The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-07-28
1.-THE MAN WITH THE VELVET
COAT
The History Of a Grand

Rascal. g
A STORY OF BIGAMY, FOR
gerry AND EMBEZ-
ELEMENT.
Our citizens may have noticed for few
weeks past in the Streets genteel-looking in
dividual. stranger evidently, and from Pc
culiarity in his dress. generally known as The
Man In the Velvet Coat" He usually wore
sort of q yiolet-colored velvet coat, and carried
. cane-hH whole cut somewhat savoring of
fancy sporting man, or upper crust gambler.
TO the few who managed by accident to be-
come acquainted with him, he was known as
the "Hon. John w. Harris" formerly of
Texas, and gentleman of great wealth, stop
ping ct the International with his wife. This
apparently quiet and respectable man, how
ever, is the hero of q strange story of crime
the perpetrator of series of villainies rarely
equalled for boldness and depravity, which we
viii endeavor to narrate, commencing at the
beginning of his career of rascality.
In 1858, . man came to the city of Spring
field, Ohio, calling himself BENZ. W. Allen.
He was destitute Of means, but in some way
managed to get about hundred dollars, when
he disappeared. After time he returned,
bringing with him considerable money. How
1t was obtained, no one ever knew-nor was
anything known about him or his past history,
indeed. he started Q small brokers' shop, and
managed to secure the confidence of the peo-
pie of Springfield to such all extent that small
deposits were made with HIM, and finally he
extended and enlarged his business, until he
came to transact considerable banking. He
was well known to bankers in Cincinnati, hav-
ing dealings with some of them, and being
considered by them as ''sound tud "good."
His banking house was called the Exchange
Bank" of Springfield.
In the winter of 1854 he proposed for the
hand of an estimable and accomplished young
lady of Springfield, daughter of a man of
wealth, and very respectable. As his character
and standing seemed what they should he, he
was accepted and they were married in Febru-
Dry, 1864. They lived very happily for few
months, when the first step in crime was taken
by Allen. .Nr N
The Bank of the Ohio Valley" located at
Cincinnati, had occasion to send package of
about 800 to Allen, and on the same day to
send q package of $10, 900 to a bank at Indian
apolis. By an error Of the clerk who made
up and sent the packages, the larger amount
was sent to All6h and the smaller one to the
other bank. This was In June, 1864.
Whether Allen was depraved and bad man
at heart previous to this, we cannot say. He
told an officer Afterwards, who asked him why
he did It, that when he found the mistake the
bank had made-that he could make $9, 900, he
was overcome by the temptation, and fell.
Men do not always fall 80 suddenly and 50 easy,
however. The heart and conscience must have
been prepared in some way for it. But Allen
did yield to 1t, though. BE gathered up all
the money of his depositors, and forged &C
ceptances on his father.in-lsw and other veal
thy business men of Springfield for large
amounts. With these he made hurried visit
to Cincinnati, got them cashed at banks where
he was acquainted, and with the illgotten
booty, decamped between two nights. 1t Il
not known how much he took with him, but
it Is reported at $50, 900. This Is probably too
large an estimate, but it must have been con-
siderable sum. His wife and her family were
overwhelmed with shame at the affair. They
now live in Cincinnati, we learn.
A forger, thief, vagabond, fleeing from
justice, "Allen was now adrift on the world,
seeking only to escape detection. The Valley
Bank and other parties swindled by him, had
accomplished detectives on his track, but al
though, under various DISCUSSES and aliases
eight in all, we learn-he was traced at Sain
Louis, and Chicago, and in the oil regions, and
Saratoga, and other places, they did not go 10
where he might have cen easily nabbed-aad
that was-Saint Paul. -.sss9 ~
He came here some time during last summer,
as an invalid, or pleasure seeker, and remained
some time. He subscribed to the New York
Herald at Combs, and that gentleman managed
through his daily visits, to become quite well
acquainted with him, but Allen kept up his as
eumed character quite cleverly. .rs
He stopped at one our first class hotels, as.
sociating with the multitude of pleasure seek.
ers and invalids who then thronged St Paul
spending much of his time with the tender
sex-much of his money for wine, indulging
frequently in amorous dalliance upon the shores
of Lake "Como," where, it is said, he and his
charmer (another mans wife) were wont to re-
cline meath the sylvan shade, gambol on its
NOISY banks and lave their limbs in Its limpid
| tide.
His next appearance was last winter at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York, where, under
the pame of the, Hon. Jno. W. Harris late Of
Texas" man reputed to be worth q million,
he readily made his way into society. His
manners his protuse expenditure of wealth,
and his style, an tended to support his assumed
| character. and II vns mot difacult 20 be intro