The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-01-01

perty; failed completely, and disappeared
between two DAY 8, leaving various dsabii
ties unsatisfea. This was in 1861. Anon.
bis creditors was Mr.. Draper. then a jcweiel
on Fourth street, Of whom he purchased :
gold watch on credit, by representing him
selfas partner Of Mr.. Winchcll During
this time John Wesley extended his pas
toral visits to Newport His eloquence, his
! zeal his apparent sincerity, charmed his un
suspecung brethren, and so won upon tbs
affections Of one ofthem that he presented
John Wesley with a corner lot in the village
Of jamestown, on which he realized at the
earliest opportunity. 1t was discovered, af.
ter John Wesley had made himself invisible
that he had wife and four children living,
and had added bisamy to his other accom-.
plishmsnts.
In the spring oflS52 The Philadelphia pa
pers announced that j. Wesley Greene had
been sentenced to the penitentisry for term
of twenty one months, having been convict
ed Of obtaining money under false pretences
The unfortunate John Wesley had appeared
in that city in the capacity ola G ,vernment
officer, employed in the secre. mail service.
| He had advertised for clerks, Offering large
salaries, and STIMULATING with them that they
should pay bonus for the position. which
they cheerfully assented to, each one depos-
! frntt 70
his hands. The fraud was not discovered
till they reached Washington, and, finding
they had been duped, John Wesley was ar
rested. tried, and convicted. and sentenced
10 involuntary industry as we have men
toned. While in the pentsntary he was
employed as a book keeper, and conducted
himselfso handsomely as to attract the sym
pathy and the esteem Of the officers of
the institution. Pardoned out few DAYS be-
fore the expiration Of his term of service,
John Wesley returned to Cincinnati and re
engaged with his old employees in the Japan
business. He tried 10 re-establish commnn.
ication with his wife. who had obtained a
bill of divorce, but was warned to quit the
city by her friends, under pain Of exposure,
which he did. During this time, however.
be addres ed pathetic letter to one of the
proprietors of a daily paper here setting
forth that he had been unfortunate the VIC
tim Of circumstances, and made so plausible
statement that he was referred to benev.
olent gentleman as an unfortunate, and re-
ceve 500 as evidence ofthe sympathy felt
for one whom disaster had so persistently
followed. After leaving the city, John Wes
ley. who seemed to have a penchant for ma
trimony, married his brother Richards
wife's sister, residing near Sandusky City,
and proceeded to New York, where he re-
presented himself as returned Californian,
and deposited. with some one there box or
safe, containing what he represented to be
ingots of bullion of immense value On the
capital thus made John Wesley INDUCED
himselfin extensive purchases, Of one kind
or another, but was finally exposed, arrested
tried and centenced to Sing Sing for three
years. He succeeded, however, in obtain
ing pardon; and, meeting Mr.. Winchell in
that city. engaged with him to return to
Cincinnati and resume his trade. What be
came of his third wife we do not know
During the Winter of 1859 80, however, he
married the Baltimore lady to whom he re-
fers in his statement of a purported inter-
view with jefferson Davis and the Federal
Administration. The Rev. Mr.. Rice, of the
Disciple Church, officiated on this interest
ing occasion. Soon after, John Wesley re
moved to Louisville, where he ingratiated
himself in the affections of the Rev. Mr..
Sehon's congregation, and succeeded in "do
ing" either the pastor or his flock out Of
three hundred dollars. At this point the
bereayed CINCINNATI friends oeJohn Wesley
lost sight Of him, and were not aware of mis-
existence until the stupendous narrative ap-
peared in the Chicago Times, and revived
their recollections Of him.
We are able, however, to supply, in part,
the hiatus between his Louisville experience
and his denouement as ambassador of the
Peace Democracy. During the Fall of 1861
the writer Of this article was at Tennally-
town, d. c., where the Pennsylvania Re-
serve, then under command Of Gen. Mccall,
was stationed. There was great scandal
10 camp circulation, to the effect that the
Chaplain Of one of the Regiments the Rev.
j. Wesley Greene, to whom had been as
signed the regimental post Office, bad been
guilty Of opening the letters Of the soldiers
and purloining whatever money they con-
tanned The matter became the subject Of
some newspaper notoriety, but John Wesley
succeeded in so far allaying suspicion as to
avoid minute investigation. One instance
we remember perfectly WELL A poor boy in
the regiment received from his widowed
mother letter inc.osins gold dollar, which
she said was all the money she had. The
lad received the letter but not the dollar,
which, 1t was believed, had found its way
into the personal purse ass compensation
for the religious consolation disbursed by
the Rev. John Wesley. AS near as we re,
member, Greene had, just prior TO the COM
mencement the war, joined the Erie An
nual Conference Of the Methodist Church,
and had been assigned to charge in Law.
renee or Mercer County but his patriotism
being stronger than his piety he abandoned
his stationary flock for the wandering sheep,
and so became chaplain in the army, re-
latien which he re.ained till the unpleasant