Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-09-08
A GRAY LOTHAREO.
AsWIndIer I'm Arkansas, and n Bigsnasst
In Texas-An' Intellectual Search Of
One of His Victims.

On Friday morning Mr.. A. Cotton, OF Union
county, Arkansas, arrived In the city, IA
search of an individual named 7. b. Board,
atias H. G. Ford, for whose safety he Is now
anxious. Board, alias Ford, he described as a
man about fifty years OF age, I'VE feet seven
inches in hight, square built, with q stoop IN
his shoulders, dark complexion, mixed gray
hair and beard, which are rapidly becoming
gray In mis- personal appearance y yoatnIo ol
but the wan marks of age are DetoAened on
HIS forehead and cheeks.
Mr.. Getton's story, which is doubtless true,
goes 70 show that EoTd came 70 unl3n Sor tbsss
until August OF the same year, puFporung 70
be a farmer from Kentucky, who was pros
wherein to purchase lands, settle down and
/ follow the ancient and honorable occupation
Of tiUiDR the soil He was a man OF e1celleht
conversed huently on AL the absorbing
topics OF the day, and 50 ingratiated
himself into the good VII and
Gentleman TO appoint him general o~verseer OF
bis extensive and broad acres, with permits
sion 70 till a small portion of the DOMAIN Tor
his own use and benefit, until such time as
he could secure some more suitable locanty,
II il were possible
/ time, and so well pleased was Ford with the
| richness of the soil and the genial atnnes-
phere Of the Deighborhood, thai ne cohcinaee
10 purchase OF Mr.. Cotton six hundred and
| eighty-six acres, for which he was 70 pay IA
! mules Of the purest OF Kentuckys unadul-
terated stock, and 70 secare tne eeussry o.
tbonsand two hundred ana fifty dollars, pay
able on the first of January 1871
SUDDEN DIsAPPEARANCE.
Immediately after the above transaction,
which was done according to the ~strlctest let
ter OF the law, il suddenly struck Ford that
he would make a visit TO his native state, Dults
being short Of funds, he would write 70 ms
son. who was doing business In GreenetsDurg,
Kentucky, and obtain the necessary amount
in funds TO defray the expenses OF his antlcl-
pated trip. But Mr.. Cotton, in the IuIiness OF
IA. 1890 kaawf aud having fnn rOnnnnnRR
in the man who had so magnantmously con-
scented to buys portion OF his property and
", proposed to loan the amount, sixty dollars
as, also, a mule to ride 20 Camden, some
twenty-three miles, which be would immedi-
ately return by a messenger.
Mr.. Cotton waited long and anXiously for
the mule TO be returned from Camden but IN
stead OF the
LoNG-EARED Q~UADRUPED.
came a note stating that as he (Ford) could
travel so much cheaper by land, he had de-
termined to travel astride the animal, and re-
queSted Mr.. Cotton 10 charge the mule ms
account.
rather suspicious at the strange absence of
his quondam friend and creditor, ana Decom-
ing satisfied that something was, wrong,
started to Kentucky in search of Ford and his
lost money and mule, but fails 10 ma MS
man but through a letter which was directed
to Ford, finds out his real name rs Boarq,
and through the same instrumentalty nnds
the whereabouts OF his son at Greenetsburg.
While there a letter Is received by a banker
from a Mrs. L. c. Noel, OF sherman, Texas,
making inquiries about the same ubiquitous
character, Ford or Board, and stating that he
had come there in October, 1871, and had mar
ried her, and remained there until March, 1872.
At the time of her marriage she was q woman
of some property, and that she had sold a
large tract of land, which she then owned in
Washington county, for the neat little sum OF
one thousand seven hundred dollars In gold,
and in consideration Of Ford being her lawful
husband she had sent him to collect that
amount, which he faithfully did, but since
which time she had not seen him. or the goI-l
den ~hiucats, the proceeds OF her land
and would like any Information concerning
her truant lord and master.
In ADril last he started from shreveport !
Louisiana, to come up the river, and had un-
der his charge a young lady, a resident OF Ten-
nessee, who was travelling the same direction
This is the last heard of him, or in what por-
ton of the county he at present occupies
Mr.. Cotton states that from the
has received he has no doubt but this sill
Ver-haired Lotbario has married the young
lady, which makes the third wife he has nV-
ing, and that upon the strength of his Texas
gold he is residing in some portion
Of the State with the last and youngest OF his
wives. Be that as IL may, he started for his
home in Union county, Arkansas, yesterday
q sadder, but a much wiser man. He has keft
a full description of the Yillainous bigamist
and swindler with the police authorities, who
will be on the alert for him should chance or
bring the scoundrel this way.