Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-02-27
"commodorev William F. Lyn CHI

Od0raD ~. n.
MI n VI T.;h..o r.ho Ia,h h.s
The New YORK Tribune OF inc iSth' mas
the Following sketch OF the rebel 'Commo-
dore" William Il. Lynch, who received such
a drubbinp at the hands of the gallant Colds
horouob AZ tho taxing of Roanoke and who
~ .l"-1,.. -: re. s,,
propaoy ios' Ms i"e 'here
Less than a year ago there resided 10
West Philadelphia a gentleman named
Wiliam +. Lynch, who was generally called
Lieut.. Lynch, sometimes spoken OF as
Captain Lynch. He was known TO be an
officer Of the navy, but poorer specimen
Of humanity It would be dhhcult to meet
with-small OF stature, haltin9 in gait, with
shy manner, never looking any one In the
face, and atall times betraying fear that
a policeman was at his heels. He was q
constant attendant at the church OF the Rev.
Mr.. Wise, the son of the redoubtable Henry
A. OF Virginia, and he was one OF the Sun
day-School teachers OF the parish. Ihis
pious and strange looking specimen OF hu-
manity Gisappered from the village about
the time the Rev. Mr.. Wise made tracks for
Dixie. His absence attracted no attention
at first, but it was soon known that he had
run away deeply in debt. The house in
! Yhich he resided had been purchased on
/ ffesrshs, noNgages 70 rfie filr amount OF the
purchase money having been executed to
/ the former owner, an honest German, who
supposed he was dealing with an honest man
when he parted with the title to the proper
ty. One mortgage was for 1000 to the
. Girard Life Insurance Company, andthe sec
: ond to the former owner, for 5000. Before
! our "C0mmodore" ran naway he had secured a
+ tenant for the house, and without divulgiug
the fact that he had never paid cent for the
3 property, induced the tenant to pay him in
. advance the rent fot the ensuing six months
! Sheriff swrits soon made known the fact that
this Jeremy Diddlcr had not paid the inter-
Q est on the mortgages, and Mr.. Kern, our
e late Sheriff, on Monday, Oct. Z, 1861, sold
4 the estate of w. L. Lynch, at public sale, to
e the former owner of the property, he being
/ compelled to purchase to secure himself
e The whole transaction proved the knavery
V Of the Commodore, who had entrapped an
IS unsuspecting man i0to an agreement to trust
v to his promises Of payment at given time,
e solely on the faith that he was an officer in
d the Navy of the United States. The Sher
IS iff' 8 sale of this gentlenans property ha
ic of course attracted some attention, anC
IS caused much gossip. 1t now turns out thai
" our Commodore is really and in TRUTH ont
r Of the most miserable quacks in existence
y Vail, Couccltcu JaCkdudpcSJ uteutute VI
f real courage, but laboring under the i'm
D preston that he is of some importance
ut having gained the applause and puffs of tn,
newspapers, on the results of his martial ex
is ploits some years ago, when with some half
le dozen companies, he made an Expedition
it to the Dead Sea. The results of this won
derful exploit were not Of a very astound
r, ing character, as the then Lieutenant, witt
e. his companies, took soundings of the sea
y. and make chart Of it, all Of which had bee
: done before by a French officer, and report
wv ed to the world but nevertheless, our Lynch
ho burning for notoriety, which he though
~ fame, made the most Of his exploit by givin
n to the world a book crammed full Of every
thing under the heavas which could !
lugged in from authors on the Holy Lane
/. aud so exhibited himself to men of scien.!
2ve and biblical knowledge as donkey of II
sss ess first class But, like Maury and some otl
j in ers,. he gained a newspaper reputation +
iSS iiSSl Science" and we have read within q dt
owe owe or two since that he was IAN accomplisht
,me and highly scientific officer" The Lieute
: Unmarried very beautiful and accomphs
ese ed young lady-Miss Shaw, daughter,