subscription to view).
7. ↑ City Directories for Chicago, Illinois, 1877. Chicago: Donnelley Loyd and Company,1877. Source citation: Page 448 for Hamlin, Everlin B, 421 Fulton. Url link: https://www.fold3.com/image/5/80067497 (requires subscription to view).
8. ↑ City Directories for Chicago, Illinois, 1876. Chicago: Donnelley Loyd and Company,1876. Source citation: Page 1041 for Weber, William. Url link: https://www.fold3.com/image/5/77692476 (requires subscription to view).
9. ↑ Minor Crimes. Chicago Tribune, 01 Aug 1879, Fri, Page 7. Reference to William and Gus Weber. Url link: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17408812/minor_crimes_gus_william_weber/
10. ↑ ’’The County Building’’. Chicago Tribune, 17 Oct 1879, Fri, Page 8. Source citation: William Webber. Url link: https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=17408355.
11. ↑ Illinois Department of Corrections & predecessor agencies. "Illinois State Prison (Joliet), Volume 2." Will County, Illinois: Illinois State Archives, 1879. Description: Registry of prisoners incarcerated at Joliet Correctional Center, Volume 2 (October 1, 1878 -- September 29, 1885), Page 2-0032. Record for William Webber. URL link: http://www.idaillinois.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16614coll29/id/17127.
12. ↑ City Directories for Chicago, Illinois, 1882. Chicago: The Chicago Directory Company,1882. Source citation: Page 1261 for Weber, William J bkpr boards 108 Schiller & Weber, W. J. clerk 110 Randolph (residence & work). Url link: https://www.fold3.com/image/5/84225173 (requires subscription to view).
13. ↑ City Directories for Chicago, Illinois, 1883. Chicago: The Chicago Directory Company,1883. Source citation: Page 787 for McAllister, Minnie Miss clk. 110 Randolph. Mother shown, McAllister Maggie Mrs. dressmkr. house 418 W. Adams. Url link: https://www.fold3.com/image/5/82661170 (requires subscription to view).
14. ↑ City Directories for Chicago, Illinois, 1883. Chicago: The Chicago Directory Company,1883. Source citation: Page 1173 for STEELE & PRICE Charles R. Steele & V.C. Price) baking powder and flavoring extracts 110 Randolph. Url link: https://www.fold3.com/image/5/82661558 (requires subscription to view).
15. ↑ St. Paul City Directory, 1884. St. Paul, Minnesota: R.L. Polk & Co. Owner: Saint Paul Public Library. Source citation: Page 804 for Webber, Wm. J, clk eng’s dept C St P M & O Ry, res 244 14th. Url: http://box2.nmtvault.com/StPaul/jsp/viewer.jsp?doc_id=mnsp0000%2F20170531%2F00000026&page_name=806.
16. ↑ "Minnesota State Census, 1885," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQXG-MK4 : 4 August 2017), Wm J Webber, St Paul Ward 01, Ramsey, Minnesota; citing p. 9, volume 1 Ward, State Library and Records Service, St.Paul; FHL microfilm 565,750.

• Indiana, Marriages, 1810-2001. Marriage of Myrtle J Nessenger to James Douglas Reid, 1 Jun 1917.

See also:

• FamilySearch - William J. Webber - LY35-7ZZ. Url: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LY35-7ZZ
• "Find A Grave - William Jay Weber - Memorial ID 148467176. Url: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/148467176.