The sun., 1872-12-23
PROF. VESTS GREAT CRIME
TIE END OF "A CAREER OF FRAUD
LYING, AND DEOEPTION.

The Killer and Fiayer Of Ceoch Turner Ac-
cused Of Bisamy and swindiins-Bis Col
tese STORIES Of Immense WeaIth-PasstnE
Himself OF as n Gevsrnmsnt Detsctivs.
Correspondence OF Ihe sun.
DOVER Del, Dec. 16.-Now that the ex-
element consequent on the unparalleled crime
of Prof Isaao Collins West has abated, 1t Is pos
sibie to reach many facts which were before
unattainable. I purpose in this letter to give
you an outline OF Vests early career, and other
particulars never before published respecting
his later life.
West is the youngest son Of Mr.. Isaac West,
blacksmith, wheelwright, and farmer of Bati-
more Hundred, Sussex county. Mr.. Wests
eldest son is dead. The second Ia sailor and
resides near his father. The third is physician
at Roxana. Isaac is the fourth. One sister Is
married to the Rev. Mr.. Mclaughlin Of tho
Philadelphia Methodist Episcopal Conference,
and the other to a farmer In Sussex county.
Isaac worked a boy on his fathers farm, at
tending a school In the winter. Isaac was
sensitive and nervous, easily excited and Inn
pulsivo. He had an extraordinary liking for
anything odd, and when he got hold of curl
osity he would ponder over and examine It, and
show it with enthusiasm to his nolghbors. His
friends considered him
QUEER AND uSAccoUSTABLE.
lie was ambitious to excel In scholarship, and
At eighteen attended Prof. Brewers school in
Milford. and afterward Prof. Reynods's In Do
Ner. lie subsequently entered DICKINSON tOl-
lege at Carlisle Pa, and remained there four
years. In 1858 he graduated fairly After ashort
vacation among his friends he began school In
Milford In connection with the Rev. William T.
Davis. Thi. project s2on came to an end end
;hspGsh an aGedS1t Negro mp,trss d rented ted
weight Of the audience carried away the floor.
West went back home and thence 70 Dover,
where he started what he termed Collegiate
Institute. This lasted about year. Toward
the close " lS,l West married the daughter Of
Mr.. John slay Recorder Of Deeds for Kent
county.
VESTS FIRST SPECULATION IN GAS.
About this time he BEGAN to treat pulmonary
diseases by the inhalation OF gas. The formula
for the manufacture of this gas and the right to
use It he purchased, It il said, in Philadelphia
He had an ollce in Baltimore during the winter
e,tabiishmept he .6ld out to Mr.. Way, son Of
the Rev. L. J. Way OF the NJ f. Church. Then
when he opened an ofice in Dover. This he
continued 70 run up to the time Of the discovery
Of that horrible crime. which enabled a distin-
gulshed Delawarcan to say. Although Delaware
may be the smallest State. 1t has the biggest
tragedy"
WEST SAYS HE is HEIR TO VAST ESTATES.
When West was at college. he was remarkable
for his romanclng capabilities He told marvel
lous stories OF wealthy relatives in various part.
student; by Informing them that he
described TO them the location Of a magnificent
estate. and showed diagrams of the stately man.
descriptions Of weeks passed there in his boy
hood and hullt splendid projects for the enjoy
ment Of himself and his friends in the future,
when he should take possession Of his property.
Unfortunately. however, he seemed to forget
upon his friends Min sn"IS4r r staftlihs r"mance
even more wonderful than the previous one. In
course ~ time, his companions began to under
stand him, and knew how TO receive his slngu-
lar communications.
VESTS soCrH AMERICAN PROPERTY.
when he left college this propensity to lie did
not leave him. During his later residence at
Dover he announced to his agluaitta auCps that
an uncle In South America had died, and left
him heir to vast fortune. He closed up his
business and made arrangements to quit Dover
So earnest and serious did he seem that his
the place no one douSted d thst H'I he had ac,uay
fallen heir 10 immense wealth. After a short
absence, howeyer he returned. and managed to
conduct himself In such a way thar many be-
loved he had secured the estate. and was In the
enjoyment Of their large revenues.
ALLEGED FRAUDULENT MARRIAGE.
There l. very prevalent rumor that West was
married two or three years ago to hls cousin. Miss
McCaho, beautiful and amiaDle young lady of
addresses to her but her friends were OPPOSED to
the match. one report says that lac dcCuycd tie
and that sui. equentIy he told her that the cier,
gyman VINO had performed the ceremony was
one OF his friends who had assumed the charac
ter for the occasion. and that she was not h,s
WIFE. Ihercupun, II Is further said, he leli her
in terrible anguish with baby To take care Of.
Another rumor saws that he was actually mar
RED To his cousin hut that he prevailed on the
young lady who was very pious 10 believe that
corsanguinlty. Another report says that this
posed To think there j. some truth In II.
TRYING TO swISDLE WIDOW.
A lawyer Of Milford says that some time ago
West went 10 an aged negress residing near that
place, and asked her whether ahe had not haG
In the army son who had perished at Gettys-
burg. The old woman said She had Thereupon
West prevailed on her Ia sign certain papers ap-
tohim. West wrote to Washington ana present
ed claim for sSn; In the mean time the old
woman talked 81 the fine gentleman who had
been 10 see her. and laid larl for the expendi-
ture OF the bounty Some time, however,
tient. She went to the lawyer in question, and
he wrote 20 washington In time to stop the paw
that he had been circumyented, he went to the
old lady. gave her twenty dollars, and got her 10
MONEY The SwScr howeyer was @ too 20 smart g or
him, and went t. Washington In person. and got
the money before West could use his new su-
thoriZatiOn.
TIE MORNING AFTER THE CRIME WAS KNOWN.
After West set Ore to the room, with the view
OF exploding the powder which he mad deposit
ed on the floor, ne remained around long enough
to see that his scheme had failed. Then he got
upon the freight train bound north and went as
Tar a. Delmar. Thence he walked to Salisbury,
Md, where he arrived during the forenoon He
entered ths Peninsular House, kept by Mr.,
He told the clerk that he had just arrived from
Delmar; whittier he had travelled on the night
traln. He had on a long, heavy overcoat and
pulled down over his head. A white kerchief
covered the lower part Of his face, and pair Of
tpectacles rested on his nose. lie inquired for
Mr.. Tracy, and on that gentlemans arrival,
asked to speak with him In private. The land
lord at once granted his request. West said
that he wanted board for four or hye weeks, and
wished To know what were hr. Tracy's terms.
Mr.. Tracy told him, and thereupOn West said
that he mad confidential communication to
make.
WEST AS A GOVERNMENT DETECTIVE.
He was Government detective. Counter
feit coupons on SlOD bonds Of the nlon Pacific
Railroad were In circulation, and he was one OF
twenty-eght detectives sent out by the Treas
ury Department 10 ferret out the guilty parties
The Treasury had discovered that the counter
teiting was done somewhere near Philadelphia
West concluded the interview by saying that
hr. Tracy might think him a person Of little
Importance, but when he knew who he was he
would change his opinion materially.
In the afternoon Mr. Tracy's suspicious were
aroused, aud he sought an interview with his
guest Mr. Tracy asked 10 be furnished with
some pro"t that his uoarder was really a Cow
erhineut detective, as on former occasions he
had suneTed IN pocket through the rascality Of
men VINO hGd represented themselves a. such
West said that he had injured his foot and lost
his bagguge and papers In the recent accident
on the Phllhdelphia, Wilmington, and baltimore
Railroad. lie offered to pay his board in ad-
vance, and said he would furnish proof in a day
or two Of his being what hc represented himself.
VESTS LAST DISGUISE.