Gazette and sentinel., 1860-06-23
A Great Swindler Detected.

are described in the following article
from the Charleston Mercury, says the
Baton Rouge Aduocate of Monday, must
be a man calling himself Evans, whopaid
our town a visit last spring, and adver,
Using money to lend, taking mortgages
on real estate for security. His u
toners were requested to apply ATTY
& Co., bankers, New Orleans" but as
he found no n in this region in need
Of his money at six per cent" and
none likely to be strictly c~onfdential'
with him in business transactions, he
left for other regions. He seems to
have been unfortunate since he left Us.
Says the .Nsrcury:
Detective IIickc, with great address,
arrested yesterday a man calling him,
self Josiah Austin Gee, alias Austin
Ghee, who has been doing business in
Charleston fog about u month, as the
iir!n Of Ghec, Wilson Il Co., or Wilson
" w, DdlIhSiS anu dStIlS l'i LOdIihS
money, Oh behalf oi different British
banks.
Geo. operated i'll this wise He ad-
vertisel at Columbia, >. C., Savannah
and Atlanta, Ca, and probably other
interior points. in response to this All
nouucemcnt it is surprising how many
letters he received, sixty-onc being now
in the hands Of the POLICE. He kept a
box a. the Charleston p~ostolfice, No. al.
Whenever he received a letter, lie re-
Piled, stating that his terms were seven
per cent, payable s~emi-annually. One
and a half per cent. was also charged
A. a bonus for the first year, and an adj
ditionai half Of onc per cent. to pay
fees for Investigating titles, etc. He
then required a full description of the
security, with "a true statement of all
lucumbrauces, which he desired TO ex-
anime. Everything should be strictly
confidential and Of the highest business
character. The last half per cen; Of
his commission he did not exact. but
left that to the generosity of the Dor
rover, and, strange 10 say, never failed
get II. Possessing a full inventory
Of the borrowers property, Inc would
send him word that he would advance
money at a certain period, generally
July 4. but that his cOmmisSi rs were
payable forthwith, when he would send
agent to examine the property
pledged, and to obtain the advance
Tins agent was, OF course, himself.
He has undoubtedly succeeded in ne
gotiating about $50, 0G0, for which b.
would receive 81 Coo, and in most in
stances from gentlemen of good bust
ness character and position. 1t is i'll
deed surprising how far this halt took.
has pledged funds to gentlemen in
Columbia, Sumter, Abbeville and Green
vile in this State; Savannah, Atlanta,
Decatur and other towns in Georgia.
Gee is a pale, sickly looking man,
about 81 feet, of elegant manner and
address, and may be surely
Identified by a cork leg, which he wears.
lie arrived in Charleston May 9th. and
stopped at the Charleston Hotel. After
'emaining there a short time, he took
BOARD in an estimable private family,
VINO are excessively chagrined at the
'~en9uenent, and demeaued himself in a
most exemplary manner, going regular
y to church and being truly polite and
agreeable TO ladies. As he was report
ID to be Of immense wealth, of course
here was no bar TO his progress.
Officer Hicks had spotted Gee when
It the Charleston Hotel; had conyersed
With him repeatedly, and learned his bu-
lness; but his suspicious were uncon-
lrmed by any complaints until last
Thursday, when a gentleman from Co
umbia visited Charleston to inquire
bout this banker, to whom he had paid
considerable advance for q promised
on July 4th. Gee had left town,
n a collecting tour through the State,
nd 1t was feared had flown. He had,
owever, left a trunk, which officer
ticks concluded he would come for
Saturday, Gee came back from
'reenville, but fearing that the Column
ia officers might be on the lookout for
nm, he crossed from Nincty-Six to Au-
by stage, and returned to Charles
on by the early Augusta train yestcr-
ay morning. He was allowed to re-
isit t t%ofice, the family with
'hom irded, and the church
'here Ssrsbipped. On his return
rom church he was arrested and carried
the Main Guard House.
On searching him ~sixty-one letters
'ere found, all of a business character,
OF a single private letter being in his
nsrnrrinn IL - c