The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-10-15

Tribune folks had also requested him to visit
different portions Of the State and describe
the country, the crops, and tho wav things
looked politically. The story took well, and
he was the recipient of many an invitation
from all parts Of Iowa, to visit their homes
Nearly every one offered to pay his expenses
Of the trip, and two gentlemen actually
gave him money to purchase his own and
their tickets at . liberal deduction from the
regular fare.
He dined with the wealthy, and firted
with the wealthy's daughters, and borrow.
ed money until he should return from the
hotel where his own was deposited IN safe.
But there was one man who saw through
the Professor the very first interview, and
that was Captain Tom Levens, who, after
the Professor had looked at his cabinet, de-
nounced him as emo geologist, ad-d
fool, and bogus in everything"
And now II turns out that professor
James Dale Owen" was nothing less than
q most skillful pickpocket. Several who
had money taken from their pockets, now
remember that they missed it shortly after
being introduced to him, and that he con-
trived to make their acquaintance in jost.
ling crowd. He relieved one lady of fifty
dollars in less than ten minutes after speak
ing to her. He took eighty dollars from the
pocket Of an exhibitor of stock, who was
showing him his animals. and it is now as
certained that he was the thief who stole
money and clothing from the rooms of the
Key City House. He stopped the bolt holes
of the doors with putty, so that the bolt
could not enter them, and at night slipped
in the rooms and picked the pockets Of the
sleepers. He probably took away from the
city nearly $1,000 stolen money.
+ And yet, the strangest part Of all is, that
he was not intelligent in conversation -he
was sharp enough to talk but little ,entle-
manly in behavior, nor fine looking in mp.
pearance, and was dressed rather shabbily
He is about five feet six in height, has thin,
str aight, light brown hair, always combed
b backward; very keen, penetrating blue eyes
speaks in quick, positive manner, and ha.
protuberances under his lower jaw, giving
it the appearance of a chipmunck with his
jaw crammed with beech nuts. When he
left here he took the Davenport boat, in
company with the artist to whom he had
engaged himself. She got OF the boat al
Lyons, he kept on to Davenport, where be
sold few sets of books for the benefit oil
the Sanitary Commission. He went from
there to St: Louis, where he was announced
in the papers, as "Senator Bingham. ol
Michigan" He lionized it few days, was
detected and fled-no one knows where.
The following letter, received in this city
yesterday, shows that he was only practic-
ing an old game.
SNTHsoNIAN INSTITUTE, Sep. 90, 1863.
DEAR SIR.-Your letter has just been re.
ceived, for which please accept our thanks.
Mr.. James Dale Owen is an imposter and
his career should be checked Immediately.
We have heard Of his swindling operations
in Newark, Ohio, and elsewhere, and have
published him already as a knave. He is
not connected with Robert Dale Owen, o!
Indiana, and his claims to be an agent Of
the Smiths oman Agricultural Department,
or Sanitary Commission, are all false.
You ought to caution the public against
him in your Western papers.
Yours respectfully.
WM. j. RH EES.
Chief Clerk Smithsonian Institute.