The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-04-08
A.Nasnnle SHinaIer.

One of the viiest and most unscru-
palOus MasOiiic swindieTs Of the day
= was detected and exposed yesterday
by u. o. Waggoncr, Esq, III COnnec-
ton with the Toledo Masonic Board
Of Relief of this city. \ man appar-
emily about sixty years Of age, calling
himself G. W. Strauss, applied 10 Mr..
r. E Richards, OF said Board of Re
lief, asking assistance 70 reach Chica-
20. He represented himself a. hail
ing from st. Andrews Lodge, No. 10,
Charleston, s. c.; that he had lost a
fortune by the war had two sons in
the Union army, who were starved TO
death in Libby Prison, &c. He was
now entirely destitute and desired to
reach friends in Chicago. He pro-
duced letter of recommendation rs a
Minister, and also a certificate of Ma
sonic standing, signed by a p. M. of
the Lodge at Charleston. This latter
document also had appended to it the
name of a. G.. Mackey, G.. II. P. Sus-
pecting the signature of Mackey to be
a forgery, Mr.. Richards instituted en-
quiries and ascertained that such was
the case. Calling NJ. o. WaggOner
and C.. NJ. Lang to his assistance,
these gentlemen satisfied themselves
that Strauss, with his numerous
aliases, was a villain of the deepest
dye. Under fears of being turned over
J to the authorities if he did not confess,
he made a statement of which the fol-
/ lowing is a synopsis:
I AZ, G.. w. Strauss, do make this
statement: "I was a member of the
5th New York Heavy Artillery, and
ut the battle of the Wilderness receiv-
ed five wounds, and was taken prison.
er, and, with two sons, confined in
Libby prison. My sons died of starv-
alton while in prison. After my re-
lease, / assumed the name of G. A.
! CapertOn; afterward that of John c.
Ely; again that of George w. Gillet.
Ny representation that 1 was in
Charleston is false. The paper that /
presented to Mr.. Richards, claiming
to be signed by y. G.. Mackey, is a
forgery; Mr.. NJ. did not sign it. I do
dot live in Charleston, rs | stated, but
| in New York, IS First street; / have
been a minister and preached in Lau-
rens street, New York, four years ago.
l was convicted and sent to the State
prison at Trenton, New Jersey, for
bigamy My true name is George
Levison have Il brother living in
Brooklyn, n. Y. / was in NOrwalk
within the past year and obtained SIS
of the MasOns by fraud; while there
| met NJ. o. Waggoner, whom / rec
Ognize here to-day. then told him
and others that l belonged TO Com
mandery in Charleston, S. C.. new
belonged to any body of Masons in
that city. / got so mt Meadville, s.
from Mr.. Palmer, of Cory. / hereby
deliver to G.. NJ. Lang, r.. f. Richards
and Nj. o. Waggoner, of my own free
will the property in my possession
belonging to the Masonic fraternity
for their disposal. | told another lie
when | stated that l went by the
name of Remington, of Lexington,
Ky. -ta.st .-ss. Hat- 1l.
The above is n brief synopsis of the
confession to which the villain made
oath before a Notary Public. The Mas
Onic property alluded To consisted of a
valuable work which furnished him
foundation upon which to pursue his
swindling operations, and a memOran-
dunn book, which will be of service in
informing those who have been de-
frauded that the fellow has .'cOme to
griefu The gentlemen named are en-
titled to great praise for exposing the
villain. The fraternity will be inform
ed of his operations, and his .'phOto"
will hereafter meet him wherever he
may attempt to resume the operation
of swindlimg of MasOns.-Btdde.