Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-10-04
SIGNAL sCoUSDRELs.
Additional Particulars Concerning
u. j. Walton and His Operations

Our readers will remember that we pub
lished, few days since, an attempt made
by one X. j. Walton, to swindle Mr.. Ford
the Signal Observer at this point, out oil
$50. The following Washington telegram
to the Chicago Tribune throws additional
light uDon the doings Of this scamp:
A couple of swindlers hailing from st.
Louis, and giving their names as Arthur
w. Hart and John w. Moody, have been
playing a rather bold game here for the last
three weeks, but were brought to grief by
the detectives yesterday. They have had
two plans by which to bleed victims. One
was to send circular letters 10
the different District Attorneys
throughout the country, principally
in the South and West, stating that they
had for disposition digest of the Attorney
Generals opinions and instructions to dis
trict attorneys; that it was the original in
tention TO have the work published at gov
eminent cost and distributed to the proper
officials, but that, Notwithstanding the At
tOrney General made every effort to Sc
cure an appropriation for the purpose,
Congress refused to make it. Con-
sequently, as the work was of great
importance, it was decided by the
department of justice to print and furnish
it to the officials at cost, viz, $40 for three
volumes. The circular was signed John
Hillingsgate, Chief Clerk of the Bureau Of
Publications, Department of Justice. Quite
a number of the District Attorneys bit and
sent in the sum mentioned as the price,
among them being Andrew Evans, of
Waco, Texas, and the District Attorney at
Buffalo, Y. Y. Some Of the officials. how
ever, sent their drafts to the Chief Clerk of
the Department, instead of Hillingsgate,
and by this means a clue to the rascals
was afforded, which.was followed up with
the result stated.
Their other operation consisted in send
ing letters addressed to the observers in the
Signal Service Offices over the country,
signed by r. j. Walton, Second Lieuten-
ant Signal Service of the United States,
setting forth that draft on him (Walton)
for small amount would fall due in few
days in the city where the observer ad-
dressed was stationed, and requesting the
observer to take it up, adding that he OVAL
tOn) would make it all right at his APP
preaching visit of inspection. The drafts
were made for twenty dollars in most cases,
and about twenty of them have been CASH
ed as requested. Hart carries a commits
sion as Notary Public at st Louis, which
appears to be regular in form, and Moody
has on his person certificate of admission
10 the st. Louis bar, dated 1870, and signed
by James +. Lewis, Clerk of the Circuit
Court When arrested, the two men
we're quite flush with cash, which it APP
pears they got by means Of the swindliDg
levices mentioned. When they came here
| few weeks ago they were absolutely OBJ
ects Of charity. Hart was at one time a
member of the Signal Service, but was
,Ourt-martialed and dismissed for some Of |
ense or other. From record found in |
he pockets of one of the fellows, it ap- |
'ears that they have, in the last few days,
nailed number of letters to army officers, |
hiefy in the far West, but what the pre-
Use nature of the job they are putting up
IN them is remains to be seen.