Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-04-01
BEDFORD, (Psnn. March IS
The Black Legs,
AND THE
Patent Sssaadling Boz.
AND THE


On Friday evening last, this
borough was visited by q crew of
those infamous wretchcs, who are
wandering abroad seeking whom
they may deyonr. Among the num-
Der were found the cid offender Y
notorioas cheat, William Leng.
Formerly Of Bloody Ran, now OF
Pittshargh, and William Ward.
another travelling gambler. A pro-
cess being put into the hands OF the
sheriff OF this county. upon an OLD
indivfment pending against Long. anti
q warraut being issued against Ward
and Long, upon suspicion OF ther
being eonceFned in circulating coun-
terfeit bank notes, the two were ar
rested. Long, Who carried the cash
made his escape from the SherH and
effected his retreat without the loss
of his baggage. But Ward. less
fortunate, was held in custody, and
his baggage was taken. After q
strict search, the officer could net
discover any notes in his baggage,
either counterfeit or genuine but
found very general assortment of
Supplements Of fraud and gambling.
Among other articles we're found
false dice and numerous packs of
artfully marked cards, together with
q sweat cloth and two boxes for
dealing cards at the Pharo bank
One OF those boxes he asserted was
Invented by the Noted gambler Bal
! ly. who held patent for the same
from the patent Office Of the Unit
ed States. The other appeared to
be an improvement upon the patent
art of swindliag. by which a dexte-
aons Black legs could with ease
shrow out cards either from the top
or bottom of the box. as, might hest
suit the state of the bets. Ward al
Ter paying the paltry fine imposed
by law upon the keepers of gam.
bling tables. and giving surety for
his good behavior for the space OF
one wear, was set at large the re-
mainder Of therrew have been dis
persed. Part have gone On to Pitts
burg. with large stock of notes,
FOR the purpose of carrying on the
business at Longs old stand-part
have gone southward, and part east
ward.
The sheriff ofour county has Of
fered reward of one hundred and
Fifty dollars for the apprehension OF
Long, and we hope that every civil
officer Of the state and every enemy
TO fraud andyi'lainy. we'll use their
best exerfions to bring this hardened
offender toJustice. We have heard
ofmany patents both for old and
new inventions, bat this is the FIRST
tiasewc have heard ofsa patent For
ansimpreve,pent in the art OF ssind-
aing-had we not heard il reported
from another source, that such a
patent did really exist, aat was OBJ
stained through the influence of a con-
sFiienous member of orr national
legislature. VIC should consider the
Story Of Ward as unworthy ofnotice
nor are we as yet disposed to.
give credit TO the report; but We
have thought proper to notice it. to
the inteat that If itbe SANDER upon.
the keeper of the patent office, it
may be ceniradisted.
AS 1t IS believed that the knot Of
yilialas do not intend to confne their
operations to this state alone, nor
yetto,the United States, fthey having
expressed an intention afvisiting the
islands of Bermuda and HAVANA.
it is hoped that the different printers
friendly 10 virtue, will give the
sheriirs advertisement. printed IN
another part Of this paper, one or
tive insertions in their respective pa
pcrs, gra,uitously.