Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-07-15

/ AN EXTENSIVE SwINDLE.-We regret to learn
that our old friend, William Schouler, Esq, late
of the Boston Alias, has been victimized by one
of the mercantile Jeremy Diddlers, to the tune of
several thousand dollars, under the following cir
cumstances. Several months since, Mr.. Schouler,
while resididg in Cincinnati. of the editors
! and proprietors of the Cincinnati Gazette, made
the acquaintance of man from Shrewsbury in
this county, named Henry w. Baldwin, by whosa
representations of lucrative business, through the
establishment of large commission house in Gin
cnnati, for the sale of Eastern manufactures, he
was induced 20 sell out his interest in the Ga
zette, and make some other preparations, with a
view to forming business connection with Bald.
win for the purpose above named.
Having so far accomplished his purposes Bald
wins next representation was, that it would be
necessary for him to go to Baltimore and Phil.
adelphia to solicit consignments for the propos-
ed firm. He stated to Schouler, as appeared
by the examination, yesterday, that he had
some debts to pay in the above named cities,
and, though possessed of abundant means in
notes and other securities, he yet needed sum
of about two thousand and two hundred dollars
IA AShN9 Soohs W ShtllSil ldu Oa4uMiu oeCultu
the confidence of Col. Schouler at this time that
he unhestatingly drew his check for the amount,
and gave it to Baldwin, not even taking a note
for the money. Baldwin subsequently came East,
no eopartnership having been formed, but, as was
understood, with view to consult with the lead
ing New England manufacturers, and then to ar
range the terms of copartnership afterwards.
After some considerable time had elapsed, Mr..
Schouler's suspicious were aroused to the face
that all was not right, and he determined
to come on himself. and ascertain the where
abouts Of Baldwin, and to recover his money
To make long story short, he found his worst
suspicious as to Baldwin's rascality, more than
realized as soon as no reached New York for he
found at the Astor House, card posted up, pur-
porting to have been issued from the commission
house of Schouler, Baldwin, & Co., Cincinnati
firm which really had no existence He here
had an interview with Baldwin, and denounced
him for his rascality, to which the latter coolly
responded that if he, Schouler, did not like the
copartnership, he could put an advertisement in
the paper, announcing dissolution. Arriving
in Boston, he learned other facts connected with
Baldwin, that left doubt upon his mind thai
he had been the victim of an unprincipalled
sharper, that his $4,000 had virtually been stolen
from him, that Baldwin had used his name in
connection with his own, for large amount, as
members Of the new firm, which all the while had
no existence, and that some of the notes SO used
had been returned from Cincinnati, protested
Five of these notes, amounting to near $4,000 in
all, dated at Cincinnati, were passed off in this
city by Baldwin, in payment of his own private
debts, to Messrs. VIM. M. Bickford and VIM Bar.
ker, and not knowing the nature of the case, Col
S. was arrested upon those claims. This brought
matters at once to crisis, and led to the imme-
date arrest of Baldwin, who was found at Shrews.
bury, and brought to this city, where, after a
lengthy examination, at which the above facts
were ELECTED, he was committed to prison, in de-
fault of bail in the sum of six thousand dollars, to
answer to the charge of having committed the
crime of forgery The whole evidence SUBJ
mitted in the case, went to show that Colonel
Schouler was entirely guiltless in the matter,
that no eopartnership had been formed, that he
had no knowledge of the game of deception and
rascality that Baldwin was carrying on at his ex-
pense, and that he entirely ignorant that his
name had been used by Baldwin, until after the
notes were protested for nOn'payment.
While we sympsthize with our friend in the Pc
cuniary loss and consequent vexation and disap-
congratulate him and the public that Baldwin is
in custody, and will be likely to receive the pen
atty of his misdeeds.