, 1865-08-01
CAREER OF VILLAIN.
4 EouEE. and Prosperous Banker
-n1H SubRequens Career,


Early u the year 1868, there came to The
town Of Springfield, Ohio, q man calling hin.
se1 Benjamin " Alien, aud pretending to
bs . refugec from Mississippi Ho ca1ne
there in apparently destitute condition. and
vas for some time M object Of chsr1ty, Ue
claimed to hare had considerable pfoperty
IN The scuth, but was Obliged to leave It all
and fec for his li:c. Being nan Of tine ap-
Ptaranee, and Ills story bearing the sem
were raised for him among the good people
Of Springfield, and he wa. kept there In due
style. After he had BEEN there some tlne
he left, but returned agaIa, bringing 30 90
| OF $500, and with it started brokers' Office,
under the name Of the Exchange Bank Of
sprne1e!d." Everything passed On pleas
| It soon became one Of the important instito.
tons Of the place. Nr. Allen, the pFoprie-
tor, made quite q dutter Ii "soeiaty,n - and
| became the lion Of the place. He was court
90 By the mothers md battered by their
daughters, and soon centered his affections
spectacle ns well as wealthlest men In Clarke
county. The rssnlt was that In May, 1864.
the twain were made ont Qesh,
a month OF their married Life had scarcely
passed, when, in the course Of business, an
incident occurred which brought to light Ills
drew On the bank ofthe Ohio Valley, OF Gin
cinnatl, for twelve hundred dollars, the whola
amount OF his deposits In that bank. Dr
some oversight, package Of $1,000 Which
had beeu counted out to be sent to Indian
apol's. Was sent to him, and his package Of
package on the 9th OF June, and thinking
that now Was his best chance, concluded to
strife while the Irons we1e hot. he imloo-
diateyd1ew the following:
RAsE1xo lloGsE or B; v. ALLEY, |
SPRINGFIELD. u. june 9Th, 1861.
nFHEf rf Mar Anr,I1
s1,e@; ?. ". ALLEN. "
This be stnt to the First National Bank OF
Springfield, received the money, took the de-
posts In h!s own bank, and left for parts uu-
known. Ills draft was immediately forward
Cd to New York. and was duly protested for
.Kant Of funds. The mistake OF tho Ohio
Valley Bank vas discovered In short time.
but not until the bird had flown.
On leaving, he told his piie that be Yas
going to Cincinnati on business, and % ehe
had ZONE very fine diamond rincs, among
offers a dt1nocd ergag eIaent ring, and
other }ewelry, without her name engraved
upon them, be thought 1t was hest to take
them NTH him for the pnFpos. Of having the
ever Eeen IN Springfield. 80
Eslt appears that he came directly to this |
city, as 1t Is ascertaIned that h. arrived here
sometime In June. While here he went IN |
deg the name Of John ". Harris. h. len
tms CITY In September and went to New |
tel. Through the clerk OF the hotel be BE-
came acquainted with Miss Annie II. o.
boine, the daughter of a widow lady living at |
20. East T1irtietn street. Being a lady OF
Inc appearance and 1are accomplish
ments, ne became enamoured Of her, and his |
and prolonged. He represented himself as
very wealthy, and produced recommends
tlone, which appeared to them satisfactory
lnat such was the case. Early In the Spriug
he leit New York and came to Chicago. While
there he CORE sponded with Miss Osborne
her possession, chow him 10 be q man OF tai
ent and education. During his stay IN CHI
cago the preparations for the uupttals were |
completed, aod In May he returned to New
Iork, and on the 24th day Of that month
thcy WcIc married. The following marriage
18th
uARnis-osnoRKE-0n&h the 9ith Inst, By Rev.
). u buIchatd, D. D., At the Icsiderc. Of the
rlee's hitler. No: East Thirt.eta stsect. uon'
,onn 's, "; hafr,s. formerly Of Mississippi, ani
No cards.
Hoy, JoHx y. HAnn1s This gentleman,
oneida equity, In this susie, but when o7tte
onne em'grated With bis father to ahssssippi;
ea sonhs}n u hsenteaaentE By eaqss.on sud
|
'essty OF Ml:e!se!ppi. and studied she law es a
hut not Wishing 70 practice; weatinto
,Glities md was twice 1nsmber Of the STATE Leg
lev5ne that the South would attempt to break pp
hs Union, he disposed Of bis property, invested
tn U. s. bends. and cAMs North. boldtnR 1t to
y qe Ttet aha efeateas d1ty to support the Cor.
Me viii, With bis lovely and accomplished bride,
~ lmmedis.ely tor Europe May all imaginable
Iappicess accompany them. =
/ The above was evidently written by the
7illain t!mEelf Instead OF going to Europe
e cane to this city, and has been here ever
ince., Shortly after his arrival he was taken
slth tue small pox, from which b. has but
The fact IT his being in st. Paul becoming
,nown at Spring field, Ohio. James Fleming,
s:q., formerly sheriff Of thas county, WAS
dispatched to this point for the purpose, If
,ssible of seeming the claim Of the First
sational Bank. Of 81 900, and also claim Of
ere atr. Fleming found his man. and accost-
d him In the STREET as "Mr. Alen.'' .4You
re mistaken In the nun, sir," says the rogue.
'leMtng told him it was no use to attempt |
Q disguise h'mae1f, and informed bin
i,at he had some claims against him
10 about them. Harris alfas Allen asked
e 6W much The claims were, aud belrg told |
] COO be invited him to the FIRST National
,ank, where the amount was paid 'oYer,
fleming telcgraphed home immediately that
mere vas mere money to be had aud asking
hem to stnd the rest of the claims. On
.hursonJ morning hs received the Others aud
ccssted him; again. harris declared he
ould not meet them. hut would gtve him all
he money be, had, and lie paid him over $500 I
shlca he said WINS a1l he had on deposit. Mr.
fleming was still not satisfied and kept dun {
ling him contlnnally:: On Saturday the fire
cam at Largle5's livery stable, and LEFT for !
arts unknown.
On Sunday morning. Mr. Fleming, learning ]
hat be had left some U. s. bond snr The First
'ational Bank, instituted legal proceedings
. obtain them. He found box On deposit Z
be1e, ab:ut twenty-five inches In length and =
res "s0l ,C0o' and lie woids 1T. ), bonds.;'
he boz bore tho address, "Hon. John ", !
Isris, No. East Thirtieth street, New York
ity," Upon opening the box they found a
a1ge envelope aderess.d as above, and inside
{ ms nothing but two Or three New York
ifTatds and 1FbuneA Ms. Fleming, seeing !
here Tas no chance for more money, LEFT for
ome. Why he did not arrest Tie Villain
lain.
Hsnls. a1ts Allen, has been the observed :
i all obseazeFs ever since he has been In our
lty. re generally wore bla:k silk velvet .
car, Wh!G1 Eas Tery contpicnous, and from !
ne would naturally imagine he was either 4 3
Dol Of knave. Before leaving, be went to =
ia room where his wife was lying Ill. aud ! :
aF1ng changed some Of his clothes, went to | I
IL t1uaR, apparently tnselreh Of something.
he thonsht nothing Of this, and as he was !. /
9aS,ng, being asked where be WIS going, re- ::
lied That t. was going out with = gentleman
0 look at some property, and told her If he J
!aB moi back 10 dinner not to worry about j
In. she remained ignorant ~ot bis guilt :.