Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-04-02
The Latest Emigrant Swindle.

from CentreSi lie, Iowa. He had never been
further East before than illinois, where he
was ''born and raised" and whence he
moved in 1870 to Iowa. Having been warn
ed against yankee tricks" he had kept Ia
sharp lookout throughout the journey, ard
been very careful not to let any one know
whittier he was bound. He had his suspi-
cions of some parties, however. who watch
ed him fright smart" and, as he now thinks,
made him ''snuf ups something in his eep
which didn't leave him quite right. But all
this wfre of, and he was in capital sp rits
at escaping from the "snares of the fowler,"
when the II ain reached Jersey City.
As he stepped from the car, two carpet
sacks in each hand, a pleasant-spoken man.
OF rather slight build. with cap on his
head, black eyes and bushy eyebrows, came
up and courteously inquired whether be was
bound % Liverpool or London.
TO neither answered John, his conf
dence won in an instant, Il am bound to
California
We'll, come with me- replied the polite
stranger, taking the carpet bags as he ap Ike
take care of your wife and follow me-
On The ferry boat, Mr. Ha-grove inform
ed his companion that he intended to stop
at the Western Hotel, and was to boy
tickets of |. w. Raymond. whereupon he
was told that the Western was in Court
landt-street, and shown a card on which
were the days OF sailing, &C., of California
steamers, which co-responded with The ad-
vertisement cut from the mornings Tribune.
That man who knew those two things
should not be 'all 'ght,' seemed unlikely 10
llarsroye. And when he perceived the
Masonic emb EN- in The shape of brestpin
on the courteous strangers shirr, and was
assured by him that, as Mason, he was
worthy to wear it, human nature could h Id
out no longer, and John gave him his full
confidence.
Arrived in tine city, the Hargroves were
slowed into coach, the good Samaritan
mounting the box. They were presSttly
lsDded at What turns out to be Washington
Hall, Greenwich street. Mr.. Hargrove's
attention was so much devoted 10 the care
of his wife and child, who were both sick
that he did not notice that the name o. the
house was not the Western Hotel.
Send your wife up stairs says this cice-
rome of emigrants, 'and come wi me. You
will be too late 'to get a good berth il You
delay purchasing tickets
Hargrove again expressed desire to go
to 1. w. Raymond's, and the bushy-eye-
bruwed Samaritan promised to take him
there. So he took him to No. l57 Cedar
street. where is the establishment of Josn
Z. Enright, of v hom the public and police
magistrates have heard more than once
Enright was Of course ready to sell the
tickets, which we've, he said, $500 apiece in
The fret and $50 in the second cabin. Say
ing it was high siime to secure the passage,
he takes honest John behind the counter,
where he agrees TO take the second cabin
tickets, and pays down $500 in gold-at the
regular price they are $500. Enright then
bade his visitor good morning and handed
him paper, the essential parts of which
are printed, and reads as follows:
M. III NEw-YoRk, March IL, 1857.
'Mr. John Hargrove, lady and infant had
paid for the I'd cabin passage Of two persons
from New-fork to San Francisco, Cal.
BY Steamship George Law on the Atlantic
end Steamship Golden Age on The Pacific.
'Sicamer sails on the Goth of March. 1857.
John E. ENRIsHT.'
printed
This Ticket must be exchanged at l57
Cedar street. for the Steamship Company's
\ <La of hp
steamer.
Francis Hart, Printer and Stationef, SO
Cortlandt st., N. "
On his way back Hargrove examined this
document, and expressed his surprise at not
finding Raymond's name upon it. He was
assured that Enrighl was his chief cle:k;
but, as he remarked to our reporter, Il was
struck in my mind then, right then, that
was wrong The runner tried to get him
to drink when they arrived at the house
where his wife had been left all this time
but he refused. People in the house seem.
cd TO be "a little kind of frghtened,' aid
things looked more and more suspicionS.-
Finally he went out of doors by himself and
asked stranger, after Cooking at him IN
the eye to see if he was all right whethei
that was the Western Hotel. He said no
OF course, and on being shown what his
questioner had bought, exclaimed: You're
swindled; call the police John wasn't Sc
hasty as that, but went back into the bar.
room, charged his guide with taking him tc
the wrong place, and refusing to be prevail.
ed upon 10 wait for his tickets, struck fol
Courtlandt street, accompanied by the run
ner, who took occasion to tell him on the
way not SO make fool of himself and gC
showing his tickets round; if he did he'c
be roachod.' But Johns spirit was up now
he was ready to risk 'roachng,' and triet
to shake off his guide, which he finally sue
ceeded in doing.
The next thing to be done after leathin!
tbe Western Hotel was to bring his wifi
and child there. As he was wa aIking alone
Greenwich street in search of the houst
where he had left them, he came acres
Enrighl, who urged him to exchange hi
certificate iGr tickets, but he sturdy refused
Then EnIieh' 'cursed mc-I think he use,
; the word d-n--and sloped.' Luckily wifi
and babe were SAFE and sound ,an1 the whol,
family is how happily ensconced in Court
> landt street. Poor John had to pay S5 "a
Washington Hall, however, So for hacl
hire and S. for his wife's dinner.
After taking counsel with friends, Har
grove told his story to Recorder Smith. VIII,
. arrested Enright on a charge of obtaining
> money on false pretenses, and held shim t
. bail in $1,000 to appe ar hefnre the Gran
Jury, now in session.
All emigrant runners had better steer clea
OF Mr. Hargrove for the future. He ls sllen
q as the grave 1t took our reporter full hal
an hour to get him into talking humor
and then it was only brought about throug
the intervention of the landlord. Such
: wise implicitly as Mr. Hargrove's is descrIt
ed to MS TO be. is rarely seeL. eProsesse
d mis- inlen,ion to stay here till everything
frightened ont Though he has bee