The Portland daily press., 1870-12-31
ROMANCE AND FINANCE
A Heavy DefaIcasiou and Ingenious
s-srs Con Gilman.

CCfCidi udJo dSO odAlucl L. AuuIcWS, u
brisk young man, was arrested on board a
United States evessel in Boston harbor ac-
cused of swindling in various ways coniding
widow in whose services he had been, first as
coachman and afterward as general confiden-
tial agent and friend. The man is now de-
tanned in the Jail in that city, and recounts
his own version OF the matters at issue in the
most interesting and plausible way. As he
tells it, the story is a veritable romance, and
Andrews may certainly be credited with CIV
ing the world a tale tar-ahead of the inven-
tions of the average novelist; be it true or
false His statement, as voluntarily given,
we shall give without comment, reserving
that until he shall have had his examination.
Andrews is man about 33 years old, well
built intelligent, with shrewd and not alto
gether guileless expression, and has an envia-
BILE fiuency and force of language, which set
off his story in the best way.
He says that seven years ago Hast July he
was in the service of Mr., Vanderbilt, son of
the old commodore, at Hartford, as coachman.
Near the place resided Mrs. Antoinette Grid
ley and her daughter, living in fine style and
sporting magnificent turn out. Their coach
man left suddenly, and they sent, one day,
for Andrews, who came at their need, cared
for both their horses and Vanderblt's for
some time, and finally hired out to them for
$25 a month, sand found" Mrs Gridley
was then represented to be worth at least a
half million of dollars, and was reputed to be
a southern lady ofaristocratic habits and con-
nections, and their style OF living bore out the
statement. The truth was that she was the
wife of a Connecticut valley farmer, who sold
his rural property and moved to New Haven
for his health, where he invested luckily in
stocks and got together neat little fortune,
which Andrews does not believe was much
over $4,000 when he came to live with them,
few months after Gridley's demise. The
widow sold out in New Haven, and bought
fine house in Hartford land then sold that and
took less expensive though still stylish one,
where Andrews joined them.
He had been in their employ for two
years before he began TO suspect that they
were running out their property, which
he asserts was not kept invested in
stocks, but tin money right at hand.
First they put their house up for sale, asking
$4,000; they got no offer higher than $4,000,
and finally sold it for $15,0 600, half down, and
half mortgaged. During the months before
the sale OF the house, Mrs. Gridley disposed
of their splendid carriage, worth $1,000, and
their fine horses,-Andrews is an enthusiast
on the subject of horses-pretending that
some one had criticized her bargain in buying
them. She got cheaper pair, then traded
them of, and finally sold out all the livery ap-
purtenances. Andrews services should rat
urally have ended here, but, on the contrary,
he was taken into their Utmost confidence.
His wages were no longer paid, but lie was
given the privileges of the family, and in their
intimate society he lived. He transacted all
their business, sold out stocks at Mrs. Grid
ley's direction, and as their circumstances
grew more and more embarrassed, he grad
ually sold off their furniture and pawned their
jewles, redeeming them and then repaWning
for months. Notwithstanding this state Of
penury, Mrs, Gridley refused to pause in her
dashing career. Her husbands agent, New
Haven broker named Reynolds, visited her,
urgently imploring her not to waste the for
tune his wise Investments had made, and they
had stormy quarrel, resulting in final es-
arrangement, Her daughter Nette, very
lovely young woman, of fine character, edu-
cation and accomplishments, attempted in
vain to dissuade her from her extravaganza.
As one Illustrative item of her lavish outley,
Andrews said that at one time he was given
$4,000 to purchase clothing and jewels alone,
and did SO. At about this time, the lady had
capricious notions of buying new residences,
now in one place, now in another. Andrews
was sent to look over fine property on
Chestnut hill in Hartford, and the Mr.. Rey-
nolds above referred to actually did buy
neat place in New Britain, which Mrs. Grid
ley rejected in scorn when she went to look
at it, and threw up the bargain, paying $4,000
forfeit for her tickle freak. This was the in
H-SN'NeN OSSt~sAOAA VI VIC qudlISl Will Tile new
Haven broker. When the Hartford house
was fiually sold, at so great sacrifice, the
$500 cash was used to keep the strangely al.
lied three at hotel in Bridgeport through the
winter, and tide them through the balance of
the year in Hartford, where they rented
apartments in the spring. When this was
exhausted, poverty itself came. Then An
drews was the only reliance OF the mother
and daughter. He was indefatigable. He
pawned furniture, clothing, jewels, watches,
article after article, selling many things for
1ar less than their value from mere necessity.
he was once arrested in Hartford when he
offered diamond ring in pawn, on SUSPICION
OF having stolen il, and Mrs. Grdley came in
70 the police court and vouched for his story,
= This ring had been given him by that LADY,,
ana ne mad worn it over year on his finger.
The most unique and romantic part of this
strange tale is yet to be told During these
years OF gradual ruin, Andrews and Miss
Gridley had been betrothed. The beantitnI
girl loved him heartily and deyotedlv- Sba
had vowed before heaven to love him forevar
and to marry no other man, This was tha
loadstone which irresistiby held Andrews to
the falling fortunes of the foolish widow
He loved Nette Gridley with so deem and
true consistency that he tried atfirst to blind
himself to the utterly reckless extravaganza
that was going on, and finally remained to
disasters. The three, mother, daughter and
lover, had together taken a solemn compact
before God never to desert each other. And
after the scene of the struggle was again
changed, this time to NorwaIk, Andrews de-
termined to get work elsewhere and try to
help them. He left them, September 5. went
to Stamford, and then to New York State to
work Tor farmer, bat getting out of work he |
enlisted in the navy, at the Brooklyn Yard |
During these fluctuations of fortune he reou- |
larry wrote to them. He was drafted to come |
10 jamestown to join the California. |
ana mere pelhought him OF friend through |
whom he could transmit the half paw wbicI, |
he intended to leave for the widow and bar
daughter. This friend was Mr.. Henry Cot.
ton, engaged in the navy yard, and formerIv a
member of the Pioneer hose comnanv in
Hartford, with Andrews. The last time ba
saw Cotton before this was at the recenton
in Hartford of the Franklin hose COMPANY
OF Charlestown, of which Cotton is a mem.
Der. While the visitors were there. Andrews
desired that they should visit Mrs. Gridley's.
and they did so, and had the most brilliant I
reception which was extended to them any,
where. Even now that he is arrested for
swindliDg them, Andrews doesn't believe TO
use his own words, that Nette has "gone
back" on him. He is firm in the faith that |
she will tell the trufh for tha t,utI,,s COLI