The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-02-17
FEAT OF A GIPsEY-ASToNIsHING DELu-


FEAT OF A GIPsEY-AsToNIsHINGD DELU-
SION.
A gang OF gipsies. consisting.ot three or foul
families, have b en- Tor some weeks occupying
the large brick building near the stone ware
house in the neghborhood Of the Observatory
WHITTIER have been attracted many creduou
persons-men and women, boys and gflS--un
der belief that these vagabonds had the powe
TO retel their fate in lite. Other portions o
The same Tribe have been in Georgetown and per
haps some are here yet. circumstance hal
lately occupied the attention Of our police, and
IT'S publication may tend TO put people on the
guard against these people, and also TO dissipats
the foolish creduity which induces some per.
sons to put faith in iortune-telling.
These gipses were some weeks ago encamp'
ed near Bristol pos office, Anne Arundel coun
", MARYLAND, and the women as we are inform
ed. did thriving business at fortune telling. A
store having been broken open and robbed in
the neighborheod, and no clue TO The robbers be-
! ing found, resort was had by some of the par
ties TO the leading gypsy woman, TO see II she
could put them on the trail OF the robbers
Amongst the many who VI itcd her for this pur-
pose was Capt Robert Perry, gentleman o.
respectable standing, OF considerable means
and hitherto considered sharp enongh TO protect
himself from folly in the business affairs Of life.
Capt. Perry was selected b. the gypsy as ;
/ IN.
creted treasure, the enormous value of which
| he could scarcely conceive, and il he woulc
| grant her private interview at his house sht
would discover 10 him the means OF securing 1t
| He consented and they met according to ap-
polntment She told him that she could proceed
no farther unless he exhibited 10 her one thou
sand dollars in current money. Capt P. said
tba, chad not that much in his posse ssion, all
he had being S835. The gipsy was firm, and
Il 4 ,Ia .tL
out The full sum The suspicious OF Capt T
were partly aroused, but the prospect OF future
wealth proved too strong for his scruples, and
ne promised 10 borrow the balance of the requlr-
ed sum, and appointed another day for the
meeting, being somewhat assured that there
was no danger OF loss, as the money was at no
time TO be taken tram his possession Al tht
mex, meeting Capt Perrg was present with 81
OBS, he having borrowed 5000. The money
was counted, placed in shot bag, enveieped II
a brown paper, and again wrapped IN cottor
co-h, and was placed in trunk, which wa'
locked and the KEY taken by Perry. II was
there to remain for some days, In three days
the gypsy returned, and she and Perry had ar
interview alone. The trunk was opened, anc
the bundle was found exactly as II had beer
placed He was required lhen to go upon his
knees. in order ihather incantatons performed
| over the trunk and moEey might have their due
effect While SO engaged her cloak fell upon
| the trunk, but she quickly replaced 1t on he'
| shoulders.
The mysterious proceeding being over, Perry
was called 10 examine the trunk, and found it al
right: he relocked il and pocketed the key
| He was now told that the work was done, ant
| that on the ninth dav she would return, and !
the money, &c., in the trunk were all right, sh'
would be at liberty TO point out to him the exac
location ofthe treasure on his farm. She turth
er told him that if she were detained by slcknes
| or other cause, he was to open the trunk himself
/ Ii can scarcely be credited that man possessing
his ordinrry senses could have been SO led ava
by the hope o gain, yet II is trne that the truhl
was sacredly kept closed for The ninth day, &
Saturday. and the gipsy did not return Pre-
ferrng to receive cular realization OF his hopes
by the personal aid Of the gypsy to trusting I
written instructions from the invisible world, h
delayed opening the trunk, in hopes OF reappear
ing, I'LL last Monday. He then unlocked II
took out the bundle, removed the various wrap
pings and found a shot-bag which he hastl
opened, and found-some two hundred copper
and few leaves OF tobacco! The gypsy hat
lsubstitutedthis bundle for the one contalnin
his money.
Without informing his family or friends of h
mishap, he obtained the services OF two or thre
persons. and, mounted, they fastened to thi
city in pur suit of the gpsies, 1t being stated the
had come this way. Ascertaining that some Z
them were residing in the FIRST Ward, he sta
ted the above factsto Justice Drury, who issue
a warrant to search the premises OF the gi psie
The officers visited the place, and the appear
ance af the parties presented the most squa'l
and wretched poverty; no furniture, save som
beds thrown on the floor, was found lnthe house
Two Of the beds were occupied by women !
confinement. No obstacle was presented to tn
search and, tied up in handkerchieis, rags,
tin kettles, boxes, &C., the officers found lare
quantities of gold and silver coin, amounting,
is sad, to at least $4,000 Capt. Perry coul
identify none Of his money--the greater porto
Of il having been in bills of Baltimore Banks