The sun., 1872-06-08
LAGRAVE THE SWINDLER.
IsTOyIsHWENT Nv A BRoONE ST.
DRY GOODS STORE.
rhe clerks Ashamed of IL aud their Eiu-
pioyers Thinking about 1.-THE Wonder
CL Exploits of Alfred Eugene Lnsraye,
md HE nnnIn

The case, which Is complicated, has assumed
great proportions, and exhibits In all It's phases
an extraordinary career Of villainy. All classes
Of merchants are more or less affected by La
er,yes nilht, aud "a they stil maintain a
studied reserve and refuse to impart informa-
ton concerning his rascality fearing that it may
dcfeit the ends of Justice nothing but mere
e,lin.atc Of the actual losses can be obtained
It "a believed, however, that they will not fall
short Of the sum already mentioned In THE Sun,
t30N0. The efforts OF the detectives TO un-
earth Lagraye and his confederate, J. ID. Otis,
nave 20 far proved fruitloss A venerable op-
ti,Iin who has known Lafrayc for many year,,
mcl.iuns a few incidents In his l,fc;
sCHuoL-BJY FRIENDSHIP.
La.rayc. when ute young became acquainted
with j. d. Otis, VIII, was living with his parents
In brooklyn, and a friendship sprung up between
them which could not be shaken. Otis was
charmed with the young Frenchman and fol-
lowed him wherever he went, engaging in all
sort of annoyances to tho neighbors. Otis's
father cudcaNUrcd to dissuade the youngstcr
f.om having anything To- do with Lagravc but
Li. cfIrt- were futile. At last however, when
u,isN ~. opened q fancy goods store In Charles
ton. :. g., LagraVc So ingratated himself into
Uef.yur pt the senior partner that he was em-
p,.y.t Hy Them ~ a clerk. After this nrm had
tJ.slD.t'd their stock uf goods to LOuisyille,
i..,a started Ina business for himself In
Il -....ur. but his mode ~ doing business be-
tf,.t.N ..td,ngs distastcful to the people there.
II. N gods to peddlors aud others, and
Etu- DIS cu.tomcrs was a Mrs Stanley, who
p.s.d .iaMl millinery store. lie frequently
.i. tuae. ..iriy ~ sixty days, but Mrs. stan
l.. .,.ls paid cash.
FIRE IN CHARLESTON.
o.. ui.ut her store and dwelling caught
H.. ..f WH- almost totally destroyed. She res
rI.I lr.i. i.e Fam about Sjpw OF ribbons
m4 u'~,-. I.c next day, bright and early
La, a. .pt1rtd at tho house where Mrs. stan
H.. W,s tHuporliiv residlng and presenting
lIf., worth Of goods, told her IL was time
% Do a pn hat bp pyNaH IN
rl. iu-. and had never bought from him
cr.l ne SIN insisted that she did, and threat
end 90 seize Tie small lot Of goods which she
h.. ,.l lrHmt the burning building. Some the
r.tr HH were called In, and while they were
rt .ltfy i-tCning TO violent harangue from
J. ,s,. ar.. :. inicy searched among mass OF
hal IrI. p'rtrs and found duplicate Of the
BILL ,u.od duly receiptcd This was eXhib-
h.! I.rl'c. but he remained unmoved. The
o 20. .-. uulAie to longer endure his impu-
4 it. cf iy pounded him and drove him
tl .N. house. This incident with others OF
& l. Ir., AID his association with thieves aud
t... ".". me up.srd about, and he was
lt'e.,.c from mercantile pursuits ia that
A..rSrunIp rs NEW YORK.
.t'l trtcu,y commented on the
'.".s r other cit"s. 80 m' = the
...Il. bad ','nsirrl stcadf,st to
DIS vi.r'ut. nd whom Iacrdye re-
---'-',' -.
ma o,is lsaid the repoucr's In
... % led tuc.r store, J3t Bioadway,
t... ... y..u. ,uucoCted schemes of fraud.
l.. ... tl second door, and sold laccs
I..... -...js. In, door above theirs was oc-
H. Nfm dealing In hair goods. During
g.. r. ih.s arm frequently missed email
4I...f.. H. 80 ds, bat thcy could not discover
g. ..t ,,ta,urs of the thrtts. At last one day,
d... .f.. a'.ence Of Lagraye and Otis, one uf
r 'lUl hau's had occasion TO enter their
o.. 90 transact some bu.iness with tho book
t.. Iui O. iis ass constituent saw portion
U. missing property.
$50 HAIR-Coops DEALERS NriGunoEs.
'- .a. 'lu,.,y Inquired c.L, erulng the hair
g ~ W.. 4n'u'9 ,'lhs.y trld 10y the book-
ihft his employers had been pur-
10 -. u' supposed, small quantities OF val
h.l.ts and chignuus and scnoing them TO
l... .Hllu.a. The merchant, knowing full well
lA ' .Ie goods were his. awaited the arrival Of
! r4' G. ana otis aud boldly confronted them,
,sing them OF thlcylng. Seeing that It was
l.| ss % deny 10 they confessed, but begged
b With III the earnestness they could COM
t'ni 20 keep IL ,qHiet' promising to pay him
3....itlea .sr the honor ~ their families, which
$50. He ,"roNc, ternished we're the facts II
O.. 'v.''Hu~ made known, Induced him 10
d.. .r.ir .-rL Ind the. public Is now for the
!; 'e made a'l4aiiGtvu NTIh thv' c1td1ii-
'r'. a.qu ut visits Of questionable charac-
t.-. u,n tore led the police TO believe
& a.. Used ss irc'4' " for thieves, but
O. I. ..-. .1Ncycr, was ever done uy 80 authorl-
&c.. = light upon the inner workings ot
L-Hf hmcut LagraNe was known To have
.. deal of jewelly, many watches, &c, in
b 50 ,.r--i yn, and he wCs frequently seen To so
1i-I..rt and alter such property that Il would
J. 'lc T. id,ntify 1t, and then to dispose
p To- 90 I,d gold,
DEALINGS WITH THIEVES.
ure.lii hammer valuable watches and other
..rr lcvclry or ware into all sorts Of
e. .H.. carry th"u away. A single Instance
s.a...i vhese he advanced Sl:uUO to a we'll
l. uf.l.f VINO had Jewelry. In his dealings
t.p merchants he was exceedingly sharp. In
i.lui 80 iluuthiy statements he frequently
.. was 80 he charged ;s4G, and relied
Q. ru'le--ness or hurry Of the cashier or
:..... HDI 90 send that amount 10y his collec-
t.ssl ia ks.r mod no cor
O.. 4ut it Is thought some houses have been
81 I'll In this way.
b- De street, he discharged all OF his old enl-
p !' ,hose whom he suspecteds 9 had an, an , ink-
ing large shipments to Philadelphia,
a and Baltimore. They removed laces,
&. q la tlwcrs, Nc., from their original pack
A.. .aI shipped them in new ones. The old
IrN S'- were carefully sealed and removed
% 10 --..e in liroome street, where they were
'i - = .rfn:F posing ~ ~. 7..
"I.I AS LED NEW YORKER LAUGHED AT.
"IH.r- down 10 their new store on Tuesday
o. H.- after their departure said the old
&C., .u, l4I-u'rs heartily. You know the
'.. l, adCc4 "a regular ID lily Warden,
iH,j jH all the colors ofthe rainbow. Going
o. -. r .W ne carpenters at work, unrun-
Hsu. hight ~ Iagraye and Otis 1 nudged
".' learned friend. are you working for love?
u- iu.p'cntly inquired repeated
and tgrned away to examine the
t'' I e. Tie carpenter arose and followed
H'. .'N', Lat do you mean mean,
-.A I NtHi bil. ana LagfdNe nave deCainped.
% .rt uun dropped his hammer and nails
l| H..el 100 t-tOuishment. You don't say sOP
We 40 leruuld eXclaim. walked about the
t.".. .Hu admired the handsome paper boXes.
y a." of goods said, "a touched one OF
-..' SEES. but no sooner had done SO than
tt.i r lrl ot them tpppled to the hoOr. | was
.' .-' u.-. ed, but soon discovered that
u-' .Hpty ones as were all the rest In the
TIE MASS MEETING.
W .H' d Iwu 10 contemplate the rascality Of this
q . ".Ils / was calmly thinking Of the
A.'..'' i.i Used Boo this great city, In popped
...I .r.u Arnold, Constable " Co.'S, fol-
LN.I . n.'."r from A. a. Stewart y CO.'S,
s.l lN '~INr time there quite a gathering
I'i'''.r.l H't- from a. the leading dry goods
u 'Nr't bud, many exclaimed, - this
N'f 'N N.'Ht assured lhat II was unduubt-
t'' rue i.l 'ar Lrm " Lagrdye Co. had
a." way Nhc Capt Kidd, their curses were
aI NUt Very deep. Tue SUN was right
..'r agreeing 90 keep IL from the public.
r f.'r being swlndled by an old
Nt' IH-iaNe Was terrible blow to them.
q 5000 worth uf goods have been seized by
~. 'y ..' .s- IA Philadelphia.
a A.y friend II LtgIdye was among the
She h1d entrusted him with the care of
N'u'h contained several hundred dollars
" r,Ner ware. This he had made away
,"t -,l }pu,' SAID the speaker, warming up
y - -l.gtct Lagraye Is the meanest man