The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-07-14
4 Heavy ncraurter.

nj sIARTLIso s1EYgLoIMgsT OF FRAUDULENT ACT
I IN SAN PRSNcIsoo- 4 HEx KTLsss rffLlfx.
!, The SIN Frarcfsco III Iett9 stbe Sd In
slant gives the following details Of alleged
fraufs, of which mention has been made II
our kilograms !: ...~aa1 5r5i i ~
>" Though the proceedings o. the Contra
faeI,: railroad authorities with reference K
the acia.., 'aton Of the late secretary of tht
Western q, tvelopment Company, known by
the nan,c o. John, Miller, have beer, cen
ducled with gt eat privacy, the developments
reached have been of such an astound.
ing character "a to preclude the pos.
sibity of lons.cc ntinued secrecy. Bill.
Ter, whose Zeal Name is Woodruff, is
q defauter for an fmrnense sum, possibly
reaching in the neighb orhood of million
dollars, but the company are ret:cent as TO
the precise amount, II tbeS7 have yet ascer-
| timed. This rascal came To- this State about
six years ago, aud, securing s.u engagement
with the railroad company succeeded. By
| bis insidious manner and crafty character, in
| ingratiating himself into the confidence of
the officers, ami finally obtained promotion
to the post of responsibility which enabled
him to distinguish himself as the raost sue.
cessful thief in California. He claimed 10
have been resident Of one of the southern
States, but it is now known that he came
hither from New York, where be has aWife
and family residing. He represented tO his
family ut the East that he was going to
Australia, and ever since his residence
here he has correspondent regularly
with them through IN accomplice in
Melbourne, probably deluding them
with the idea that be was preparing home
for their removal thiiher. hsalready kuowD,
the scoundrel mean time bad illegally married
an estimabIe lady of wealth and high social
position, Of Sacramento, and was living in
ostentatious extravaganza in this city, baviug
erected }ulatial residence at the corner of
Jones and Suffer streets. When Miller,
otherwise Woodruff, was detected in bis ras-
cality. 1t was evident that he waS preparing
to leave the country and desert his second
wife. That devoted woman immediately
proflercd the whole of her private fortune to
settle the defalcation, and release her sup
posed husband from trouble. The rail-
road company however, had ascertained
that no legal marriage relation existed be-
tween the deepIy.injured woman and the
>coundrcl, and knowing rs well he designed
GROWING his inlamy by deserving her, res
fused to accept any such sacrifice. The COM
pany had taken nothing so far except pro.
perry which Woodruff purchased with bis
steaingS. and securities obtained by him 10
like manner. During his term Of office the
rascal has transferred much valuable proper
ty to purchaser named Woodruff, purport-
ing to be Il resident Of Australia, and, OF
course, none other than himself. The
sales were invariably made at low
figure, The money represented in the
transactions stolen from the Develop.
ment Company, to be paid 10 himself and
stolen over again. The design of the thief
was evidently to abscond, abandon his wife
in this city, resume his former identity in
Australia, and realize on an immense amount
of real estate, through power OF attorney,
under the name Of Woodruff. The scheme
was daring one, and carried on. on 81
gantic scale with great art and shreWdness.
The rascal was too avaricieus, however, and
delayed the consummation of the swiHde
until suspicion fell upon him. They day
before his hurried fight, in anticipation
Of arrest. he attempted to borrow twenty
thousand dollars Of 4 real estate hrm I'D
this city on bis residence, and the loan would
have been supplied had his departure not
been so hasty. The company are daily dis
covering parcels of real estate owned by the
thief, represented in the name of Woodruff,
and yesterday, it is reported, they recovered
Il large amount Of English securities, which
we've secrcted in the residence he lately occu-
pied. What will he the final disposition OF
this precious scoundrel may not he predicted,
as the authorities of the law are not cognl-
Zant of bis beinous crimes, and 1t present
he is merely in the custody OF the railroad
company"