Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1823-09-10
NEWARK, IN. ~ SEPT. 5.
A DISTINGUISHED HERO.

The man with plurality of wives,
the famous and renowned Doctor James
Hamilton, who appears to have been
very Alexander in the groves of Venus,
and whose career has been most as
tonlshlng and unexampled one, has been
removed to the Jail of this county, (by
Mr.. Constable Ball) where he receives
the most unremitted attention from peo-
pie of all conditions, and of both sexes.
A gentlemen of New-York called on
him yesterday, and Immediately recog-
nlsed him as the Dr. Bedford who marri
ed in Vermont last year, where he fire.
quently saw him. The following COM
prehensive and very interesting narra-
tive is furnished by the Providence (R.
~ Journal -" In the year 1920, man
answering the description of DR.. Ham
ilton, made his appearance in the town
OF Florence, Alabama, calling himself
DIR. John R. Bedford, and announced
himself in the Gazette, as practitioner
OF medicine and surgery. There was
at the time four regular physicians in
Florence, and as they were considered
sufficient for the place, DR.. Bedford
was advised by the good citizens to re-
move TO a new settlement called the
Big Spring, which was destitute of
medical man. DR.. Bedford accordingly
located himself at the place in question.
His entrance was made welcome by
the inhabitants of the village, who ex-
tended to him every courtesy and atten-
ton. The Doctor had not been at Big
Spring long before he concluded to make
a permanent settlement, in order to do
which, he took it into his head that he
must needs marry. There was in the
village beautiful young lady, of rare
accomplishments, and refined education.
who soon ensnared the willing heart of
the Doctor. She possessed an estate
worth 100000. He addressed her, she
consented, the preliminaries were soon
settled but before the knot could be
tied, business of importance called him
to Nashville. On his return home, he
unluckily stopped at Florence. Whilst
dining at Florence inn, a man from Ken
lucky took his seat at the table, who in
stantly recognized DR.. Bedford to be
his old friend Mr.. William Talbot, of
Lexington, Ky. professor of the art
and mystery of cordwainer. The
Kentuckian inquired after his health,
and observed, that but week since, he
had the pleasure of calling on his wife
and family, at Lexington who, be as
sured him were all WELL The confu-
sion of the Doctor was so great he could
not finish his dinner, but instantly de-
parted to institute suit against the man
who had uttered such outrageous libels;
and ne was seen no more by the citizens
of Florence.
The Doctor repaired to Big Spring,
where he borrowed carriage with
horses, and a negro servant of a gentle
man, into whose good graces he had
initiated himself, telling him that per-
son in Tennessee had sent for him to
operate in case of lithotomy, which
rendered it important that he should de-
part post haste. Since then the inhab-
ltants of Big Spring have not been hon
ored by visit from DR.. Bedford, nor
has the gentleman heard of his carriage,
horses, or negro. The Kentuckian stat
ed that he and Bedford, who had a wife
and two children, were employed in the
same shop more than year, when the
former was discharged, in consequence
OF his ignorance of the trade, and that
since his departure be had frequently
heard of his practising medicine, by au-
thority OF patent right which he had
purchased Of DR.. Thompson, of Bos.
ton. 1t has been since ascertained that
Bedford came to Lexington in the year
1918, assuming the name of Talbot,
bringing with him his wife and her
mother, Mrs. Jackson, who were for
merly of Alexandria, District of Colum-
bia that Miss Jackson brought him an
estate at the time of her marriage. in
negroes and other property, amounting
to about thirty-thousand dollars, which
he had squandered away, and then aban-
doned her in a land of strangers. From
the description of the man, and the no.
toriety Of bis character, there can be no
doubt that DR.. James Hamilton, alias
John Randolph Bedford, alias G. Gallop,
is the same DR.. Bedford who flourished at
Big Spring, and the same William Talbot,
cordwainer, who fled from Kentucky.
FURTHER PARTIcULARs.-Since the
above has been in type, we have been
informed that a gentleman of Spring
field, in this county, during a late visit
to his friends in Connecticut, was inform
ed that our hero, the account Of whose
last marriage had just been read, was
the same who married young lady in