Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-12-19

ferred to from Portland, showing that the rami-
fications of his great swindle bad extended over
to New England, where a merchant named
Cram had been addressed and offered temp
ting West India agency, with two bills of ex-
change which he was desired to cash. Hart,
or Donnel's letter to Cram was a model OF
business correspondence, and the device Of q
ship letter was again resorted to, the snares
being perfect at all points, and the rich pre-
MUM cunningly thrown out to infatuate and
blind his victim. Cram was no fool, however,
and refused to be crammed. The end of it was,
that Mr.. Hart, otherwise Mr.. Donnell, other
wise Cephas Beaumais, was taken into custody
by Ben Franklin, and locked up in Moyamen-
sing jail, with forgeries. embracing in their OBJ
iect $4,000. to be accounted for before twelve
men and a tipstaff.
The West India blanks and fac smiles had
thus been brought into use after lapse of seve-
raj years: but the means whereby Beaumais
had obtained the "shp" stamps and foreign
postage marks were explained by Post Master
Walborn, to whom Beaumais had addressed the
following letter =
"DEAR SIR: ! arrived here from St. Thomas,
at New York, yesterdy before noon, and left
Immediately for this place with the intention OF
going to Baltimore in few days, after having
visited my friends in the interior of Pennsyl-
vania | was charged to deliver the enclosed
to Mr.. John II. Thomas, by merchant of St
Thomas | understand that this is contrary to
law, and that all lettes must be delivered to
the Post Office Department | therefore en-
close the same letter to your address as 20 be
disposed Of as you best know.
"Yours, respectfully,
JOHN DEWNING."
OF course the postmaster marked the letter
"shp," as if it had arrived by vessel, and Beau
ma;s made it appear that his Philadelphia for
geries were really genuine letters, from reliable
men in the West Indies. His forgeries, more.
over, were excellent ones. They were not ser.
vile limitations of handwriting, but joined the
general spirit of the original with sufficient va.
ration to make them above doubt. The origi
mails of many of these limitations have been
compared with the torgeres and the latter are
perfect counterparts. The mans understand
ing of all the details of trade-shipping, pro-
duce, &c.,-never intrusive, but always evident
can be seen in the spverallp letters he has indted
in his conversation he is often sparkling ant
always atlable. Some of his private letters dis
close u cultivated taste and love of the beau
tiful. He has written into his diary choice ex
tracts, evidently made at random from his read
ings, and in a life of adventure has acquired al
extensive knowledge of men and places that
makes his conversation amusing and interesting
His defence is weak but on the trial which ha,
Just been finished he evinced his skill and keen
ness in watching his lawyer, and giving him thu
necessary avidence as to the conduct OF thu
case. Lewis C.. Cassidy represented the Com
monwealth, and Charles Brooks the defendant
The trial was long one, and although in The
end convicted, Beaumais was ready with twenty
one reasons for new trial, which his counse
fled at once. The banking and business com
munity are largely interested in this case, anC
Mr.. Franklin, with view to enliShten anC
caution the public, intends to publish the lif'
and trial of Cephas Beaumais, whom the office
well denominates as the "Napoleon of Forgers.
Beaumais has not resorted TO acids or any o
the devices which Monroe Edwards and othe
counterfeiters and forgers generally adopt. Lik,
Hermann. he has no apparatus, and his won
dertul performances have been accomplished
simply by his dexterity and sleight of-hand
whereby he has played to select houses am,
now, on his second retiscmer' from the stage
can look back to at least 100000 as the re
ceipts of his exhibitions.