Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-06-14
| REMARKABLE SWINDLING
81 ~ DODGE. I l

An EnEffsbman PerS0n8tes n XOunG
Lady in Distress and Vietimizes
Many Susceptible Gentlemen.
An Englishman, aged about ffty-fvs
years, named Wm. r. Emerson, was
arrested Ia Boston few days ago, on q
charge Of swindling various persons
throughout the country. His plan was to
obtain the name of some prominent citizen
OF officer, and address him letter purport-
ing to have been written by young lady,
who had departed from the right way and
was anxious to reform. He assumed as
many names as suited his fancy, such as
Fanny CALDWELL /" Eva Ellis" Kate
Farran," ETC. The names of parties adj
dressed were generally selected from the
newspapers of the day, political almanacs,
city directories, etc. Congressmen and
government officers at Washington, as well
as prominent gentlemen from Maine to
Louisiana, were addressed and solicited
for aid. The principal letters found upon
Emerson had been written by parties re-
siding in New York, New England, Penn
sylvanis, Washington City, Kentucky, Nir-
ginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and
Louisiana. He had in his possession
about fifty letters, and some of the
writers had sent money to the "poor
grip ranging in Gums from 81
up to 500. B. C. Mann, Of New Or
leans, sent the latter sum to his darling
Kate" All of the correspondents were not
SO generous, however,-some of them send
ing her nothing, and telling her she was a
humbug. Gentlemen with families volun-
teered to do all in their power to assist her
in carrying out her good intentions to re-
form, and gave her directions to put up at
this or that hotel on her arrival in the city,
and notify them where an interview could
be had. In writing these letters, the "dis-
tressed grip generally represented that she
wanted enough money to take her to the
city where the party whom she addressed
was living. A Congressman from Mary
land received note from this siren, repre-
senting to him that her father had died In
Paris, leaving her unprotected in that
gay, licentious capital" !" that she returned
to the States, and had since then been liv-
ing on the proceeds derived from the sale
of her Jewels and other valuables. She
claimed that she had been introduced to
the Congressman some years ago, and she
remembered him calling her a beautiful
girl" The following is the concluding
portion Of the letter:
"Write to me, and oh say may come
to you. speak French, Italian, German,
and play on the piano and harp. Surely,
with little generous assistance and hope
| fnl confidence, might be enabled TO help
! myself 60 as not to be burden to my kind
friend. Write TO me, do, and send me a
| small sum enclosed, for ] am in immediate
want, and oh, viii be very grateful. Then
| afterward, il you desire, viii hasten TO
you on the wings Of gratitude and affection
Write 10 me, pray, for / am in abjecs
want. Oh, in mercy be my friend, and
will bless you. The poor orphan, friend
less girl will be very grateful. In kind
| ness remember me as l was, IN pity as
am. shall anxiously and hopefully await
your reply. Need add more Write tC
me, oh, do" ,--
i Some of the letters contained much good
advice. but no money. Ore old gentleman
told her that he had long ago ceased to con
tribute ANYTHING TO "young ladies whs
| travelled on their muscle" A gushing
youth in West Chester, Pennsy lvania, hae
quite an extensive correspondence witt
her, and had sent ten dollars, twenty dol
lars and thirty dollars TO her at different
times. The following is an extract from
one of his letter.:
"MY DEAREST ARGEL--Your dear
sweet. letter of the 10Th l received thi
evening, and hasten 10 reply. Oh how
was disappointed, for anticipated tn
pleasure of meeting you in person yester
day. / went to town and inquired for you
but YOU had not arrived. / look forwar'
to our meetiag joyously. l am 80 gla'
that was the means OF helping You, dear
est, and that / have relieved you of th
embarrassment alluded 10. Oil it must b
awful to be among those who are not con
genial to ones salf, and do think you hay
a kind, loving heart, and you seem to hav
no one to love you or to take care for. Ma
hope / may supply that void in you
bosom, and be your idol. Obi l feel ths
} colld fly to you were it possible; M
} whole being goes toward you IN sympath
and love, OH might say much more
, but will defer il until We meet, my littl
8 darling, for 1 seem to feel that you recip
rocate my sentiments"
: This youth will doubtless feel chagrine
: on learning that his grsenbacks have bee
: pocketed by burly old English rascS
= with Jolly red face, bull-neck, and CT
d pacious stomach, which give ample ev
g dence that he has lived ON his wits The
is no law in Massachusetts under which
can be punished for his frauds, and he wi
have 10 be discharged. - Chicago Times.
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