Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-09-30
AN IMPoSToR.

few days ago there appeared In lhlS paper dh
account of the arrest of this fellow at Albany,
under a charge Of theft or embezzlement The
following is detail of the occurrences which
caused il, and which exhibit, perhaps one OF
the most extraordinary instances of imposture
ON the one side and deluson on the other, that
has ever been made public.
For a considerable period prior 10 the year
1892 Mr.. Benjamin Folger, oil TINS CITY, was OH
terms Of the most intimate friendship with Mr.
Elijah Pierson, also of this city, whose piety
and good sense he highly respected and esteem
ed A short time previous To the period ADVERT
ed to. Matthews had announced to MIR. Person
that he (Matthews) "was the spirit OF truth;
that the spirit Of truth had disappeared from
the earth at the death of the Matthias mention
ed in the New Testament; that the spirit of Je-
sus Christ had entered into that Matthias, and
that he 1.-THE fellow now in Albany PRISON.
was the same Matthias, the apostle of the New
Testament. who had risen from the dead and
possessed the spirit of Jesus OF Nazareth. That
he, Jesus Christi at this second appearance,
was God the Father, and that he (Matthews)
was himself God the Father, and had power
IN do all things-to forgive sins and communi-
cate the Holy Ghost to such as believed in him."
The above tissue of blasphemy and absurdity
was, strange to say, believed by MIR. Plerson;
and, regarding Matthews as the character he
represented himself, he respected him accord
ingly, and took him into his house to reside with
him.
In the month of September, 1882, Mr.. Pierson
introduced Mr.. Folger to Mr.. Matthews, and at
the same time informed him who and what Mat
thews announced himself to be, and also OF his
(Piersons) implicit belief in the truth of Mat
thews' divine attributes. Matthews, having thus
become acquainted with MIR. Folger, lost no
time i'm endeavoring to increase the number OF
his dupes, and repeatedly called at Mr.. Folger's
counting house to announce his divine mission,
and strove to convert Mr.. Folger TO a belief of
H. On one occasion he said to MIR. Folger, u
know the end of all things" and then made use
of the following mode Of Illustrating his asser-
ton. Taking up piece of paper ne placed 1t
i'm drawer so that one end of the paper re-
manned outside the drawer, and then said to
MIR. Folger, You can see but one end of the
paper, which is outside the drawer, and so the
world sees; but see the whole length OF i'll
see the end"
He succeeded in impressing Mr.. Folger and
a few others with a firm belief that he was the
prophet he pretended to be, and having gained
this point he began to execute the true mission
he came upon, and informed MIR. Folger that
he was very poor and in want of money; that
the world prosecuted him. and it was instigated
TO do so by the devil, because there was no truth
now in the world except in him (Matthews)."
Puere and absurd as were these representa-
tions. thew nevertheless induced MIR. Folger to
give Matthews different sums OF money,-and
the latter, encouraged by his success thus lar,
determined to spare neither promises nor threats
to make the best Of the advantage ne had gam
ed. In addition to what he had already told
MIR. Folger he therefore informed him that he
(Ma,tbews) had commenced the reign oil GOD
on earth; that Mills and Pierson had been called
into the kingdom, and although the devil had
succeeded i'm suspendng for time Its perma-
nent establishment he (Matthews) would now
90 on to overcome the devil and to establish
the Kingdom of God. Under these clrcumstan-
ces he called on Mr.. Folger to contribute to his
(Matthews) support and the promotion of the
kingdom, and threatened that in case he should
refuse to provide him whatever money he want
ed, he would visit upon him, (Which he was en-
powered 10 do } the wrath of the Almighty, out
that if he (Folger) would believe In MN ana
obey him in all things, he should be calied INTO
the kingdom. and he (Matthews) would forgive
him all his sins, and he would ENJOY e'erha' nap
pness.
In the month of August 1888, Matthews went
IN SING Sing. in West Chester county, where
MFR. Folger at that time resided. As Matthew's
brought his baggage along with him, his inten-
ton Of paying long visit TO Slrg sing was
pretty obvious, and Mr.. Folger invited him 10
take M his residence at his house. Having re-
mained there week, he got tired of such mar
row Accommodations, and told MIR. Folger that
he and Pierson ought to hire house for his spe-
cial use. Mr. Folger consulted Mr. Pierson on
the subject and they agreed TO comply with the
very reasonable request of Matthews, ana SO
informed him. In the meantime the ambition
of Matthews had so increased that hired
house would no longer content him, and he In
timated to his two friends that 1t would De I'M
nroper for a person Of his character to reside
in a hired house, and that they ought TO pur-
chase house for him. This also Messrs. Fol
ger and Pierson agreed to; but before tney
could accomplish their purpose, Matthews I'M
parted another revelation to Mr. Folger, ana IN
formed him that the house which Mr. Foiger
purchased some time previous at Sing Sing,
and in which he then resided, had been purcha-.
sed for him, (Matthews,) and that the spirit OF
truth had directed Mr. FoIger in making the
said purchase
As the house had been thus miracuously pur-
chased for Matthews he had of course clear
right to remain in it, and he did remain in it
without further ceremony until October, 1888,
when he required that Messrs. Foger and Pier
son. who then resided with him, should give up
the house to his own charge, which they accor-
dinghy did.
ed them to give an account of theirproperty, and
IN he demanded that thew