Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-01-19
Eight lines of Nonpareil. solid, constitute a
The Man in Velvet.


Capt. Seymour Barmore, before his
extraordinary abduction from a railway
train by the Tennessee Ku-Klux, was a
man who had made some little reputa-
tion as a detective, and a great deal
more as dead beat, but the unpleasant
little circumstance which is alleged to
have recently happened him may send
his name down into history as one of the
martyrs, and the mystery which en-
shrouds his fate will draw the sympathy
of at least all who did not know him. 1t
was, at any rate, bad taste in the Ku-
Klux to make martyr of Seymour Bar
more, or to meddle with him in any
way.
Poor Barmorel The kicks and cuffs
he has received on all hands during his
career as detective, whether deserved
or not were enough to have made a mis-
authrope of the best man that ever lived.
People seemed to think he had no bust
ness to live, and even now that be is
dead-or supposed to be-they are not
willing to let him rest. The New Alba
ny Commercial, which applauded the In
diana Ku-Klux, yesterday gave Bsrmore
d putuuk hiCh. IL ulu up ulb ODlludry
in hurry. 1t said of him:
Barmore, the detective, captured
by the Tennessee Ku-Kluz, is the man
in velvet, and q great humbug. It's hard
to tell which has the worst Of the bar.
gain-the detective or the Ku- Klux
Barmore figured around New Albany
::! h:s vas ss.a &c .;;ds: .;aa;ds::s 81
unpaid board bill"
Sometime ago reporter in Madison,
Indiana, worked up story about Bar
more which might or might not have
been true. There was an injured female
in the case, and the odium which this
publication brought upon him no doubt
had much to do with his emigration to
Tennessee. He went to Nashville about
the time of its capture by the valorous
Joe Blackburn, and the debut of the Rad
ical metropolitan police. 1t was said he
had an eye to position on the police
force, but this he never received, and
somehow the metropolitans we're pro-
verbally down on Bsrmore from their
first sight of him. He was a tall, we'll
proportioned man, with, if we remember
right, light hair, blue eyes, heavy mus
tache, and short well trimmed beard.
He had hare lip, which his big mus
tache concealed, but his speech to
some extent betrayed the deformity.
BE was distinguished from other
men, partly by q light cap leaps
are not worn in Nsshville), but
more particularly By a rich suit of black
velvet, coat, vest and pantaloons, which,
with some little show Of jewelry, set him
off to no little advantage among the
straight cut jeans and sober broadcloths
that moved staidly up and down Cherry
street every day. It first went out that
be was from Chicago, and he would sson
have stood as good chance as any one
in his line, had it not been for the in
ordinate dislike which his presence
seemed to inspire This did not dis
courage him, though. He picked up q
good many odd jobs, aud though he
moved his Office" very frequently, and
was said 10 have had trouble with his
landlords, he seemed determined
to live down all opposition. Hang
ing out an imposing sign from
the little building adjoining the postofice,
announcing his office as "The Great
Western Detective Police Agency, he
went into business with will. Before
he bad operated long. however, some of
his rivals secured his arrest on the charge
Of ualawfully acting as a policeman, and
he was unceremoniously thrust into the
workhouse, after being subjected TO the
ignomiuy Of having his pockets searched
at police headquarters, BY ordinary po-
lieemen. he did rot remain long in the
vorkhouse, and after denouneing the DC
lice and the Police Commissioners in one
Of the morning papers, be resumed the