Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1870-01-20
A Bold Swindler.
Some Of his Confidence
Operations in Nash
vile.
Deadbeatism on q Big
- Scale.
From the Nashville Banner.

From the Nashville Banner.
Some four weeks ago, young
man by the name of George D.
Gray came to this city from Fay
etteville, Tenn, where he had
for the past twelve. months, been
employed as a journeyman printer
in the Office of the Lincoln Coun-
ty NeaOs, and took quarters at the
City Hotel, and assuming an air
of considerable Importance, and
affecting good deal of style, soon
made himself known to several
young gentlemen in the city. He
claimed to be here on business for
the paper mentioned, and talked
of greeubacks, drafts and checks
as if they were things of the most
trivial Importance !; and after gain
ing the confidence, if not esteem,
of some of our citizens, began a
game of swindling after the most
approved fashion of the confidence
fraternity. In one instance, pre-
tending to have money In the
bank, which he intended checking
out next morning, be succeeded in
borrowing a sum of money from a
young man with whom he had
been acquainted in another town,
and who is in business on the
Public Square. In another in
stance he practiced similar game
on fellow-typo of this city,, and
also upon some gentlemen from
the town in which he had been
working, whom he made victims
to the tune of SIS apiece. ii.
Whenever asked for the money
by his numerous creditors, Gray
has always been ready to give
some PLAUSIBLE excuse and assu-
RANGES of his honesty and good
character, with a tone so touch.
lingly innocent that the most in-
credulous would never have
thought of doubling his story.
A night or two ago one of the
victims of his rascality called up.
on him at the City Hotel, and de.
manded the money he had loaned
him, whereupou Gray, in the most
ingenious manner assured him
that Colonel G. w. Jones, delegate
to the Convention from Lincoln
county, had some money belong
ing to him, and that Colonel Jones
was staying all night in EdgeGe!d
but would return next morning
: when he would secure the money
and meet the obligation. The
gentleman whom Gray had swim
died, doubling the truthfulnes'
of this story, sent to Colone
Jones room, and finding hin
there, learned that the Colone
had no money for Gray; and
: furthermore, that he was scarcely
acquainted with him, and had haC
, no dealings with him.
/, As far as Gray claimed to b
! here on business for the Lincoln
!. County Nesos, he did not vary
q much from the facts of the case
\ but this Is the only true statemen
n he is known to have made sinc'
: reaching Nashville. He is known
to have collected over $500 for tn
proprietor Of that paper, not
0 cent of which has he paid over, il
s spite of repeated applications iron
] his employer.
The genial and unsuspectini
proprietor of the City Hotel is al
!, SO victim to the amount of thre
: weeks board.
Gray is supposed to be some
where in the city, although tn
: detectives have not yet succeeds
L inlearning his whereabouts. H
/ claims to have come original,
from Cincinnati, and has BEEF
wandering around for the past tw
y or three years working in differen
country printing Offices in Middl
Tennessee. As he is Of prepos
sessing appearance and pleasin
J. address, he made many friend
among the people of Fayetteville
s who did not suspect bis real char
acter. He is known to have ais
= swindled several parties at Hunts
o vile, Decatur, Decherd and othe
points.