Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-07-22
An English "Capitalist" in Tennessee.

An English 'Capitalist" in Tennessee.
The person referred to in the following
interesting narrative from the Nashville Ban
ner Of July 9th, was about here a few weeks
ago. He represented that the object of his
visit was to establish business relations, which
would probably expand into great magnitude.
The Nashville Banner says:
Most of our citizens will remember the
"brother of Napier" who passed through here
last fall, and who excited considerable interest
among our moneyed men not less by the mag
ni6rcnce OF his plans than by his supposed
inpxhaustible resources. 1t was understood he
was to completely regenerate Tennessee 10 an
agricultural and stock raising point OF VIEW
Capita -" the thing needtul had come
among us in the shape of millions of English
cold. Spectators were on tae QHt Vtcc, and
real estate agents took courage. The new
comer's anger was big one ~how it bored we
propose to show. ts##@. -
la the French Broad valley, East Tennessee,
he selected the scene Of his preliminary opera
tions Representing himself ~ man OF
means he bought of General a. II. Smith 4
magnificent farm Of four hundred acres, situat
ed ia the forks ofthe French Broad and Pigeon
rivers. He covenanted to give tor this land
so3, 900 in gold to be paid in three annual
payments Adjacent to this tract, and lying
On the banks of the French Broad, he rented
from three other parties some eleven hundred
acres of rich and mostly all bottom lands,
agreeing to pay heavy rents Having thus
secured ia all about fifteen hundred acres OF the
finest land in that fertile valley, he began
system of extensive costly improvements, un-
exampled in this State During the winter
he brought his family from England, attended
BY eoyerness and one or two servants. Early
in the spring he improved the farm house,
making it L very neat and comfortable house.
His expenditures in this respect were not at
all in proportion to other outlays, making his
course the more remarkable and mysterious.
Having secured the lands above mentioned,
he announced to the goody neighbors around
him that he would teach them how to work a
farm with labor saving machines and the help
Of latter day developments. New machinery
Of every kind and in great abundance was
bought in Cincinnati and New York, and tor
warded at heavy expense; revolving ploughs
and subsoil ploughs, corn ploughs and cultl-
gators, corn planters and wheat drills, moving
machines and reapers, thrashers and separators
and machines of every kind were brought to
the farms Phosphate Of lime, kiln burnt
lime and manure were pentitully used. The
bottoms were all drained fences ditched, and
woods grubbed and underbush cut sway
Scores of men were hired at high wages, and
kept busy perfecting Improvements and plan,
ming new ones. The best horses, mules and
oxen were bought at high prices Heavy,
durable wagons were brought from the North
good harness and best equipments with
them Supplies were laid in extensively
blankets bought by the balo, groceries ny the
bulk, furniture in great quantity, much OF
which has never been opened.
All his expenditures were extavagant.- -
Everything he did was done on grand scale,
beftting one of his pretensions
He bought and leased these lands in the fall
Of 1866; Ills family came in February these
improvements and expenditures continued
through several months; he made heavy pur-
chases and heavy expenditures; handled a
great deal of money, made heavy debts, and
at This writing his whereabouts is unknown
his object and motive in all that he has done
are a perfect mystery. =
He left his farm on the 30th of June tor
New York with his governess, for the ostenSl-
bic purpose of procuring money, which he
claimed was on the way from England.
The day following his wife and children, with
her sister, started for England.
Developments lately made prove that he is
grand humbug. He may be a brother OF
Lord Napier, but he has no means OF his own
His wife is the daughter OF j. II. Lloyd, a
member of the bar of London, and man OF
wealth 1t is now believed that she has been
for some time dissatisfied with his actions.
The sister OF Mrs Napier, it is said, charges
that William Napier left Scotland on account
Of crimes committed there, and came to this
country to seek new adventures. lie had no
- l.: l,4b ia hoI lnn0
of $40, 900 year Her father had been with
holding this for sometime, dissatisfied with his
son-in-hw's operations; hnt the latter came to
this country and plunged into this speculation
With the hope that his father-n-law would re-
heVe him when he, became embarrassed.
This is the only charitable solution that can be
given to his acts His debts, assumed in alI,
amount to over $50, 600. He paid out great
deal of money, but all that he paid out he OBJ
tanned from banks and other sources, on repre-
sentation OF wealth in England, and his prop
erty, amounting to about $4,000, IS now be-
Ing fought or by his creditors.
All things considered, this man 3 operations
We're more like wild, visionary adventure
than swindle. He was monomaniac. lie
pictured himself the lord of this fertile valley.
!iE' 1its horses were 10 be stronger and heavier
than any other His cattle were to be better
the hills and shear innumerable fleeces. His
lands were to be richer and better cultivated
Than any other. His grains We're to stock the
markets of the South, and railroads and driv
ers We're to be busted with transporting his
harvest. There, in the midst Of grand noun
tlains, and in that beautiful valley, he was to
nave We paradise unequaed on the continent;
d ne e vas recently arrested in New York and
baltimore tor obtaining money under false
p1etences. He was bailed, and is now proba-
uo uly an Europe. His failure, and his wild,
.eckess operations stamp him as an adven-
'er. ;uter. AS such his experiences are novel and
interesting
WHITE CRApERMERET,r m1nE sa-