The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1867-04-04


sired to make few purchases elsewhere,
but had Inadvertently left his wallet at
the hotel where he was stopping, and if
he would loan him an amount he would
call in and hand it to him before leaving
the city The unsuspecting salesman let
him have what he desired, of course, and
our sharper left. Not returning that day
nor the next, suspicion naturally began to
arise in the minds Of the New York firm
that they had been swindled, which were
confirmed by an inquiry from Wallace &
Son as to what they meant by sending
them the goods. They never found out
the swindler, but it was afterwards ascer-
tanned by the Milford firm that it was our
hero. Here again the matter stopped, ow-
ing we suppose to the influence of rela-
tives.
Nothing is known of the doings of Gus
tard, save by himself and whoever he
may have victimized, until last fall
Matters at home having been straightened
up, he again returned from the scenes Of
his many triumphs, and settled down to
his profession in BIShkill, in the name of
his father He was doing very well, and
hopes were entertained that he would de-
sert his old ways. In the course of his
business, he visited different sections of
the country; and on one q these jour-
neys he couldn't resist the temptation of
creating sensation, and did it in this
way: He had been at small place on
the Erie Railway, called Lackawaxen, at
tending to his professional duties, and
was on his way home, when the thought
occurred to him that he would not OBJ
ject to a good dinner, at least no other
reason could be assigned for the course he
took. He therefore stopped at the house of
Mr.. VIM. Brodhead ,one ofthe Commission
ers of Pike county, situated about mile
from the village of Milford, the county
seat, and introduced himself to that gen
tleman and family as d" Mr.. Custis, from
Washington, relative of George Wash
ington's wife" and having letters bearing
the signature Of the Hon. Richard Brod-
head of Easton, and telling a very straight,
plausible story, as he always does, he was
welcomed with all the hospitality the
house could afford. The distinguished
guest told his affable host that he had
been hunting for some days in Pike coun-
ty and had succeeded in killing two deer,
which he had sont to his home by rail,
while he intended to go afoot as far as
the Water Gap, for the romance of the
thing Mr. Brodhead, however, politely
offered to take him as far as a brothers
of his near Bushkill, which, of course,
Z" Mr. Custis; from Washington" was
compelled to. refuse, as that would let
the whole cat out of the bag" by placing
him right in the country where every
body knew him. His gallantry towards
ladies, however, was the means of placing
him in peculiarly perplexins predica-
ment, for he consented to ride as far as
the village with two of Mr.. Brodh ead's
step daughters, trusting to luck to carry
him through safe. He was we'll known
in the village, and on entering it, he
the propriety of turning down
a back street, as it looked so pleasant
But the ladies thought differently, and
drove plump up to one of the principal
hotels of the place with their precious
burden Z" Mr.. Gusts" alighted, and
was introduced to the proprietor of the
hotel, Mr.. Cornelius, whose cool manner
of acknowledging the honor somewhat
the ladies, who bid our hero
goodbye and drove away. Mr.. Cornelius
knew Gusts" at once, as he had once
left little balance unpaid at his hotel
He was allowed to pass on, however,
which he did forthwith. When the
truth leaked out the effect on the " sold'
family may be imagined.
Shortly after this, Custard left his ma
tive place, and is next heard of in our
city, where he has been, under the name
of Pretaire, for some time, in the employ
of DIR. Fisher, to whom he has always
been a mystery, as he is to every one who
does not know his true character.
He is young man of extraordinary
talent, if he would only apply it Alright,
and is calculated to win the confidence of
the most suspecting, and for this reasen
we have mentioned some of his past his
tory, and give warning to other places to
be on their guard against him.
PRETAIRE AGAIN.-Since our last is
sue, in which we gave an account of the
confidence man Custard, we have heard of
several of his pranks in this city, one of
which We give to show that be tried to
maintain his past reputation while here.
If all his actions in this city were known,
they would present an interesting chap
ter in the annals of sharp practice. >
His victims Of misplaced confidence are
numerous in Scranton, but they do not
desire the manner in which they were
% fleeced' made known.
1t will be remembered that some two
or three weeks since, Herman Bockncr,
living in Commercial alley, was robbed of
$500 in bonds. Shortly after the rob-
berry, Custard-or Pretaire, as he is bet
ter known here-called on Bockner, and
himself to him as detective,
n member of the secret police force, and