The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-10
Houghton. the Western swindIer.

Ons
From the ST. Louis Democrat, Nov III
We referred in our last number to the arrest Of
this person by Capt. Cozxens As there is no doubt
an anxiety amongst the public to learn something
have learned concerning HIM
He is represented as q man of pleasing address,
and when he arrived in Bloomington, became grest
favoite with all sorts a characters, accommodating
his demeanor to their peculiar tastes and dispositions
He represented himself rs an officer in the British
army; that he had saved large sum of money. and
that he had inherited handsome fortune from an
aunt, which yielded him $25 600 per anuum. The
following is the history of his banking operations
with McClung and Miller, to which we alluded the
other day. We give the account as We find it 10 the
Ecening N.tcs Of yesterday
The three were to subscribe all the stock for the
proposed bank Houghton, by some story, salts
fed them that lis portion Of the necessary amount
would be Forthcoming MIR. Maer drew . mortgage,
having some years to run, - bearing six per cent
interest This mortgage embraced property Of his
own, worth $26, 900. Mr.. McClung prepared a SINH
lar document for q like sum, in his own name. II
was ageed to entrust Houghton with the negotia-
ten Of these mortgages, and 1t was arranged that
he should proceed to New York city for the purpose
with the sum raised purchase State stocks or SINH
lar assets to file with the Auditor Of Illinois, as the
basis Of the proposed bank About the time fixed
for starting to New York, he borrowed money from
each of them ostepsbly to defay his travelling and
other expenses that would accrue from the purchase
Of plates for the issue Of their bills He supplied
himself with daguereotype likeness Of hand
some lady Of Bloomington, which was to be trans
vignette for the bills Of the bank. He raised money
ALSO before starting, by selling spurious drafts and
bills of foreign exchange
An Englishman, living in that county, gave
Houghton three hundred dollars for three hundred
pounds in sterling exchange, and his note for the diff
ference in the amount. Mr.. James Bum, of Spring
field, was the purchaser of spurious draft on New
York, for which he paid Heugh.on one thousand
all ThA vhn1o voio ~ 10 ill
not exceed five or six thousand dollars. While thus
engaged in planning and executing these cheats, he
p:actised singular deception upon the people Of
Mclean county. He appeared amongst them as
He was absent, he pretended, on comnissary duty,
and. it is said, he examined and engaged number
of black horses. which were to be transported to
England, for re mounting the "Lfe Guards" About
posed him. and he ran of. He did not visit New
York, but came to Missouri, and was sometime en-
gagged in bunting. Lately, his object was to roach
Texa by the land route.
st Charles stage, which was then coming to the
city. Capt Cozzens kept him until morning and he
was sesrcbed at the house Of the Mayor. The sum
found on him, we learn. was between 800 and
and 81 600, in gold He had in his pockets checks
upon the Rank Of England; what amount is un.
known.
1t ,eems that year since be went to Shelby coun-
ty, Kentucky, with forged letters Of recommends.
u
an English peer. BE had money in plenty, and ex-
hibited certificates OF deposit for large sums Of var
GUS dates. He became visitor, while there, at the
house Of Col Charles s. Todd, lived fashionaby and
bought, while in the county. He was guilty Of ne
act Of dishonesty in Shelby, except that he swndled
a citizen of $500 in so dexterous a manner that it
did not appear in that light for seme months after.
county, where he still retained his alias Of Hon.
Mr. Wharton" He visited frequently the resden-
ces of the Messrs Shelby, of that county. He had
become intimate with the family, when one me; o.
the self styled Wharton was the subject. Alfred
Shelby, ECO, supposing that this was dictated
throuR other motives than the belief expressed by
the writer, that Wharton was an impos,or, made
the cause Of his new acquaintance his own. Still
thinking this adventurer man Of honor. he insti-
tuted an inquiry concerning the authorship Of the
letter While prosecuting this, a quarrel grew up
Of himself and family This finally led to hostile
meeting, and Mr. Shelby was killed. This hap
pened in the month Of June. Houghton then fed
the State.
Wenext hear of him as DR. Howard, at the resi-
dence Of Mr.. VIM Shelby, of Lafayette county, Mo-
During his stay there, he took advantage of an in
tention Of Mr.. Shelby, who thought Of investing
Sc 600 or IS 600 in land in Texas, to make propos
tions for an investment in partnership BE had de-
vised scheme to swindle Mr. Shelby Of money to
that amount, and was engaged 10 plotting plan to
execute it, when some Of Mr. Shelby's relatives ar
rived from Kentucky, and recognised in him the
Hon Mr.. Wharton, of Shelbyville and Dsnville.
He left Lafayette upon the instant, and since has
been engaged in his Bloomington Bank schemes.
The Region about the Southwest End OF
Lake Superior.
From the 81. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer, Nov. rs
Mr.. Stuntz, of Grant county, Wisconsin, has be. n
deputed by the General Land Survey Of this (norh
wes district to lay of such tract of land about
the southwest point Of the lake. into townships and
sections as emigration will earliest require. He re-
turned, via LIE Pointe and Saltwater, last week
We have obtained from him some new views of
that region From Fond du Lac, trading post,
situated abou. eleven miles inland on the st Louis
river, eastward. for perhaps fifty miles, the margin
of the lake is fiat strip Of land reaching back to
rocky ridge, about eleven miles off The soil Of this
fiat land is rich red clay. The wood is white
cedar and pine, and Of the most magnificent growth
The American line is beyond the mouth of the St.
Louis as far northeast as Pigeon river hundred
miles A mountain extends all the way between
the St. Louis and Pigeon rivers It evidently
abounds in copper, iron and silver. The terrestrial
compass cannot be used there, SO strong is the at
traction to the earth The needle rears and punges
''libe mad" Points of survey have to be fixed by
The Ii dian and half breed packmen have aston
ishing strength. One Indian, who is described by
the others being large as two men, carried for
q company Of eleven men provisions for ten days,
viz, one barrel Of -four, bali barrel Of pork, and
something else, besides the utensils.
Mirage is common phenomenon in spring and
sun mer. For the bays rot opening so soon as the
main lake, or not cooling SO early, an object out on
the lake is viewed from the shore, through dense
medium OF air and thin medium Hence is re-
frsctisn Of rays which gives many wonderful
sights that the Chppewas call that the spirit or en-
obanted land Sail vessels, which are really thirty
miles of, are seen tapping and bellying about al
most within touch. Turreted islands, look heady
and topping toward the zenith Forests seem to
leap from their stems, and 90 soaring like thisties
for the very sport Of it.
The ice did not leave some Of the bays till the
10th of June. The fish are delicious, especially the
salmon trout. But little land game. Mr. Stuntz
calculates wonderful enterprises in that country
after the opening OF the Saul Canal.
Mr.. S. describes La Pointe, town o. the lake,
as being situated at the head Of bay some twenty
Eve miles from the high lake, and secluded from the
lake by several islands He saw there warehouse
three hundred feet long, built of amsrac poles and
reofed with bark. This building is very much
warped by the pressure Of age; it is entered BY
wooden railway The town is dingy and dreary
He saw most Injurious garden hY the former resi