New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-01-15
BENJAMIN GREER,

aConddeDoe Operator" the second
T7a sd,ot individual who dd so much IN thus region
.ors yesrs ago to elevate the Confidence Game to
The dignity Of art and sfterward died in Sing sing
Pnsop. was known by the name Of Thompson. N.Y.
Greer peyer laid claim to 60 lofty order OF talent a.
his predecessor, but met witn quite IS ornao'
sncoess in toe Cd set of his brief He IS now
about AZ yesrs Of age of pleasiog address, nue.
and intelligent countensnoe Formerly he was as'o-
ciate editor Of journals Of repute in Phsoe'puia Yin
cippst and elsewhere Since arriving atthe PRISON ne
r..nrosd % onsrs,iops." and gained the complete
confidence Of its ofcersnot however, by OLD trickS
g., 10 n,orer dsroeaoor and strict Observance OF
IL, n,,ir this time be has acted as bOokkeeper In
,h. s,w.bop and aattery) assistant in the hospital
Co. history is truly checkered aud sad one. ln
Iass he married young and beautiful woTnau hi'
co,d wife in the State of Ohio, whose only personal
defec. vas a partial deafness. With view to place
her within reach Of the most skiul surgical treat
mani he came to New-York soon after marriage, and
in a short time was gTalfed TO learn that her
case wss not hopeless one. His wife had been
bred in fashionable society, and Ike many otner
daughters Of Eve was recsless Of expenditure. She
and her husband took lodgings n boarding mouse
above Rleecker. and what With medical bills, lsod-
.dv's charges ard shopkeepers invoices, Greer
nurse s,rngs we're kept pretty well drawn On army
inc in Eew-York he had some ready money, aud was
sIso p semi annual receipt Of interest from small e9-
tate held IN trust by him for ths children OF his hrst
marrisge Meantime, be sought employment, and
failed 10 obtain any. Ia the course OF i've or SIX
months his cash in hand gave out and furthermore,
the expected interest money was not forthcoming, us
payment, as il afterward appeared, having been en-
Joined by his deceased wifes relatives Pretty soon
he found himself in difficulty. He had represented
himself 10 bis wife well to do, and she believed ne
was able to support them both in the style they were
living in But Greer saw that something must be done
speedily to avert painful catastrophe, and
after revolving several plans in his mind, se'
l.oted that of the ilustriOus Thompson. Calling
on several downtown dry goods jobbers, he
announced himself Western merchant, aud cash
purchaser He had previous Introduction in either
case and was astonished at the ease with which he
gained their confidence. Mr.. Greer evidently had no
previous acquaintance with our city merchants or ne
would not have been surprised at the readiness with
which they extend credit to John Doe, Richard Zoe
and Bob Sawyer) His method was to order Dill oil
goods sent to house where he was buying another
bill, receive the package personally and draw check
for the amount Of the purchase Out OF eight cases o.
this kind, be says, his check seemingly was taken
without suspicion. Greer had begun to cell these
goods at a sacrifice, when the bogus checks began 10
come back on the ncsutious jobbers, and the deho-
quent was duly overhauled. Greer pleaded guilty to
one of the indictments, with the understanding, he
that the others should prosecuted and was
sent to Sing Sing by Recorder Smith, March IL 1910,
for term Of three years. lie Will be out 10 ABOUT
two months. previous TO which he intends to petition
Gov Morgan for a full pardon. Greer has cameo an
excellent reputation for good conduct among the prison
-. i,riOn 10
He ssvs he shall never hereafter practice any conf
denos game which is contrary TO law and sound morals
Resides the degradation of being convicted felon,
,be oondnct Of his wife has caused him much mental
suffering Seen after he first went to prison, his wife
,surned 10 her friends in the State of Ohio but in the
course of q few months made her appearance at the
prisop. and requested of her husband an advance OF
funds. He was unable to respond, and she soon after
went to Indianapolis and procured divorce-he max
inp no opposition when the papers were served on him.
Greer has some property left, and says he intends
10 make restitution to his creditors to the extent OF his
ability, after leaving the prison.
WILLIAM JONES,
The Sixth Term Nan.
Jones alias Murray alias Smith alias Ion TINKER
alias any body TO feel strong regard for the walls
Of the marble palace he now in there for the sixth
time, and yet is only 80 years old. He was out for
three months in the Spring of 1857, but was sent
back again for FIVE years. The occasion was
discovery Of his attempt to practice the illegal arts OF
buresry-in which he is said to be proficient. Jones
is an excellent drsughtsman, and is employed to pre-
pare designs In the tapestry shop.
JOHN SPENCE,
d. Opers,or In the Panel Game
This young man, who is only - years old, aud has
amost respectable wife and pious parents now resid-
ing in Morrisania, was led by his previous hab'
is to engage in panel crib in Hudson street.
ON the evening of Thanksgiving Day. 1857, gam
bier named Lawrence Riley, who aterward alleged
that he was somewhat tight and who had bsnk
notes with him to the amount of several hundred
dollars, was brought to the house. Spence entered
the apartment steathily with false key, and Sc
lected $40 in notes from his wallet and then de-
canned. He soonafter fell into the hands OF
Justice: and was convicted along with his con-
federstes, and sent to hard labor for four years
and nine months Last Winter, he made one of party
of several who tried unsuccessfully to esospe from
prison on the ice Two pistol balls coming in violent
contact With his person. sid him up in the hospital for
several weeks. lie is now in good health, and per-
forms with ascrity his diurna duties in tue saw shop
JOHN HENNEGAN,
Judge Rasselps 4oyesu man.
At the time the practice of garrotiug was fashion
able q gentleman named Travers was walking arough
Fofty-seeond street in the evening, in company with
his wife, when he was assaed by five men, gsrroted
and robbed of wha, money he had about him, amount
ips TO about IS cents One of them named John Hen
negsn was soon after identified by the victim and ar
rested. The delinquent was tried in che Court of Gen
eral Sessions, found guilty and sentenced by Judge
Russell to Imprisonment for 40 years. He is an Irish
man. - years Of age and at present works in the ME