The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-12-09
AN IMPOSTER ON A GRAND SCALE.

, the most astounding and successfu
swindles ever recorded in the world
history. The particulars were brief
these. The father OF Mourad was
wealthy merchant Of Stamboul, who ha
died, leaving his lucrative business t
his eldest son, Mustaph. He gav
Mourad only small patrimony, AM
this was soon spent, when the unhapp.
young man was compelled to lean upo1
his wealthy brother. Even this supper
was finally denied him, and Mourad, il
a desperate mood, resolved to make
bold push for fortune, which he did il
the following manner:
In Constantinople there are merchant.
who make practice Of hiring out al
sorts Of dresses, from that of vizier
glittering with precious stones, to the
modest robe of the dervise. Stores o
this kind seem as if intended for no other
purpose than to aid men to accommodate
themselves 10 the rapid changes of for
tune common to the land. Nor do these
merchants confine their trafficings to
garments. They will procure at an
hours notice, horses, domestics, guards,
household officers, and every conceiva-
ble appendags Of a great establishment,
which they let out to be paid for by the
week or month To one Of these dealers
Mourad applied himself, and having a
noble figure and commanding air, he
induced the merchant, for a small ad-
vance, to furnish him the dress and
relnue Of pacha. This consisted Of
splendid apparel, richly caparisoncd
horse, and the requisite number of SER
wants, both black and white. All this
splendid fitout was to be paid for within
three days, though Mourad had already
given the merchant his last sequin as
earnest money. His first movement TO
raise the needful was as follows At
tended by portion Of his suite, he di
recled his course 10 the house of his
brother. Arrived there. he stopped his
horse at the threshhold, and dispatched
one of his servants to cay to the realtny
merchant that Mourad, his brother, de-
sired 10 SEQ him at the door. The mer.
chant was about 10 give harsh reply,
when he Glanced to get a glimpse OF
Mourad and his train through the win
dow. To his astonishment, everything
bespoke the presence of a great pacha.
Moursd sparkling with jewels, and
Mourad beggar, were tive very differ
snt beings, and the willy merchant made
all possible haste to reach the thresh-
hold of his house.
"Mustaph," said Mourad, saluting
his brother without leaving his horse,
our lord the Sultan has named me
Pacha of Damascus. | have need Of a
large sum Of money to establish me
creditably in my government. Have
this money ready Tor me by to morrow.
| will reimburse you as brother and
pacha should do"
:" May Heaven prolong the days, and
increase the glory of our lord and mas
tor the Sultan p replied the eager
Mustaph. "Mourad, l believe you
were born TO do honor to our family.
My fortune belongs to YOU henceforth !;
take it all if you desire. Pacha of Da-
mascus, may Allah reward you accord
ing to your merit"
Mourad employed the night in com
pleting his arrangements. He enrolled
fifty men as a body guard and added a
number Of Tartar couriers to his suit
In the morning he sent his treasurer to
his brothers house TO request twenty
thousand pieces of gold. On receiving
the sum, Mourad paid all that it was ab.
solutely necessary to pay, and soon af
ter he crossed the Bosphorus with his
train and took the way 10 Damascus
Mourad was no common scheming
swindler. The lofty confident bearing
which he assumed, together with the
frequency Of such hasty elevations. had
persuaded his train, as we'll as every one
with whom he came in contact, of the
reality OF his appointment TO the pacha-
lick of Damascus. Mourad, however.
kept himself very quiet until be was
fairly at distance from Stamboul As
he approached the Damascene territory,
hs began to distribute presents in the
towns through which hs passed. He
was everywhere received with the houors
due TO a paoha, and exchanged gifts with
the various governors in his way, who,
remembering the great power OF the
Damascene paoha, did not allow the new
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