The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-12-04 00:00:00

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CAPTURE OF A REMARKABLE
SWINDLER.

Letters have frequently appeared in The Times from
pergolli victimized, or intended to be victimized, by an
,stensive system of begging-letter imposture' carried
on by one or more scoundrels who wrote from America
to the add,.. oi people recently deceased M
Englend, appealing to them for sums of money under
the varied guisea ot charity, caution money, sod other
Diodes of extortion. These applications, falling into
the hands of mourning relatives, have in tit° many
instances, been largely successful in the extraction
of money, sometimes contributed with the lauf.
able object of carrying out the supposed benevelent in-
tention, of departed friends, and in other cases to
shield their memories from the exposure of supposed
enformnate assoeiattons. The public will now have
the satisfaction of knowing that one of the most &MOM-
plished swindlers of modern times is in custody at
phila&lphia, after pursuing a course of ON Stellaatitlta
&doe probably unequalled in thy history of post.
et6,e affairs. The following is the outline of the
cue :
On the Lel of July lain Mr. Hooper, an architect
and survey or, resiiing at Stfuthainvon, died, awl a
day or two afterwards his death was advertised in The
rimes as having occurred at the above address. About
the 6th of August a letter was received from America
directed to the deceased gentleman, which wan placed
in the habit of his brother-in-law, Mr. Weatlake, a
therchant, as Mr. Hooper's executor. Of this letter the
following in a copy :
" Hospital, July 22, 1869.
.‘ Kind, honoured, good Renefactor,--It is eome time since
I wrote last, nor should 1 do so bow, hut I am very ill, and
the Money yitt sent me last is all gone, and I am at this
Moment, when I require it most, without a penny. Kindest
noblest benefactor, you told me to be sure and write to you
again the very moment I had further need of your assist-
knew bo not, I may you, think me extravagant. The
dreadful heat of this summer has made me suffer much, and
I am very ill, and fear shall never live to see my
beloved friends any more. Oh, my heart is breaking
as I think of them ; have they not long since mourned for
me as deal ` Little does my loving mither dream her
carefully nurtured darling boy is dying in this dreadful
fiction, ges,mwo.and uucared for, among strangers On my
tomes I pray (Lai to forgive nor and all iw me once swan to
be clasped to their fond hearts. Oh, indeed, my kindest,
descent frisnd, must I die here, so young, anti with no one
to toes rue or speak kindness to my sorrowing heart ! Yet I
rsunot dare to whisper disgrace to them. No. rather let me
die- as I am than that the blush of shame 'Mould mantle
their proud cheeks. May Doti bless you for your honoured
promise of secrecy. I have, as you know, ten months longer
to ninsin in thi- awful piece. Oh, may I live to see the day !
Pray, honoured, kind benefactor. send me another Xll,
semi a Hank of England note, it is the very best enclosure
as lAm situated, and direct it to the doctor. Ile has been
very kind to nie indeed, and has kindly consented th it your
letter to me may be addressed to him. Alt my noble bene-
factor, my best friend, shall be repaid with heartfelt thanks
when, of age, I receive dear amit's estate. Thank God, no
one knows me in America. Oh, seed instantly ! The money
will reach me safely it directed for ' Then piftee the
letter in another envelope, and direct, ' Dr. Samuel Hawley,
Elkton, Cecil county, Maryland, U.S.', and the doctor will
hand me the one enclosed. I have been if I nearly four
months; at times my cough is dreadful, and I am mattering
from absolute necessities money only will procure here.
Dear lir. Hooper, send me all the news of home, for I am
dying to hear. I have not a cent left to pay postage on this.
Bless you bless you, for your goodness. to mercy send with-
out en Instant delay. Oh. do I—E
.—Please again send flies few more shilling postage
stamps want them for the same purpose as before. Will
yon also kindly learn if dear Lady Anna has returned home?
feud by return."
_' • '

To this letter Mr. Westlake, with much caution,
wrote • reply, addressed as requested, informing "E."
of Mr. Hooper's death, and telling him that if "E."
would like to confide the secret to him it would be
cafe in his bands, and that he (Mr. Westlake) would be
glad to help him if he could. He enclosed in the letter
two shilling postage stamps, but sent no money. In
course of post Mr. Westlake received the following
letters from America.

" Sept. 1, leen
'• Kind and honoured Sir,—Dr. Hawley on Monday placed
your letter in my hands, in the which you have cativea el to
me the mournful intelligence of the death of my nolle, kind-
hearted bendictor. Can it be possible he is no more? If so,
death has ribbed the world of one of the hest of nien, and
me situated as I am, of my only f lend. Oh, your dreadful
informal in has ciushi it one to the earth. It pow appears as
theugh the last link WRS broken that bound me wits home;
tsars are all that I have to offer to his beloved memory,
but they ate tears of gratitude, love, and reaped. Litre
dli I think when I received his last lett, r it would be
the tart; hut he is in heaven, and, oh, when I ilie may
I meet hut there. Accept, pray do, my sorrowing sym-
pathy ; surely, it I live I will repay into you hands,
every tart Mug, for when I retorts I shall be just of age and
come into my property—be rich. Do not be offended Ova 1
do not make an self known to you, awl, oh, do believe me,
it is from ho doubt of your kiedness and secrecy—oh no,
for wed I kuow you have a kind heart, and protei Filleted I
Ito to ki.ow I was worthy of yeur frieueship. But, alas !
tam uut situate I as I was when the benevolent deal, by
merest accident, first became acquainted with my sad atm,
tion. how every letter I write nest be seen by one or
more of the officers before sent, :mil sooner than I would
place it in the p.m, of any one to pint the finger of scorn
at those so dear and good, or would sully our proud name, I
would die as I ant a themand tines. They navy think me
dead, and live arid bless me Would they, could they, do
so, knowing me as I am? Oh! my situation is almost en-
brerattle your dreadful news has quite mullein.' me. Dr.
and kit it Mrs Hawley have been very kind to me, Indeed,
and I bless and revere them for it. I know if in their
power they would set me free. But, no Must I this here—
here, in this dreadful place? Oh, may the good Lord for-
bid ! and yea I begin to despair, for at times I feel very
bad and that death is not far off. thoueh the doctor is kind
and tries to make me believe otherwise, but I know, I feel,
It will Inc so; but, oh, God greet that I may return to dear,
beloved England and die in the arms of those I ea dearly
love! Oh, no, I cannot die bore; it would be too horrible.
The very thought is crushit g the life out of me. Oh, will
you pray God for the poor prodigal that he may be allowed
to ratan, that for him the fatted calf may lie hillel! NOW,
prarlisteit to me, anti beheve me truly. If I live to return,
I will call upon you the first, for I 1111.11 It have the advice Of
tome me before Igo home. I will then kneel at aver feet
an.l tell you all, praying for yi•ur friendship and secrecy, then
I am assured you will be pleased that your benevolent, good
brother-in-law was kind to me. Oh, do not think me lost ! I
am le tithe., wretched, hut am not, indeed lament, know-
truly guilty any crime, Yes. you ebail surely thin know
all. Even new perhaps by hint I might make ou acquainted
with who I am, but such hell-way confidence would be
uneatisfactcry to yeu, and drea fully harrassing to me..
Bless you, bless you, for you offer to befriend me, but fear
I must ft deg., the truly desired pleasure. I dare not ask
yen to assist me; but, oh! I ant very ill, and in want, yet
no, I will deny myself even to death. Bed can only know
my heartfelt sorrow; but I am doing Add, my heart tells
tech am; U any suffer let the deavy and the heavier load
fall on me, who oeserves it, till I am crushed, till I sink
despised; but euknown, yet to my beloved, dearest friends
my memory will be Sweet. I know not what I write. May
Site good Lord teach me that resignation I feel my deep
edsery no urgently requires! Bless you, if I live to return
I will surely see you. Oh, pray for me; oh, do! Accept the
expressions of my heartfelt sympathy. you and all related to
him have sustained. Oh, may Ihe permitted to mingle my
tears with yours! Bleas you. Oh, do pray for me !
" E."

" North East, Sept. 1, 1869.
" Dear Sir—Your favour was duly received, and the en-
closed was handed to the poor young gentleman for whom it
was intended. The information it contained affected him
greatly; he has evidently lost a kind and good friend, for he
shed many and bitter terra I am myself greatly disap-
pointed at the circumstance, as it was my intentien when I
wrote the letter I did for him some time ego that if the
reply ass satisfactory to write to the gentleman on his be-
half the lamented decease of his kind benefactor has some-
what disarranged my intention. Still, man object of mercy,
I think it soy duty to write to any friend he has; this, I hope
will he a sufficient excuse for my adding these few lines to
the reply poor K has requested sue to send you, and which I
herewith transmit.
" Mrs Hawley and myself are deeply interested in the
welfare of this poor young gentleman, not only from his
being so dissimilar from the common inmates of a prison,
but for his gentlemanly, thankful. and humble deportment.
It is reboot be lithe I at and erring eon of very respectable
and perhaps ovule people, and although I cannot from the
evidence trim sent him here exonerate him from all blame,
yet I think I may to qualify the act by Paying be was the
dupe of some artful and designing villain, and not the
willing enactor of the offence I arra not singular in this
belief, it is the opinion of the official/I of the prison, and
although be is not known here, for it is evident he was com-
mitted under an assumed name, yet I may say without
exception, all wish him well, and safely reetorei to the
many aching hearts that mourn the loss of such a son,
brother, and relation.
1 iegrnt to say he has the many early symptoms of con•
sumption, but I think if he waa shortly removed from con-
finement, bin mind once at ease, with the careful nursing
dear friends only know how to extend, he might be restored
to health. In fact I think I may say the disease, under such
favourable tireatment, would be eradicated. I never felt my
want of means no acutely as Ido at this moment My in-
come in extremely limited, in fact, I can truly say that, with
nip large and truly helpless family, I find it very difficult to
make both ends meet ; It it was not so, be assured this
letter would not be written. It would be my privilege, as
Much is my pleasure, to restore this poor young gentleman
to his family, and trust to his hereafter gratitude for repay-
ment, and I feel I should run no riM by no doing.
"The laws of this Edit e arc such it requires some expense
before a pardon can home, such as edvertiaing in one or
more local papers one month, pe:itien, c!erka' fees, Isc.,
causing an expense of at least that in, including his
passage 111,366, IRMA I must gaarantee, anti it would not be
right to seed hiss, ill as halo, only as a cabin passenger. I
know not, my dear Sir, your c rcniustances, anti have begged
poor E to be more explicit, that you may see his friends,
and have offered to send his letter to you sealed from his
band to yours, but the dreadful exposure to his family
makes him inexorable By the explanation I can make to
the Governor there will be no difficulty. I can safely ob-
tain him pardon, and that no time mayor lost I will myself
commence and advertise; an that the moment I hear from
you I may be enabled to obtain his refers If in your
power send me bank notes £ls, and I think I may promise
that before tie severe c 141 weather sets in tha poor suf-
fering young gentleman shall be with his friends in fig-
laid, God t erniitting no aceidt nt hy pea or land. I will
give my whole attention to make the undertaking sure. I
have boys of my awn, and who knows hut some day they
muy require the helping hand of a stranger ? if 63 then
may they receive that mercy I will surely extend ty this
poor young gentleman. I am not doing, perhaps, to
the strict letter of my duty, still my conscience approves,
and so lam sure will every feeling heart. My poor wife is
nervously anxious on his account, and if Anything happens
to this po ir young man here it would senaibly effect her Poor
E does not know that I have made this application to you.
I dare not raise his hopes while his last chance of disap-
pointment remains. Send what assistance you can, and be
assured of inunediate success.
"I am, dear Sir, your obedient servant,
"Signed. SAMITEI, HAWLEY, M.D.

"Richard Westlake, Feu , England.
"'Arent samnel Lion Icy, ti.D., North Moat, near Elkton,
Maryland, United States."
On receipt of the second letter, the executor took
counsel with the United Staten' Coneill, who com-
municated with his Government. Great thanks and
great credit are due to the Poatmaster-General of the
United States for the energy with winch he prose-
cuted the affair. The writer of the letters MLR soon
tracked, confessed his identity, and made a confession
which, though probably imperfect, affords remarkable
evidence le to of his own ingenuity and of the facility
With which the public may he imposed upon.
It is said that within the last two iyears he has
received as much as 0,000, by his device. He
wrote letters to all parts of England, and directed
the answers to be addressed to various parts of the
United States. It seems that a custom of the Ame-
rican Post-Office considerably facilitated his frauds.
It would appear toat the postmasters advertise letters
addressed to their officee under initials. Having given
any addrew he pleased, therefore, to an exp. cted
" benefactor" in England, the man had only to
watch the newspapers in onler to he advertised if his
success. Giving various ad tr.svv, he had to travel
about from place to place as a successful hit might
thus be announced to him. He complains that this
part of his brininess V/11.9 rather expensive, and once
or twice did not repay him ; but the plan, at least, af-
forded him great security. In one accomplishment
he merits comparison with the successful forger who
1,01 given so much trouble to the French li.s•itnte.
lie has contrived to imitate the signatu-e of Wash-
ingtoll ell effectually that the people of Philadelphia
have actually bought one of his autograpl s, have had
it framed, and have for some time exhibited it
with great pride in Independence Hall. On this