New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-07
specimen of sharp Practice.

We copy the following from the ShreVc-
port Times:
ON the last up tip Of the La Belle, one
of the passengers got OF ut Hughes planta-
ton. some >cyeuty-tiYe miles by river below
here. Hearing that Mr.. Pink Hyams was
at CanlI,o Belle. or Wards store, whittier
he had gone To auction cit goods for Mr..
Ward tne stranger Immediately suggested
that a. LIE knew lIyans well he would go
down. distance Of four or five miles, and
see. him. Borrowing mule from Sir.
Hughes. lie soon MADE his appearance at
the store: seemed overjoyed to see Mr..
IIvams. and appeared. surprised that the
latter did not recognize him. He then said
I've was & brother of the Messrs. Stoncr, OF
| Shreveport. in proof OF which lie wrote a
note in pencil to dear brother Wash,
stating that lie had Just discovered that the
freight he vas bringing up on the La Belle
was 200 barrels short. and that he had got
of the boat 10 take the John I. Moore as
| she passed down to return to New Orleans
and rectity it. Although Mr.. Hyams could
| not locate him, this seemed n settler, as he
| went on 70 say that he was one of the firm;
! that his brother Peter had written to him
| to hurry On and take charge Of tie business
| in Shreveport, and 70 come by New Orleans
and bring up $40 barrels CT freight which
| the firm had there.
We neglected to state that the man had
| been introduced to Mr. Ward willie Hyams
was OF. by a gentleman who had come up
to the store with him. lie remained there
during ThursdaT night waiting for the
Moore. Tie next morning Mr. Hyans
| went out cunning. and upon his return Mr..
! Ward remarked that he had loaned Stoner
twenty-five dollars and taken his draft upon
Stoner Brothers. Mr.. II. suggested that he
| was suspicious OF the man-that he could
not remember him, and advised Ward to
get his money back. Ward then went to
him and told him he would like for him to
return the money, which he did very reaai-
L., hut asked him to let HIM have seven dol
| lars and Ia lend him au OvercOat Ward
kindly did this.
Friday evening the steamer Ida passed
down. when ne vent aboard and treated
! literally to champagne. The boat left after
! dark, when Mts,rs. Ward and HyanS rt-
turned II tie store. Before retiring, the
latter a>.cd the former for his watch key.
He told him to get il from his yes; pocket.
Upon ,-aIcI.H- Tor it. lie tounG that /, WY
fine gold wa.cA and chain had mya,cI.on~-y
disappeared. Instantly both knew where
it hau '',,ppeared 10, as the old lady said
about her LOST shears. Hoses were liHinc'
Giatc,y mounted, and a moonlight md. ol
some four miles brought the victims u :,
plantation where the Ita was taking on
cotton. Upon gong aboard, they found the
stranger had retired to lis statcroolu. and
was Steering tie sleep of the iInoccut. He
was gently awakened. and found two SIX
shooters leveled on him. Without any Tt
mVnotrance he came out with the watch
gracefully rave mp the Overcoat. but Wit.
tears in his eyes yielded, a fine mrcr>chauIn
pipe Of Mr. vans. ana reluctantly surren
dered the =. less a small amount lie Aac
invested ii whisky. Ward had 10 pay t"I
the champagne above referred 70, by tat