The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1866-10-12
Career CT a Swildler-A Nabob Among
the Thieves.

The Western papers contain an account
OF the operations Of finished swindler no
has recently visited several ci,ios, and i'm
pressd ali who net him with his conse-
QUcncc. In Detroit be purchased valuable
real estate to the amount OF $500 09O, tuTn-
ing over to the agents Of the property
drafts on Liverpool. The drafts are now
on their way 10 England. At Cincinnati,
he took TO the First National Bank box
containing as he ayerred, 100000 in
specie. The deposit was accepted by Mr..
Griffith, the cashier, and certificate Of
deposition the amount was given III return.
McRUnia, the swindler, returned next day
for 90 geo, and also on until $40, 600
had been drawn, since which nothing has
been seen of him by the officers OF the
Bank After a week or more had elapsed,
aud nothing seen or head OF McBurnia, the
officers Of the Bank became uneasy, and on
proceeding to investigate the matter, found.
instead OF 100000 IL specie, box filled
with lead. At Detroit he got several drafts
on Liverpool Of small amounts, cashed at
lie banks. 1t was in Chicago he was
finally exposed. At Detroit he gave his
name as Francis Z. Burdett. At Cincin-
natl he gave his name 6 Col. McBurnia.
like most every .Teat man and some small
ones, he Travelled with a servant ana lots Of
baggage. lie represented that he was all
English lord, Or baron. or naloo, or some
thing Of that sort, and that hc was troubled
with supfrHuity Of money, which he
proposed to luyeS: In Cincinnati. He was
cvldchely supplied With sufficient funds for
procuring all the conVculcnclcs and luxurics
necessary 10 one who would sustain the
character he represented himselfto possess.
lie displayed Numerous drafts en- London
and Liverpool, firms, and called ut banks to
ascertain the feasibility Of obtaining cash
on some ot these drafts. lis personal
appearance, barring a cork leg Of the most
perfect Partisan make, was attractive, and
his airs very lOrdy. He was about sixty
years Of age. At Chicago he gave up his
game, and probably told the truth about
himself. He claimed to be an Englishman
by birth, and that lie had been engaged for
a number OF years IN the banking business
IN L0ndoa About ten years ago, as he
AYERS, he was suddenly taken with a mania
for travel, and embarkiug on steamer at
Liverpool, he had made the entire passage
around the worrl lie had been in nearly
every country on the inhab;table globe
had seen everything which was worth see
ing, except the inside Of a penitcntiary, and
was glad lhat an opportunity was now ac-
corded him for this last particular He
wanted to pass the rest OF his days in pris-
on. If the Judge should sentence Kim for
only five or ten years, he would beg that it
might be made for life He was tired of
the world, its trials and fluctuations, and
wanted rest-quict, undsturbcd rest-and
that the chances, now were that his earnest
longiHgs would be gratiticd. He further
stated that he had held the rank OF Colonel
in the late Confederate army, and lost his
left icg at the battle Of Chickamauga.
There was smart thi6ving oper-
altos successfully carried out in tho town u
Chichester, n H., a few nights since
Three hogs were stolen on the same night
from three different farmers in that town.
In one instance the thieves woke man up
in his farm house, tod him that one OF
their hogs had rot out Of their wagon into
the road, ana asked his assistance to put
him back. The farmer got up, dressed
himself, and readily complied, and in the
morning when he went to feed his hog, he
missed the morning gruut, aud on look
ing into The pen he found him nan est
lie had assisted the thieves to steal his own
porhcr 1t anoeher house the farmer
heard i squealIng IN the road late at night,
AID going to the door saw man struggling
with a poker. The same story was repeat
cd and assistance given as at the other
house, and the same scene was enacted at
the pen in the morning. These incidents