The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-01 00:00:00

SWINDLING IN THE TWO HEMISPHERES.

Several weeks ago we published an account of an
IngenVa. and, it was feared, extrusive frau 1, which h..d
been practised by a Yankee swindler upon persons in this
statuary. It appears to here been his custom to read the
isbitusry in the English papers, and then, selecting the
11111101 of respectable persons deceased, to trice to thew in
the character of a penitent and grateful thief one of the
American geol., inehlentally mentiening that a five or
pound Bank of England note would be very acceptable to
kiss, and adding that he would not for the worts have made
this remark had not the person to whom he is writing
Insisted on his doing so if ever he should find himself in
need of money. The wish end expectation of the
swindler was that the friends of the deceased should
I think that this was an instance in which their relative had
been " doing good by stealth," and should carry out
what the) presumed would have been their departed friend's
intentions. In the two cases which had come to light
letters had been addressed to the late Mr. W. Chadwick, a
county magistrate at Itochelee, and to the late Dr. William
Manson, of Park.street, Grosvenor-square, both documents
being aigned "E," and dated from the " Jail Msoital,"
while the answers were requetoted to be forwarded under
eover to " Dr. Miles H. Ellie, 11,irthantron County, Penn-
sytvaaia." S me inquiries, however, being made in the
real fleets of the case, it turned out that "E " was a mythic
personage, and that Dr. Ellis had no connexion whatever
with Elston allol, hat that he had written from Baltimore,
requesting of the Easton postmaster to forward hint any
letters that might come from England directed to him us
above. Since the publicatiou of the article in the Ex-
press two more cases have come to light. The correspond-
eat writes thus: _ _

A few weeks after the death of my lattice, Sir
in 1851, a letter arrived fur him which, as his executor, I
opened, amd heed it so be an appeal from " Ma," atsaotlti
similar is tone and expressions to that which Mr. Chadwick
received, being full of orertlowing gratitude to "my gene-
rous benefectur," and speaking of " id health," " noble
parents." &c. The letter, however, bad not been pealed 'n
America, but was "favoured by Captain Johnson." Sir
was r, go, sted to send hie answer and rs mittanee,
under cover, to " Dr. Samuel B. Long, Gaol Hospital,
Georgetown, Delaware."
Though the extravagant style of " B.'s" letter made me
suspect the thing to be a hoax, yet, knowing the actions
attributed therein to my father to be pre:isely what be
would have done under the circumstaneer, without leaving
any trace in his accounts; and as it happened, also, that 1 was
aware of cases (one in particular) among families of his
acquaintance, which supplied a possible parallel to the cuss
of "E. ;" I determined to inquire further, and wrote se-
eordingly to this Dr. Long, asking for hie account of the
matter, while in a note enclosed to "E.," I informed him
that I could render him no assistance, at any rate sinless he
abandoned his incognilo.
" In about a month the answer arrived from Dr. L
duly posted in America, and the correspondence which
ensued impressed me with so favourable an idea of Moi—
-1 the letters being thou apparently of a sensible, straight.
forward, benevolent man—that I assented to his proposal
(even thuugh "E.'a" secret was to be preserved for •
while), that I should, jointly with him, bear the expenses
of an application to the governor, or executive authorities
of Delaware, for the young man's pardon, this being • well-
known process in American law.
" The money was accordingly sent by banknote and ac-
knowledged, and the successful issue of the application in
due time announced.

" My' E.' has even done me the honour to write me •
letter since his arrival in England, deeply regretting that
the state of his health prevented him from performing at
ones the promise he bad made to come straight to my
house, and tell me all the truth ; while Dr. Long, from
America, in a letter arriving soon after, deplores the state
of health, in which his young pro6ye was when he sailed,
and fears that he can eeeee recover.

"As my good friend. Dr. Long, has been silent for about
• year, in spite of my somewhat indignant remonstrane.a,
I had come pretty well to the concussion that I had been
hoaxed after all, and, et intervals of leisure, hid been for
some months considering how best to tt,ll3w up the mystery,
when the 'Wales in the papers enlightened me most un-
expectedly ea the subject."