Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-05-04
Is HE A FRAUD?

A Newspaper Man (?) ON His Travels.
About two weeks ago there came to
Nashville an individual about thirty-fve
years of age, iather good looking, with dark
hair and whiskers, a good address, and
able to talk a man blind, provided free
range were given him. He represented that
he was down here for the purpose OF "Writ-
ing up" the material interests of our State,
and that he was correspondent of the De-
troit mich Free Press. On the strength
of these representations, he succeeded in
obtaining annual passes over the Nashville
and Chattanooga, the Tennessee and Pa
cifc road, and also over the line Of road
running from Cowan to the SeWanee
mines.
He sailed under the cognomen of
"Dr. Stevens" and had cards with
that mama printed thereon, and he also had
cards with the names "Dr. Stevenson" and
"ReY. Martin Stevens" all OF which cards
he used at various places.
About q week ago, this gifted and cheeky
chap visited the Sewanee cOal-mines, where
he used his "Dr. Stevenson" cards, claim
ing, in rdditiOn TO being correspondent
for the Free Press, that he was also con-
nected with the Cleveland, (Ohio) Plain
dealer, and that he was making arrange
ments to send letters to the Nashville
Banner. Of course he was treated in 3
courteous, gentlemsnly manner by the gen.
tlemen connected with the mines, and every
facility for examining the many points OfiD-
terest about Tracy City was furnished
| him. Leaving the mines after days stay,
he visited the University at Sewanee, a
few miles this side of Tracy City, where he
represented that he was deeply interested
| in educational matters, using at the Univer.
sity, his "Rev. Martin Stevens" cards, and
creating a very favorable impression by his
elegant and suave manners.
From this point he journeyed to Cowan,
where he told the good people Of that city
{ that he would give them complete
charts of their chronological devel-
opments for the beggsrly pittance OF one
| dollar, but finding business in the "bump
line" somewha slow at that price, ne con-
siderately dropped down to fifteen cents per
Uranium.
We next hear Of this talented man at
! Lebanon, where be soon succeeded in crea-
| ting an impression among the people oil that
place that he was ';desd beat" OF the first
water, and the college boys had
him arrested and taken before sham
court, where he was called up
| on to answer 60 some ridic llous charges
which were drawn up against him. The
court found him guilty of every one
of the specifications in the charges, and
| sentenced him to pay a fine, consisting of a
gallon Of beer and quart of gin. Mr.
Rey.-Dr. S.evens-Stevenson, Of the De-
| troit Free Press, Cleveland PldindeGler,
| PnnYa,. (nrn iValVN
fused to paw the fine, on the ground that be
was a minister of the Gospel, and also a
strong temperance man. The sentence was
then changed, and he was told that be
would be let off upon his furnishing cigars
for the party, out to this, the accomplished
tramp also objected, coming the "hlgh
moral dodge" this time. A consultation
was had, and the court announced that
second change would be made in the SEN
tence, and that the prisoner would be
released upon his purchasing cheWing-gum
for the crowd. Stevenson Eve want to get
his name rightly said that he could not OBJ
ieet to this sentence, but that he had no
money. He was willing 10 do the fair
| thing. however, and offered to make a
chronological examination Of any three
| heads among the party, and let the court
collect the fees, and expend the entire
amount IN the purchase Of balsam. Strange
as it NAV appear, this magnificent and gen.
| erous proposition was not accepted, but the
defendant was told to 'git up and git
whereupon he Immediately "got up and
got" vending his way back to Nashville
| day before Yesterday, and is doubtless 10
the CITY now, but it is possible this little bio
graphical sketch will hasten his departure
| therefrom.
In this connection, we desire to warn the
public against
A PARTY BY THE NAME OF FOSTER,
| a one-armed man, who was authorized lasi
| November to secure subscriptions for the
UNION AND AMERICAN, which authority
is now withdrawn. His full name is q. A.
Foster, and he is supposed to be operating
| in the interior of the State. he has shown
hinself to be utterly unreliable, and we re-
quest that no favors be shown him on acs
count of this paper, and that no money be
paid him to be forwarded to us.