Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-02-09
Very respectfully,
A. l. MENKEN.

A NOTED CLEVELAND RAsCAL.-The Honolulu
Advertiser gives the history of cOnsumate rascal,
who, within q few years, has made the Pacific
Ocean the theater of a series of high handed viii
lainies. The name of the individual is Capt Henry
HAYES, alias Capt. William Hayes He is about
thirty-twO years of age, and originated at Cleve.
land, Ohio, where his father kept grog shop. At
an early age he became a sailor, and subsequently
married at Cleveland. About the year 1852 he
appropriated and sold some horses belonging to
neighbor, for which neghborly act he would have
paid reluctant visit to the State Prison, but for
flaw in the indictment, by which he escaped. His
next exploit was to marry another woman and fee
with her to California. On the passage out he
gained the confidence Of wealthy Californian,
whom he persuaded TO establish his wife in retail
liquor saloon, and afterwards to buy the bark
OtrantO aud fit her for a voyage to China. Hayes
sailed as master of the vessel and this the last
the owner saw or heard of him until last winter,
when he returned to San Francisco, after an ab
sence five or six years.
After Hayes arrived in China he ran the 0tranto
for a while between the Chinese ports raising
money on her by means of bottomries, until she
was seized to settle her liabilities. With the money
thus procured he bought the barque J. Bradley,
Jr., and after pursuing the same plan Of raising
money, as long as he dared, suddenly left, cheating
a tailor at Shanghae out of bill of $500 for him
self, and $40 for each Of his men. The rascal
next turned up at Port Adelaide, in Australia
where ne COubplEeu Will Lu6 Cdplhlu Ol d snip W
defraud the owners of that vessel out Of $4,000
by means Of false bottoming bond, but he lost
the suit and with it all his means, having sold the
J. Bradley, Jr., to meet his expenses, In AIDE
laide he married again and proceeded to Melbourne,
where be sold to party Of miners share in
vessel in which he Fad not the slightest interest.
Soon after he managed to get command of the
barque 0restes, bound for Vancouver's Island. He
stopped at Honolulu on the way, remaining six
weeks. From one of his passengers he had while
in Australia obtained $4,000, all tho money he had,
for the purpose Of investing it in liquor, and SELL
It on Joint account to the seerage passengers on the
voyage; but he forgot to buy the liquor, and the
imprudent speculatOr lost his money.
While in Honolulu, his wife, a worthy woman,
obtained legal separation from him, and the su-
percargo and agent of the ship discovering that
Hayes had conspired with the crew to run away
with the vessel, depOsed him from the command.
HAYES subsequently sailed for San Francisco, leav
ing bad debts behind him to the tune of $4,000
| He met in San Francisco the old owner OF the
Otrsnto, whom he quieted by stating that he had
several thOhsand dollars due him from the owners
of the Orestes, which he would pay over as soon
as received ; and thinking it the only chance TO
get anything, that gentleman did not prosecute
| him.
His next achievement was to obtain command Of
and run away with the brig Ellenita, carrying of
several thousand dollars in money and vauables
deposited on board by passengers, and leaving un
So, 500. He was next heard Of at Maui, one of the
| Sandwich Islands, where be narrowly escaped ar
rest Where he will next appear is only matter
of conjecture.
Hayes is a man of but little education and but
little talent except for rascality, in which he has
the assistance OF man named Robert Parkinson,
who naVigates his vessel for him. He is very
plausible in his address, and an accomplished con
idenee man"
Capt. "BiI, Hayes" was well known to our police
aud civil authorities before he left for wider sphere
Of action. He was for years upon the Lake, sail
ing either sail vessels or steamers, having been
with the steamer America, the Wisconsin, the
brig Banner, and others. 1t was generally UNDER
stood that If the owners of vessel wanted to get
the insurance upon it. Capt. Bill Hayes was the
man for their job. He was expected to appIoPri
ate everything within his reach, and he bad a
pretty long reach. After divers and sundry illegal
acts he left this section much for the general good
It will be seen by the above that he has had wide
swing and cut big figure among reckless adven-
turers. brother Of his has served term in the
Auburn State Prison, and another brother was
before our courts last Spring,