The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-04-25

10 chance Or cira&Ss1stance. T1sor teis
neriod he wRs ID professed Mashodisf BUT
on, change of;hsfief he evinced such de-
Termination and zeal In the cause Of truth,
and manifested such apparent sincerity In
his actions. that his advent to the church
WA hailed as q valuable acqufsition, So
thoroughly did he succeed in onyiHc1ng the
tmembeTs OF tilatcHurchSof bis eyotion and
truth that he was elected to . position
WHICH ENABLED Elm 10 control fhf church
funds conformity with the treasurer. " In !,
the opportunities for deception ana Irauo
his old habit returns to him, and ne becomes
defaulter second time to the amount OF
81, 00o. f,,.s .9.ys.t..,zE r.grs'.st4- sr.,.s.
The swindle was evident, the proofs were
In the hands of the elders Of the church !;
but, to avoid the scandal which it was sup
posed would follow prosecution, the
matter was allowed to rest, and in all pro-
liability would never have attained pub
licity but for more recent transactions:
Woodruf's assumption Of piety was Of
course exploded, as Il consequence Of these
developments, and for various reasons he
found change of residence desirable. He
accordingly engaged house in Seventh
street, Hoboken, to which place he removed
In the spring of 1868, and again his religious
belief undergoes q change, and he attaches
ululse1 W tut AcSDy tct iau SuulSu tiloAC
With singular adroitness he ingratiated
himself into the favor of the members Of
the church. His piety and assidious atten-
ton to religious services were even mole
marked than when member of the Dutch
Reformed Church, and he was introduced %
the principal Presbyterian families in Ho-
boken. He lived in style Of ease and
comfort, though not extravaganza; but 10
meet the demands Incidental on housekeel.
ing (for it does not appear what business he
was engaged in) he had recourse to his
friends, from whom, on various preteXts,
he borrowed large sums of money. From
many persons he obtained money upon the
security of large landed property which
he represented that he possessed in Viz
ginia; to Others he gave notes purporting
to be signed by his son, aged twenty-five,
who bears his name, but who never at
tached his signature to the document;
while others he induced upon ingenious
pretenses to make him their debtor. When
those notes fell due they We're diShonored;
but even then Woodruff managed to keep
himself clear from any unpleasant conse-
quences. ...
s..,f. HIS LAST swIEDLE. ..-..
A few months since Woodruff, who was
previously devising schemes for the benefit
Of the church, sought an interview with the.
treasurer, land asked him to >1iyance him
81 200 to help friend out Il pec,lninry diff
ficulties, promising not o9iy to be response
BILE for the return of ting money, but also to
sndsayart te hEi1e-hss friend into the faith.
The money was given, but when the Gay
appointed for payment was at hand, ana IL
was not Forthcoming, the suspicious OF the
treasurer were aroused, especially as tne
friend whom Woodruff promised TO bring
into the church had not made his appear
ance. A visit to New York and an Inquiry,
into Woodruff's previous career confirmed
those suspicious. The treasurer found ne
had been completely imposed upon, and
was justified in having the.defaulter arrested
for swindling.
At his instance warrant was issued for
Woodruf7s apprehension, and he was ar
rested on Monday last and lodged in Hud-
son city Jail. The announcement Of his
arrest was not made known until yesterday,
when it occasioned great excitement.
Among the many whom Woodruff has
swindied are G. q. Amende, druggist, cor
ner of Washington and Seventh streets,
from whom he took over s. 100, and Mr..
Clussmann, No. 304 Washington street.
The whole amount Of his detulcations in
Hoboken have been estimated at S3o,WU.