The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1859-09-08
" ""FN"7s~88~
Gle. Aome Suurnal.
BY w. j. SLATER.
.,pledued 10 no Pariy's arbitrary sway,


A TEEnLssEE FARMER DONE OUT OF
THREE THOUSAND DoLLARs ny GIrsEs.-
This Is the striking caption TO on sr'i'
Gle we End in one Of our exchanges Grad
tied to the New York Express. Never
having hesrd OF the affair Of Mr.. HEae'
KAN FERRIS, we know nothing OF the
incidents Detailed by the Express, and
give them as we find them, iemarklng,
however, that the story reads very like
one Of q similar character located m
where in Georgia a few months ago.
Here it is;
On the 18th Of last month. (July,) a
woman, calling herself Mrs. Rivers, cali
cd, with her husband and Two children,
on a wealthy farmer, named HcAckiah
Ferris, OF his farm in Winchester, Frank
lin county, Tennessee. The visitors
were Gipsics, and made arrangement to
stop with Mr. Ferris and his family
awhile, having first interested them by
exhibitions Of seemingly marvellous tricks.
The host was much attracted by the APP
parcnlly wonderful powers possessed by
tho woman Rivers, and in less than a
three days was cojoled by her into a be-
lief that q treasure Of 100000 was SO.
GREETED on his farm, and that it could be
regaincd by proper witch process, For
the accomplishment Of this object, Ferns
ambition war soon fred, and he the Clip
sy woman Immediately set about the
course Of tho incantatlon.
Three thousand doIlars in gold was nee.
essary for the purpose-so he was made
TO believc-and as he did not happen TO
have the money at hand, he borrowed the
whole sum of a neighbor, getting $l,295
in bank bills, and $l,705 in gold coin,
At night tho woman Rivers and himself
entered a room alone, with a lighted can.
die, and locked the door against inlru.
sion, A trunk previously provided was
then opened, and the Incarnation COM
menccd. The process was carried on by
the woman at first, who tied the money
up in a coarse light handkerchief and un.
tied it several times, mean while turning
about with quick motions, and constantly
u%tlcring some unintelligible gibbcrish,--
When this (ona,jcal performance was
ended, she and Ferris knelt while she
blasphcmous!y offered a prayer, address.
ed in all mock solemnily to the Giyer Of
all.
The bundle she had apparently made
Of the money was then in due form de-
posted in the trunk, which was locked
and she retained the key. Together they
then left the room, she having previously
impressed him with the belief that the
deposit just made in the trunk should
rest there undislurbcd by mortal hands for
ten days, at the expiration OF which time
if he had unaItcrably adhered 10 her in.
slructions, he would find the coveted l00,.
900 on opening the trunk. At the end
Of third day of their stay there, the Gypsy
family departed, the key Of the trunk be.
ing taken with them. After the woman
had gone, it seems that Ferris grew sus,
picious that perhaps all was not right in
the transaction but he nevertheless over.
! tulllc HIS uOuDloi Nv l" ullch WIN al llU
patience he could summon for the arrival
of the time when he could see himself
whether he was duped or not. le kept
tho matter to himself for the remainder
Of the ten days, and then the trunk was
forced open. There lay within it the
Identical parcel he had seen put there by
the woman Rivers. A slight notion Of
"all right" touched his feelings, and he
FASTENED to open the covering, and 10 !!
there was--not the 100 900 nor the 5000
dollars, but trash equal in bulk to the
money he had intrusted to the hands ofthe
false woman Rivers.
He cast about at once to fnI the fe.
male that had thus cajoled him, but the
bird had flown, and was doubtless far be.
yond reach but he was told that a few
miles away there was another Gypsy. TO
this one he hastily went and consulted
her. OF course she knew all about tho
others that had visited him, end told him
they had Used false names. that their re.
al names were James and Elizabeth
Trail. She further said that they belong,
cd in Murphcytown, near New York CT.
".
Forthwith he came to this city. Amer.
camille acquaintance introduced him TO
Captain Leonard, of 26th Precinct, on
last Thursday, VINO, after hearing the
story Of his loss, gave him the solution
that the money hak been taken and the
worthless stuff he found in its stead, sub,
sti,urcd probably at the time when the
evening incarnation was made. He also
informed HIM that the Gipsey who had
given him the "Murphy,own" inIorma.
ton, had undoubtedly been II decoy OF
those who had robbed him, placed where
he would be likely to hear Of and con.
suit her, after his loss should be discover.
ed, in order to send him Of on a "wiId
goose chase" es there is no such place
as "Murphytown" in the vicinity Of New
York. Officer Barry was, however, di.
rected to give attention TO the matter, but
he was unable to get the slightest clue to
tho parties. Ferris remained at the Ste.
vcns House until Tuesday, when he re.
tuned home, feeling, no doubt, a much
wiser man than when he leA there, though
any one Of ommon sense, on seeing Of
him would say that he was sold enough
to know better"
ur"Tennesseo farmer" has paid dear
ly for the lesson the Gipsoy woman has
taught him.
Upon first reading tho above article
from the New York Express, preIaced
with a few remarks from the Nashville
Union and American, we disbelieved it,
especially that a citizen Of Franklin
county, Tennessee, was the dupe alluded
TO-. But the news soon como 10 ourears
clothed in the habilimeuts Of truth, and
,.o ..o fx.ol 70 IaI;a,a tba fact ,bat