Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1853-09-02

/ L was ANXIOUS 10 see ana understand now all
this could be accomplished with such mass of
crude materials, and with the certainty of which
he spoke Mr.. Perry explained. Opening one of
/ the many volumes Before me-number one hum
dred and thirty-seyen, only there saw regis
ments of columns of various widths ruled from
one side to the other. These columns were COM
plete key to each person S character and career.
| Ais name and residence at different times the
various years in which he had become bankrupt
or insolvent; the amount of dividend, if any, and
if all ofeach dividend had been paid the class Of
certificate granted if any the particulars of any
! fraud with which he may have been connected,
referred to by marke of direction to the exact
page in the Criminal Ledger, and thence to the
Police Case Book, with any fictitious names by
which he may have been known.
He had that day, he said, put tradeSnan on
his guard against reckless character, who had
thrice made very unsuccessful appearances in the
! Court of Bankruptcy having paid-somewhere
in the provinces-but one dividend of ninepence
in the pound and who had, at Colchester, seven
years ago made away with his creditors proper
ty, and appropriated the proceeds to his own un-
lawful purposes. The man was now at Glasgow
at his old tricks but Mr.. Perry's faithful records
warned his Scotch subscriber of the character Of
his customer in time to save him heavy loss.
This reminded me of my own affair; and with
out further delay, gave my guide, cOmforterand
friend all the particulars; the name, address pro-
fessed business, amout Of of order, name and ad-
dress to reference and some other items of in
telligence respecting our jewelled and fumigated
patron. Away went the Recorder like very
vigilant cat after mouse; scratching and bur-
rowing, and tumbling, and tossing, and ticking
off endless indexes, ledgers day-bOobs, gaZettes,
Criminal Ledgers, and Police Books. These re-
searches wele made with such bright pair of
spcctaces, that in few minutes my attention
was directed to the whole history Of our customer
drawn up in one long line ofwords, letters and fig
urcs, and stretching quite across two pages ofvol
ume number one hundred and thirty-seyen.
1t was evidently a bad case. The real name
of the party was pointed out; he had given us
one of his flvorite aliases. lie had been, accor-
ding to Mr. PeIrys detective ledger, clerk IN the
Post Office, was discharged for dishonesty which
could not be legally proved, had been in the Ga
zette in one thousand eight hundred and forty
one and again in one thousand eight hundred for
ty-cight his entire estate and effects suffcing to
offer to his creditors exactly nothing in the pound.
He had been insolvent more than once, and made
his second bow to the Commissioners for the Re
lief of Insoyent Debtors on the very day before
he obliged us with his first order. He had been
according to the Police Book, concernedin cloud
of swindling transactions, chiefly comprised un-
der the head ofobtaining money or goods under
false pretences ; but had always proved himself
q too many'' for the swnded, for the police, and
for the magistracy. Ithankedmy informant sin
cerely, and congratulated self on our fortunate
escape. Yet why" 1 asked, :" did he pay for
the first order ?"-Ah, lure ; a bait a sprat to
catch whale.
[ of course enrolled our firm amongst the sub
scribers to the institution, and found our names
coming after no fewer than twelve thousand 9th
crs, bankers, merchants, solicitors, traders,
agents, secretaries of public companies, and,
strange to say, clergymen What could clergy
men want Mr.. Perry to do for them z! felt puz-
zled and wondered ifthey were ertroubcd with
insolvent churchwardens, bankrupt vestry clerks,
or fraudulent sections. He explained that clergy
men, fall other classes, need the most advice and
protection in money-1natters. They are so easily
miscd, so little acquainted with the most ordina-
ry BUSINESS transactions, ,themoney-lendng shar-
pers always found them the easiest and readiest
ftheir dupes.
Only week or two ago a curate from the vicin-
ity of the metropolis had sought Mr. PerTys assis
tance in what was by no means an uncommon
s,~ls.c, -
sixty or seventy pounds for some immediate
purpose, answered one of the many tempting ad-
vertisements in the newspapers, wherein the pub
lie are informed that loans of money to any
amount will be granted on the slightest possible
security. He had an interview with the very lib
eral advertiser, at what appeared to be office,
in quiet of street. The most minute inquiries
were made in regard to the the clergyman S refer
ences, great caution having been professed by the
capitalist; and, when all the pretended scruples
were quieted, the borrower was told that seventy
pounds was much too insignificant sum for peo-
pie of the enormous capital which the lender had
at command to think of but that if the borrower
would make it two hundred, or even one hundred,
or even ore hundred and fifty, the transaction
might be effected. The clergyman hesitated
but at length yielded, and placed his name to a
bill at short date for one hundred and fifty pounds.
He could of course repay the amount when it SUI
ted him. The financier left his victim to bring
the money but, in the course of ten minutes, re-
lul4lSu Win iiCS SliiNt, pOliA'iI
sheet of paper in his hand quite bathed in ink,
told him with many expressions ofregret, that he
had accidentally upset his inkstand over the doc
ument and would have to trouble him to sign a
fresh paper. The clergyman madeno objection.
The inly paper was burnt before him, and anoth-
er bill for hundred and fifty pounds was signed.
Again the capitalist left the acceptor anxiously
waiting for the money ; but neither man mormon