Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-06-19
THE HISTORY OF A CHARLATAN.

IdE HloIUR4 Ut a CHARLATAN.
o ,,,.d,.. l; ....I,...t.,, ...,:..t ia
advertisements of "Dr. H. James. the retired
physician whose sands Of life have nearly run
ont. The New York Leader OF Saturday pub
fishes an article exposing his adventures his
aliases, his swindle, and his profits, from which
We learn that "Dr. James" is one Oliver p
Brown, printer who formerly figured in this
city, and for time, we believe, in New Britain.
Here he was engaged with one Griswold. who
had printing office in the room now occupied
as a sherih'S office in the Unversalist church.
One or two weekly newspapers We're issued
which ilourShcd for a short time, and various
publications of doubtful character found the
light from the same establishment. In New
Britain he published newspaper and kept
book and stationary store.
From this quarter Brown moved TO New
York. and after trying his hand at various things.
worked out retired physician" scheme which
he has been practising with success for two or
three years.
For few postage stamps the receipt is for
wardcd, and as the main ingredient is CannabiS
lndica. or Last India hemp, powerful drug
somewhat difficult to procure he kindly offers
to furnish the medicine for - bottle We
know gentleman who submitted the recipe to
two physicians in this city, both of whom pro-
nounced it excellent But the medicine fur
nished does not correspond with the recipe
There is no Cannabis lndica in it, and it is mere
ly a compound Of cough simples, liquoricc, slip
perry elm decoction, with honey prominent, cost
ing, the bottle included sixteen cents. The
enormous profit and large sales have made
Brown rich and he is estimated to be worth
from S3O,O0O to 100000
We imagine Connecticut must have been a
good field for him, as he must have spent in ad-
vertising in this city alone during the last wear,
at least hundred dollars which he would not
have done did ii not bring a corresponding re-
turn. Brown hired an old man to personate
sold DIR. James,"
During the last three years, in connection
with this matter, he has been pushing other
things. At one time figuring as "Nladame Ju-
liza Melville" with a magnificent coSmetic--the
"NIilk of Roses and Extract of Elder Blossoms"
made of magnesia and alcohol costing eight
cents for which he charged 81. At another
time selling "Dr. IL. J0mes's Regulating and
Purifying Pill !" at another the Excelsior Oint-
ment of India" Nc,. &c.
Those hercabouts who knew Brown never
considered him smart enough to enter into any
operation, either honest or dishonest, by which
he could accumulate the fortune which he is now
represented to possess. But as he is now rich,
we believe there are not few creditors of his
in these parts who would be glad to have him
make an honest use of some of his ill-gotten
gains, by paying his honest debts contracted
years ago.-H0tfod Press.
---SsS--
The COUNSEIIoR POSEn.-At trial in the
court of Kings Bench, June, 1888, between GER
tain publishing tweedledums and tweedledees,
as to an alleged piracy of an arrangement of the
'Old English Gentleman'-an old English air,
by the by-Tom Cooke the composer, was sub
poened Il witness by one of the parties. On
his cross-eXamination by Sir James Scarlet, af-
terwardS Lord Abinger, for the opposite side,
that learned counsel rather ilippantly question
ed him thus
"Now, sir, you say that the two melodies are
the same, but different. What do you mean by
that, sir ?"
To this Tom promptly answered, " said that
the notes in the two copies were alike, but with
different accent the one beingin common time.
the other in siX-eght time and consequently
the position Of the accented notes was different
Sir james" What is musical accent ?"
Cooke" My terms are guinea lesson,
SIR "a loud laugh.)
Sir james (rather ruflled)-" Never mind
your terms here. | ask you what is musical
accentP Can you see itPp
Cooke" No.
Sir james" Can you feel it?"
Cooke" musician cam" (Great laughter.)
Sir James (yery angry" Now, pray, sir,
don't beat about the bush, but explain to his