The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-05-07
CONFIDENCE GAME.

most Migrant and outrageous ex-
ample of per6dy came to our ears
this morning. wherein fatherly kindness
and Samaritan gentleness were rewarded
Is the serpent of the fable repayed the
life and warmth it received The pastor
of the Episcopal church of this city, Rev. I.
l. Holcomb, took into his household good
appearing young man named Lockwood,
who represented himself TO be the nephew
of Bishop, and related to q New York
millionaire. The language and department
of the young man were unexceptonable,
and he gave every evidence of refinement
and culture. He professed to have lost
everything, and told pitifully romantic
story of his antecedents, which was implic-
lily relied on by Mr.. Holcomb, who was
presented with collateral evidence in the
way of letters, dispatches, &c, which hau
every appearance of genuine ness
Young man not only ingratiated himseh with
the family. but also with large nu"per
of NJ Holcomb.s parishioners who received
l.,
bishop, and friend of thier pastor. He
had fabricated q most romantic piece Of
family history, wherein his mother had been
poisoned, and an investigation into the mat
ter been ordered etc, and his dramatic style
of rehearsing this story, according to several
of Rev. Mr.. Holcomb's parishioners who
heard it, would bring tears into the eyes of
marble statue He still had left powerful
friends, who only had to be informed of his
ceived letter from his relatives who were
ell, or nearly all connected with the Episco'
pal church, and the manner in which they
we're written, was such an exquisite counter
! fiet of what one minister of the church
would write to another, or to dear friend,
as to be perfect confirmation of his story
in the minds of those who were duly made
acquainted with the contents Of these letters.
| Emboldened with the success of his imagin
alive flights thus far, he soon gave them
/ further material of wonder in two dispatches
from VIM. B. Aston, the millionaire of New
/ York, and his wife, and letter from Judge
Croly, of Manchester, n. Fl. Rev. Mr..
Holcomb, who had thus far been nctusted
by truly Christian compassion for one he
deemed TO be an estimable young man in
distress, could not help discovering some
discrepancies in the numerous stories OF
this person who had been domesticsted
with him so long. A natural suspicion'
which is only human, followed, and that he
might have good ground for accusation, he
went to the telegraph offices and inquired in
reference to the dispatches, and found that
none had been received from VIM. B
/ Astor or any one else for this
person. gentle bringing TO account
/ followed, in which the young man figured
as mild edition of Job Trotter, crying
with all the adherence to lachiymose nature
of three year old infant. He protested
against the cruelty Of such suspicious, etc.
and said tina, he would vindicate his char
acter, etc, in the fulness of time. He win
dicated it that very night BY cleaning out 1
little supply of money which Mr.. Hocomt
kept in an escrutoir, and neither the money
nor the young man have put in an appear
ance since then. As clever swindle of &
kind. benevolent man, we hardly know Of 6
parallel except in the case of the robbery o.
/ the good Bishop Bienvenu, in Victor Hu
COS Les Mi5erables. Il is to be hoped
that il the young gentleman try the same
game on any other good people, he viii
light on one less unsuspeeting than was Nj
( Holconb Such scoundrels deserve double
the punishment OF the ordinary swindler
as they lower the faith Of the philanthropic
in human nature. and prevent deeds o
charity being done to worthy and really suf
fering objects