Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-06-11
THE GAZETTE.
TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE II.

SUMMING OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Monday
the 9Th of May last, MIR. Alfred Lagraye, job
hing dry goods dealer of No. 44s Broome
strest aed from New York to parts unknown,
leaving debts to the amount of $1,000, con-
,ractei under circumstances which must be re,
a,rded as crminay dishonest. Almost all
The nrominent dry goods dealers have been VIC
t,nized to large amount and the roll OF credl-
tors includes the firms of A I. Stewart u Co.,
II B. ClaAn & Co., + S. Jaffray & Co., Z. +.
Daubmapn & Co.; and Arnold l. Go. The man
her in which Lagrave conducted his swlndllug
operations was this: For the past two, years
he had conducted business in slow and sure
fashion, doing everything on small scaie :; pay
Ing with promptitude aud ma king hlmseh OK
tremely pleasant to ali who had TRANSACTIONS
with him. His credit was good, Tor ;, ne mas
several rich brothers In law IN the city a hrmly
established in highly reputable commercial en-,
ternr;ses and there were few houses who would
not sell to him with the usual precautlon at
thirty days, sixty days, or four mouths, accord
ING 70 the custom of the trade. During the
mast four months he has been steadily buying
articles that are considered the most saable,
and selling them within few hours at auction
stores under an assumed name. lie generally
d;sposed of the goods bought on credit in New
York. but he occasionally varied the proceed
ipgs By sending them to Boston and Phlladel-
phia. He sold at considerable Sacratce, but
it is believed that he has secured over a hun
,]rod thousand dollars, which he has with hllu.
There we're houses that would never sell to
him ON credit, and therefore it may be assumed
that some of the stories about his early career
which now come to the surface may be true.
II is stated that when first In New ! ork he
started as pawn broker in Nassau street, and
did business of such questionable character
that he had TO abandon it and go South. lie
returned from Charleston at the opening
of the late war, and was the last porth'
ern person in that city who escaped: This
made him small hero when he arrived IN
New York. and he found no difficulty in start
ing in business for himself. lie dealt as a
ibber in hats and caps, and had as his sales
man a Mr.. Otis, whose reputation, 1t is SAID,
is none of the best This Otis was sometimes
his partner and sometimes his clerk, but was
certainly the latter at the time of his evasion
It is believed that there has always been per-
feet understanding between the two, and that
when Lagrave two years ago abandoned the hat
business and became jobber in dry goods 1t
was with the firm intention OF making the
sweep for which the detectives are now after
his heels. His marriage relations appear some
what mixed, since there are upon record sever
al marriages in which he figured as principal
aud only recently he was united to Mile.
Schmettering an opera singer, who Is now ad-
yertised as lara Lagravc. AS this person Is
Low in Europe, the creditors think he may
have gone there also, but knowing the trick
character of the man, they arc not sure that
he is not concealed in the city.-N. I. Times.