The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-13 00:00:00

CAREER OF A BIGA3IIS7.

Cunningham, the bigamist, has been condemned
to Sing Sing for rive years. his real name is
Clinton Wheeler. Although 53 years of age, with
moustache and whiskers of fiery red, he has been
the most successful " lady's man" of whom we
have any record, which is mainly due to a suavity
of manner, and an unbounded power of lying. When
sentenced he declare.l he would marry another woman
for every month of his confinement. He returned
from California, where he spent 12 years, last
summer, and pursued his professional swindling in
the Astor House. Mr. Benson, of York-street,
Jersey City, was his first victim ; his next was Mr.
John Banter, whose daughter received a hasty pro-
posal of marriage, which the young lady, under the
impression of enormous wealth, as hastily accepted ;
but the wooer suddenly disappeared with a watch,
a heap of money, and a box of clothing belonging
to Mr. Banter, and a few of the neighbouring far-
mers also suffered. Mr. John Ward, of Morris-
town lost 400 dollars, when he took a start from
that neighbourhood to East Tarrytown, New York,
where he adopted the name of Cunningham. He
was very condescending to the fume's whom he
visited, and Mr. Weimer's daughter took his fancy
and he married ber. On the next day Cunning-
ham left to complete his business for the purchase
of some property in New York, but he went up
the river to Poughkeepsie. On board the steamer
was a Miss Louisa Ameigh, to whom he proposed
and was accepted before the journey ended. He
went home with her, and they were married. She
spread the fame of his wealth in every direction,
and he availed himself of the credit it gave by
getting all he could. Having turned every-
thing into money and secured all his wife's
valuables, he proceeded without notice to pay a
visit to Mr. Laird in Pleasant Valley, Ulster
County. He had known that gentleman's son
in California, and this was his passport, but
Miss Laird, a sensible girl, rejected the offer he
immediately made of his hand. In fact, his con-
duct excited suspicion, and it is clear the Lairds
were not such confiding simpletons as his previous
acquaintances. He had to escape at night with
his booty in a carpet bag, toiling over the muddy
country roads, but was captured before morning,
and committed to the White Plains Gaol, and both
his brides appeared against him. His full history
would be a curiosity, if this short sample which has
become known is anything like the rest.

The American Free Trade League proposes to
give a series of lectures on the subject of free-trade in all
large cities and towns of the United States. Some of
these lectures have already been delivered, and have been
listened to with marked attention. At Indianapolis,
Indiana, an audience of a thousand persons was present.
This method of presenting the respective merits of Free
Trade and Protection is one of the best ways of informing
the people of America upon this much-vexed question.

DuNvILLE and Co., Belfast, are the largest
holders of Whisky in the world. Their Old Irish Whisky is re
commended by the medical profession in preference to French
Brandy. Supplied in casks and cases for home use or exporta
tion. Quotations on application 'to Messrs. Dunville and Co.,
Belfast; or 4, Beaufort-buildings, Strand, te)ndon, W.CI--LAA-
Tertisement.