The Yazoo Democrat. [volume] (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1858-18??, 1859-08-27


We copy the following from the jackson Eagl
of the South, and will only add that the scoun
drel psid this city visit last week, and succeed
edin borrowing ten dollars from the Presbyterian
? clergyman resident here.
We have been handed, by DR.. Newton,
card signed "Joseph II. Martin, Pastor 2nt
Pres, Church, Knoxville, Tenn giving al
account of the swindling operations of I
clancy gent, religously inclined" who wal
in our city some two or three weeks ago.
He called on the different ministers in oul
city, and endeavored to obtain funds from
them, but luckily he did not succeed.
The Rev. Mr. Martin, who is we'll known
by many in our city, gives the following
account of his transactions in Knoxville:
ale passed through this place on Monday,
July 25thy when he gave us call and duped
us out Of $50. He gave his name as Davis,
and is so registered at the Humphrey
House. His story was that he lived near
Grenada, Miss, aud was member of Rev.
Mr.. Richardson's church there that his
father had long been an elder and leading
supporter Of the church that he himself
was superintendent of the Sabbath School !;
that he had just been to the North, having
taken his youngest brother, who is pious
and has the ministery in view, to Yale Col
lcgc; that both he aud his brother had been
students under Dr. Newton at jackson; that
he was married and had two children, and
was very anxious to sec his family, but that
unfortunately, having got thus far on his
way home, his funds had become exhausted,
and he must wait until he could write and
receive remittance. He talked much and
familiarity of DR.. Newton and Dr. Ross, the
latter of whom he had lately seen IN New
York, and on the whole presented a story so
PLAUSIBLE as to deceive u"
The card also has an article attached from
the Central Presbyterian, Richmond, Va,
giving accounts of his swiDdling clergymen
and others in Virginia and North Carolina,
in the former State, calling himself j. M.
Barnes, and in the latter, Mr.. Martin. In
both those States he played about the same
game he did on Mr. Martin, in Knoxville,
always succeeded in dipping the unsuspecting
ministers. The Presbyterian thus describes
him:
lie is man apparently about thirty years
of age, of medium height, rather heavily
built; wears bis hair cut very short; sports
a full beard of red light color; sometimes
wears blue spectaces, his eyes being red, and
seemingly weak; dresses painly but well !;
and has, as be says, fancy for guard chains
of different patterns, which be wears on his
watch, changing from one to another accord
ing to his humor. In manners he is quiet
and unassuming, his voice is low, and his
articulation rather rapid He pretends to be
with people of the largest stan
ding in different places, and is well posted
rs to the character and condition of many of
our churches, the peculiarities of the pastor,
he number, wealth, and social position Of
he members, &c. Mr.. Barnes convefses
EASILY on almost every subject, but his forte
5 in the religious line. He is probably at
his time guest in some minister's family,
making interchangeable and useful-while
lie is waiting for that remittance.
Mr.. Martin says the above portroit is
lrawn to the life, and those of our citizens
Who saw him in Jackson recognize the pic.
ure. Pass him around Justice to the
leroy, demands that his career be cut short.
Whenever he is found let him be arrested
nd lodged in Jail. We ask the press, re 4
igious and secular, to give him the benefit
t a notice.