The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-04-03 00:00:00

WHOLLI3ALE SW I N MING IN
WINCHESTER.

Several of our citizens have good reason to regret the
advent to this city of a shrivelled, iron grey haired,
oil " gentleman," between 50 and 60 years of age; hut
one who, withal, seems to have been a "precious
rogue," Who gave the ?tante of Miles Bryan Hayes, and
represented that he wan a brother of !'resident Hayes,
the recently elected President of the American
I Republic. Ifit seems first to have made his appearance
in this city on Nlonitay, when he went to the George
Hotel, and made 141,1110 plausible statements to the
effect that he was about to send his son to be educated
at Winchester College, and (to account, we resume,
for his very sparest effects, which consisted limply of
what was contained in a small black leather hag, repres
sented that his wife and family were coming from
Frankfort Olt Saturday, who would bring the luggage
with them. lie stated that he was somewhat
undecided an to whether he should hire a house or
rentalii permanently, at least for a considerable period,
at an hotel, as he considered the latter wan, in respect
of economy, the cheapest plan, and avoided all the
trouble and anxiety respecting servantr. Having set
forth his wants should he remain at the hotel, a tariff
for extensive accommodation—four bedrooms and two
sitting rooms—was agreed upon.—After this he
praceeded to pay a visit 1,1 Mr. Gudgeon, home
agent, cabinet maker, ete and both spent a consider.
able time in going to all parte in ,abs looking out
for a residence, Mr. Gudgeon being generously
promised the furnishing of the same, which Wan to
t to "about £500." During this time the
tisitor proceeded "hi smut' " Mr. Geilgeon an to
monetary matters, flIl.l endeavoured to procure an
advance of £6O or £7O mum the security of some
"silver mining shares" which he rendered. Mr.
Gudgeon was, however, too wary to furnish the
acconunodation, and " Mr. Hayes,' then applied to
other tradesmen with like ill MUCCe.. Our visitor
seems now to have found that his applications in this
way were not likely to prove successful, eo he turned
his " talents" in another direction. Proceeding on
Friday to Mr. Fret's, the jeweller, in the Squares. he
selected jewellery to the amount of about £l4O which
he expressed his wish to purchase. Amongst the
artieles was a watch, which he intimated his desire to
. leave to be regulated, and he would call again for it.
Thia threw the tradesman off his guard, and the man
was allowed to depart with his Inoty. He stated at
Mr. Frost's shop and at the George that he was going
to dine at the College. To Mr. Frost he said with Dr.
!lidding • and at the George he announced to the
waiter that he might probably be absent till next
morning. On Saturday morning, however, inquiries
were made by Mr. Froet at the College, when it was
discovered that nothing wan known of the man, who
hail decamped with the jewellery, and leaving an hotel
bill amounting to about £7, he had lived on the fat
,if the land " during the time he was grarionsly
. pleased to patronise the hiwtelry. He has, however,
left behind hini the black hag, in which was found a
Nitwit's Pro,,attoring Dirtio,,ter.,,, besides (in the mom)
a small quantity of soiled linen, and it large bundle of
newspapers' some of which lie considerately allowed
the Waiters to pay for. Efforts are, of curse, being
made to capture the offender, and it is hoped that
• they will he stweessful. It may be 'if assistance
towards this etel if we state that the proprietor of
the George, Air. Palmer, is of from the
speech of his patron, that he is a Gm eran. It is
suppiwed that he made his escape from the city by
walking to Itishirtoke, carrying with him the
jewellery, from which he
.took the train for—nobody
now, where but himself.