Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-08-10
ANOTHER INDIaNi SCiMP.
seven Wives and lwenty-Nine states
TO Hear From-A Man that Preachcs
Like Mr.. Beccher. Lectures Like j II.
GOngh. and Gets Married Like {. c.
Correspondents of the New York Sun.

"hsu WIS -HdTVIeu LIhc - y =.
Bowen.
Correspondence of the New York Sun.
There languishes in the SHELBY co.
Jail one of the most interesting culprits
/ have ever heard Of l think | may
multiply adjectives on this fellow.
Charles McWilliams is his name.
This is not by any manner of means
all his names. He has called himself
Harry Wilson and half score of other
taking sobriquets. His proper sur
name is supposed to be McWilEams, as
he was born under that name some thir.
ty-five years ago, in the little village of
Crotesville,in this state. AS far as heard
from, there was nothing particularly
attrocious in his antecedents and early
history. As may be supposed, be was
a comedy lad and
THE PET OF THE NEIGHBoRHooD.
In this respect he has held his own
remarkably well for nearly forty years
He is fine looking fellow and exceed
ingly mild hammered. He is tall and
graceful, has good features and COM
plexion, and an alluring smile, while
the fascination of his gaze is as ire
sistible as that of serpent.
In addition to his personal charms
he has wonderful memory, and can
preach like Beecher, lecture like a
Cough, and sing like mocking bird.
Last summer he spent at Monrovia,
Ind, where, as an interesting widower,
he caused quite a sensation among the
far. As revivahst his success was a
credit to the United Brethren Church.
His success as sensatonahst was
complete when arrested aud lodged in
the Rensselaer, Jail.
AN ACCOMPLISHED CLERGYMAN.
The requisition from another county
was for breach Of trust. He had settled
down in a community as II Christian
| (Campbellite) minister, on condition
that he should be furnished with a
horse and buggy to make the circuit.
BarlSis was willing, and straightway
set out on his mission. In process of
preaching be got doctrinal points so
mixed up with more liberal plan of
salvation that he created disturbance.
In secular point Of view it would
have been considered general row.
The accomplished gentleman, snufiing
the breeze of discomfort far and near,
took unto himself the horse and buggy
and decamped.
For this oflense he was arrested and
landed in the close quarters of the Jail.
He was waited upon in his new quar-
ters by couple of brethren in the
faith. He was asked why he had not
preached the doctrine he had bargained
! to.
"By G., l preached a better doc
trine of my own, and If you Will get me
out of this, as sure as there's universal
salvation, ! will preach for You again.
/ In connection with his arrest there
are many interesting particulars. When
/ accosted III that friendly way known to
police officers, with slap ON the shoul,
der and Il gentle admonitlon that he
WAS wanted, he replied
There must be some mistake"
"You are Charles McWilliams, OF
Rensselaer, late of Monrovia ~
Mistaken again. ! never was there
in my life. The fact is, am twin.
Nv brother resembles me very much.
Now come to think, / believe he did
spend last summer in Monrovia, He
is my twin looks astonishingly like
me.
"You,' said the officer, 'look enough
like the man we want to suit us. Come
along
The moment they were outside the
door he commenced swearing, and "A
gentleman who was present says he
never heard such blasphemy before nor
since. ...
His soft-hearted captors permitted
him to have all the whisky he wanted,
and by the time he reached the JUS
tees Office he was uproariously drunk
With all he said nothing to crimlnate
himself, as his captors thought he
would when under the influence OF
! liquor.
Consigned to the jail, he still had a
portion OF whisky left, and the first
| thing he did was to compel the few In
mates to go down on their knees, as he
expressed it, to "take the sacrament.
This blasphemy over, he snatched a
! fiddle from one Of the cells, and be-
ginning to play, ordered the prisoners
to dance. He behaved like mailman,
and the poor fellows were forced to
obey him.
Then he formed them i'll a line and
sang about hundred hymns to them.
! As / said before, his voice Is really
magnificent.
AS BTGAMtST
also he is n great success. He has two
wives in Wisconsin, three IL Indiana,
and two in Ohio. As general thing
he married daughters Of weli-to-do men
in whatever church he happened to be-
long to. His favorite mode OF proceed
ing was to forge certificates OF ilcenseto
preach. and it is astonishing how sue