Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-02-25


Natchez and vicksburp" ether rases are
pretty bad" observed Hiram ;--"but como, let
us have something 90 drink Hiram and
Shocco went into Tuners Doggery, got
room and bottle Of brandy, and never got up
till they emptiedit L.; while the house re-echoed
to the aRoarng River" and the alittle heller
feeding in tho grass" Shocco at length star
ted 70 his feet, aud babe Hiram an aff6ctionato
farewell "God bless you, and keep your eye
skinned for the noTtheners," was the last
PRAYER Of Shocco Jones as he babe Hiram G.
Runncls adiou. I'll see you in Columbus in
few days, shouted Hiram, as Jones made
straight coat tail" forthe Mansion House."
When Shocco returned to Columbus, he
Immediately called at the "Real Estate Bank"
and explained, entirely 10 the satisfaction of
the board that his absence was Unavoidable
owing TO the nature Of the business nc had 10
transact for the general government. He re-
assured them, as he had done in his letter from
Viclsburg that the only obstacle in the way Of
closing the negotiation, was the examination
by Mr. Prcntiss, Of the securities to be rivcn
70 the Cape Fear Bank, consisting Of deeds in
trust, mortgages, sc. AS a daywas fixed for
Mr.. PrentIss to make political speech at Co
lumbus; the negotiation would then come to a
close. The "rcal estate men" looked forward
with much interest to the arrival of Mr.. Prem
tIss, as the number Of s,its against them, in the
federal and other courts, were multiplying "a
pidly. Until the arrival Of Prentiss, Shocco
enjoyed life to the full extcnbof his wishes, for
all interested in the negotiation pending, con-
hnucd to give him party aitcrparty. Tire day
before Prentss arrived, Shocco obtained the
securities from the Bank for the purpose of
submitting them. On the day prcntss aniv-
Il -f,oI ~.
Orator nlne miles from town, and many were
their Joyous CALCULATIONS on meeting. A large
.concourse Of politicians were waiting the arr
valof Prentiss, and as might be expected, bic
trolic was commenced and continued the grea.
ter part Of that night. The next day Prentiss
made his speech, and the day following he went
10 Macon (Noxubee county, to fiji another en-.
gagement. AS Shocco and Prentiss were al.
most as iDseparable as the Siamese Twins, he
had, as matter Of course, TO accompany bin
to Macon, but before starting ho called at "T1IE
REAL ESTATE BANK" with the securities, and
informed the Directory Of the startling fact
that Prentss had pronounced the deeds in
trust good for nothing This was an awful
business; It was admitted by all, that il true
the whole concern was perfect 'cholera case.
A long consultation was held by tie directors
and many heavy sigh and sage remark was
made on the occasion. II was finally agreed
that Messrs. Evans g. Harrison, the Bank At
tornles, should be sent for, and informed OIL
what Prcntiss had said of the instruments they
had drawn up These gentlemen came, ex-
amined the deeds, and pronounced them per-
feet; and said further, that it was a piece Of
contemplate petiiloggng in Mr.. Prentiss, to
say they were not good, without first pointing
out their defects to them as Attorneys for the
bank. This relieved the Directory somewhat
but still they felt anxious about the matter
During the consultation of the board, Prentiss
and ShOcco left for Macon. The third day af-
ter their departure, they returned by Column
bus, on their way to Yalobusha County, where
Prentiss was to make a speech. Doctor VIII
liam Humphreys, one of the Directors of the
"Real Estate" and very able man in finance,
determined he would find out from Mr. Prem
tiss what his objections to the deeds in trust
were. He therefore called on him for that
purpose he found Psentiss and Shocco by
themselves IN room Of the Eagle Hotel lie
asked Mr.. Prentiss il he could speak with him.
Prentlss replied, Of course Doctor, and walked
towards the door; Shocco also moved in the
same direction, but the Doctor told him that
he wished it to be private conversation. On
getting into the street, the Doctor told Prem
tiss the matter at issue, between himself and
AtNatAo anu Ol WlidL AicN udu
Of hun. Prentiss swore by every thing great,
good, and holy, that up TO that moment he had
never heard ofsuch thing as the aReal Estate
Bank OF Columbus" much less TO examine
their deeds in trust, and insisted that the Doc
tor should 60 with him TO Messrs. Harrison g.
Evans ONCE that moment, that Inc might re-
move any unilvorable Impressions made upon
their minds. The Doctor consented, and the
necessary explanations were made. Prentiss
started immediately for Yalobusha, without
Shocco. The Doctor returned to the Banl
and told tho Directory all that had passed. i
was then agreed upon by them that Shoccoi
deposites OF Cape Fear money, should be look
cd into; they did so, when To- and behold
they were found to contain nothing but blanl
paper; and the spubIic documents turned on
to be nothing but Old Dominion and NOrfoI
Beacon, giving an account of the ar-famel
North Carolina duel You can better imagine
gentle reader, than we can describe, the feel
ings Of those interested in the "Real Estat
Bank" when they discovered, that, Tor NOR
than three long months, they had been mos
egregicusly hoaxed by Shocco Jones of Mort
Carolina.
s Alter the discovery, Shocco became scare
in the region of Columbus. The day after tn
denoHemcnt "blue streak" was seen passin
towards the North East, which was suppose
by some, to be the balance on hand of ShoccC
following in the wake of the great Hiram,
bond selling notoriety!
- W - Nwaa5 80