The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-11-09
From The PHILADELPHIA Bulletin.
,AsE OF THE sPANIARD NINA

nary ueHfec OF Interest III tiIe puDHc nllilu,
and among the crowd of contradictory state
ments which have been so extensively CIR
culated, it is difficult to arrive at the real
facts of the case. Andalusia is abou. four
teen miles from Philadelphia, and lies direct
ly on the turnpike between this city and Bris-
tol. To this spot Mr.. Chapman had retired,
after having been employed in this city as a
curer of stammerng, in which occupation
it is understood he accumulated considcra-
BILE sum of money, which, added to his pre-
vious gains, was enough TO make him COM
Portable for life. In the month of May last,
the Spaniard Nina was discharged from the
prison of the city and county of Philadelphia,
having served out his sentence for larceny.
He Immediately got on board one of the
steamboats, bound up the river, intending to
go to New York, but when about half way
to Bristol, it was discovered that he had no
money to pay his passage, having gone on
board, no doubt, without the intention of
paying. The fellow was forthwith put on
shore near Andalusia, (which is about one or
two miles from the river) and he soon found
his way TO the hospitabie mansion of Mr..
Chapman. With insinuating address, and a
plausible story of his misfortunes-rnisfor-
tunes rendered tenfold more acute in having
toppled him, as he alleged, from the high es-
tate to which his birth and parentage had
connected him-he obtained, unfortunately,
place in that gentleman's confidence, which
it is feared has resulted in his destruction.
In June last, Mr.. Chapman was suddenly
taken i'll and died, and was buried without
any particular suspicious being excited as TO
the cause of his dissolution. Amongst the
first may he mentioned the following: ped
lar, travelling in the neighborlood with his
pack, stopped late in the afternoon at Mr.
Chapman's house, and displayed his goods
for the inspection of the family, who express
ed a desire to purchase. He staid so long,
that when the examination of the goods was
concluded, he was invited to remain and
take bed, which he did without any hest
tation In the morning he started off on his
Journey before breakfast, not knowing that
Mr.. Chapman had died during the night, as
he was off without disturbing the family. He
halted at neighboring tavern for breakfast,
deeply affected with the extraordinary do
ings he had been ear witness to the preced-
ing night. So firmly did he seem impressed
with the belief that all was not right, that
before he left the tavern, he told the landlord
abe believed there had been foul play at the
house in which he had lodged" desiring him,
in case any investigation should be had, TO
send for him as witness, as he thought he
should be able to make oath to extraordinary
circumstances, such as he would decline do
ing unless in the capacity of witness. He
accordingly left his name and address, and
continued his journey. As he did not enter
into any particulars, no great attention was
paid to his narrative at the time. Mr.. Chap
man was buried, Nina following him to the
grave, telling his eldest daughter, a girl
thirteen, that he would be father to her.
Some time after this, Nina proceeded to
New York with Mrs. Chapman, where, as
has since been asccrtained, they were mar
ried by Bishop Onderdonk, on the ninth day
after the death of Mr.. Chapman. This mar
rage was kept secret, nor was it known at
all, until the persevering efforts of Mr.. Blair
ney, one of our high constables, ferretted out
the extraordinary mystery which for while
enveloped the whole of this foul transaction.
At New York they separated, Mrs. C. pro-
ceeding to Albany with her eldest daughter,
whence they returned to Andausia, while
Nina went to Baltimore aud Washington.
In the former place he disposed of a large
amount of jewelry, Mr.. C's horses and car
riage, and by a course of extravaganza in
perfect keeping with his general character
he soon dissipated the proceeds. In state
of complete destitution he went to Washing
ton, where he succeeded in deluding several
gentlemen into the belief that he was the
son of General Nina, and that he had lost
his pocket book containing $3.50, a loss
which left him totally destitute He even
went so far as to advertise it in the National
Intelligencer, offering a reward for its recov-
cry, to which he signed his name in full.
Much sympathy was excited by the story of
his distresses, and several gentlemen adyanc-
ed him sums of twenty and thirty dollars
each, on the faith of representations made
by him, that he would refund the amount
Immediately on returning to Baltimore,
where, he alleged, he had left a large amount
in cash. He accordingly set off for Balti-
more, and the persons in Washington wait
ed patiently several days, but no remittance
came from Nina. One of them, whose
name we forbear mentioning, became jeal-
GUS of Mina's honesty, went to the Washing
ton post office. and took out letter address
ed to him. On opening it his suspicious
were confirmed. 1t was a letter from Mrs.
Chapman, written from Andalusa; i'll it she
reproached Nina in mysterious language, as
TO the death of her husband, at the same
time lavishing on the former eXpressiocs of
the most passionate attachment, conlured
him to return to her, though, she added, she
feared he was not the honest man he had
represented himself to be. Not word was
said about their marriage. The letter was
Immediately forwarded to Mr. Blaney, our
efficient high constable, and here was first
| atfOrdnd "a tyliT1Inprinur of 1nrly q Ippd
human depraylty has ever perpetrated. The
letter was Immediately submitted to the Re-
corder of the city, who recommended that
Nina should be arrested without delay. MIR.
Blaney and the Recorder proceeded to An
dalusia, and had an interview with Mrs
Chapman. She denied having been swim
died by Nina but on being told by the Re
corder that he knew to the contrary, she
seemed dreadfully agitated, and acknowl-
edged that she had given to him the valua.
bile articles which the Recorder had said he
knew she had been swindled of. They lief
Mrs. Chapman without unnecessarily alarm
ing her, and in a day or two after, lete
was intercepted by the police addressed t.
her by Nina, containing forged draft AT
ter being carefully sealed up, the letter wa
again put in the post office, and reached
Mrs. c. at Andalusia, in regular course o
mail. She instantly discovered that it hat
been opened; aud, alarmed at the DANCE
which impended over her, for twas eviden
that all her most secret movements wer,
watched and known by some mysterious anC
hostile power, she came to Philadelphia
bringing the deeds of her late husband
property at Andalusia, amounting 20 abou
$1,000, and ked advice from tho RpcordeI