Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-21


Ipolitan covered the legs Of bank
ers and merchants every night. Bu-
i. good things must have an end.
Stephens needed money and went to
Ralston, SO the story goes, and ne
gotiated a draft for GOO on bank
in New Zealand, and received the
money. After the money had been
paid, the great financier bethought
himself that he had done q foolish
thing. He did not know Mr.. Ste
phens from side of sole leather.
1t was an irregular way Of doing
business, to say the least, and he
concluded to undo it if possible.
He accordingly requested Mr.. Ste
phens to make good the sumhe had
received, if perfectly convenient
| you know, and he would send the
draft to New Zealand for collection.
Mr.. Stephens was perfectly willing
to accommodate him and would do SO
at once. Now it is reported that
Stephens had promised the agency
of the Panama and New Zealand,
| etc., limited, to JIG. Merrell 4 Co,
business that would have been
handy to have either in that or any
other house. But whether this was
the case or not, it is certain that b
went to them and drew draft for
$500 on George Seely, the agent of
the Panama and New Zealand
Steamship Company at Panama;
that they cashed it, and with this
money he squared up at the bank |
of California.
Soon after this, Mr.. Stephens con
| cluded that the arduous labors to |
which he had been subjected had so
enervated him that he must have a
little recreation, and he concluded
to 60 on hunting excursion. He
accordingly packed his things, paid
his bill at the hotel and started off
Nothing was heard of him for some
time, until the draft on Seely came
back protested, with the infarma-
ton that Stephens had no money |
on deposit at Panama to meet the |
draft. Merrill & Co. then began to |
"smell a MICE" They went to the |
police Office and reported the case
to Chief Crowley. He placed it in |
tho hands of Capt. Lees, who pro-
ceeded to investigate the ante
cedents of Stephens and ascertain
the cause of his departure. The
Captain heard from him at Sacra-
mento, and received sufficient infor-
nation to satisfy him that Stephens |
had gone East by the overland
route. He followed him by means
of telegraph, and on Wednesday his |
labors were rewarded by the infor-
nation that Mr.. Stephens had been
arrested at the Astor House, New
York city, on that day Next day |
he forwarded requisition from |
Gov. Haight, and unless Stephens |
is habeas-corpused, he will be |
brought here for trial.
In this connection the Lyttleton |
(Australia) Times publishes the fol
lowing on stephens the Swindler,"
undoubtedly the same man:
"This character, who, about the |
beginning of August, victimized at |
least one local firm, has gone, it is
believed, to America by the last |
Panama mail steamship. We are
informed that he managed to get a
forged draft acceptance on Cruik-
shank & Co, of Auckland, cashed in |
Melbourne; that he drew upon d.
Nathan & Co., of Auckland, for |
$4,000, which amount he contrived
to get in cash; and that he ordered |
but did not obtain goods to the |
amount of $4,000 from the Long
lands Foundry Company in Mel
bourne. Stephens escaped from
Hobart Town Ga convict settlement
in Australia) on the 23d of July in |
the schooner Cleopatra, and was in
Lyttleton on the I'd of August. We
have seen carte de ViSite of the |
accomplished chevalier dindHStrie,
and we must say it indicates a man
of considerable personal attractions
and intellect"
From his manner Of doing bust
ness, Capt. Lees is firmly impressed
with the belief that he is James
Sayward, q noted English fOrger,
who was formerly barrister Of the |
Inner Temple, and sent to Botany
Bay more than ten years ago for
forgery. He is certainly a most
accomplished scoundrel, and it is
not surprising that he has met
with such success in his travels.
There are good reasons for believ-
ing that j. G. Merrill & Co. are not
the only victims of the frauds in
San Francisco.
After leaving San Francisco, from
whence he shipped his baggage by
steamer to New York, Mr.. Stephens
started overland for this point. On
his way, according to his own story,
which is doubtless true, he stopped
at Salt Lake City, Utah, and was
the guest of Brigham Young, who
entertained him handsomely, as be-
coming a gentleman of leisure and
means. 1t was with regret that
Mr.. Stephens parted from his friend
Brigham. Arrived at the Astor
House, he registered his name as
Capt. Scott. He only had time to
partake of a good breakfast when
informed by the detectives that he
was wanted. No resistance was
made, and he was soon in Brooklyn,
and afterwards on his way to San
Francisco. He asserted that his
California transactions were all
right, but evinced some interest as
to what would be the penalty, pro
vided he was guilty, as charged.
Ere long he will doubtless be in
formed by California judge and
i iurHr