Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1875-08-19
THE PETTY GlP MYSTERY.
Surprising Success of q Bold
Confidence Man
Ee is not Dead but Skedaddlcth
Brilliant Railroad Pros
poets Dashed-A Friend
of Andrew Johnson
Duped outof over
G a Thousand HD
Dollars.


murder, blood, ets., we're given in for>
mer issue of the Press. and the opinion
was almost unanimous among our citizens
that murder had been committed, until
on the 4th inst, the whole mystery way
solved by the owner Of the marc coming
after her.
Below we give the facts connected with
aud event that has caused such universal
excitement throughout our country:
Some time last spring man, we'll
dressed, of good appearance and evidently
possessing good store Of information,
fluent in conversation and we'll skilled in
art of winning the confidence of those with
whom he came in contact mado his ap-
pearance at Readyvllle, seven miles west
of this place, and claimed TO be looking
out the most practicable route for an im>
pOrtant railway lie in few days sues
ceeded in so pulling the wool over the
eyes of several Of the moneyed men and
landowners of that vicinity as to make
them believe he had decided upon Ready>
vile as fixed point Of the route and that
the company he was representing would
be certain to locate the road according to
his survey. This touched a teudcr cord
in the bosoms Of our Readyvile neighbors
which vibrated in dulcet tones: and in
order to contribute to the success Of the
enterprise, they took great pleasure in
loaning the engineer several hundred
dollars, to be RENTED to them as soon
as he reached Cincinnati. He gave them
hearty shake of the hand, and bade
them farewell, lcavingthem so elated at
their railroad prospect that they could
hear i'll imagination the shrill whistle
of the cars on The new railway. They
have not heard Of him since nor have we
had the pleasure Of taking ride in the
new cars that were to be on in short
time.
About the 10th, of last month, a maa
illisg the decriptiou,of this accomplished
swindler. and thought to be the same,
made his appearance at the house OF
.Plummer Harris, in Wilson county, and
introduced himself as man of the old
school Democracy Of the true girt. This
was sweetest music to the ears of Mr.
Harris, and the stranger at once made
himself very interesting company in the
family, lie was furnished with the
best to eat, ch oice' wine to drink and
cigars of the best quality to smoke. II e
readily made Harris believe he was very
wealthy, and rscealel secret tG him.
lie had been involved in difficulty with
and had shot aud killed a United Stats
revenue officer in Kentuky; and he gave
a full detail Of the circumstances, ETC., and
proposed to give Mr.. Harris an impor'
ted flly, for which he had been offered
six thousand dollars, if be would 60 W
into Kentucky and accomplished something
for him about the case, but Mr.. Harris
was not swift to be his dupe and declined
to 60.
lie ascertained by some means tha
Foster Doak, ESQ.,, who lives eight miles
south Of Lebanon, was a never, ,faiin,
friend, politically and personally, Of th
lamented Andrew johnson, whercupol
he left Mr.. Harris's and went to Mr.
Doak's. He soon won the confidence o
Mr.. Doak and made him too the Gus
tedan of a secret Of fearful import. Wit
bated breath he told Mr.. Doak thd
Andrew johnson, Jr., youngest son o
the ex. President, had shot and Killed
U. S. Revenue officer in Fast Tennessee
that be had young johnson with him try
ing to assist him in making his escap
into the mountaius Of Georgia, that he ha
the young man concealed at the house Q
Plummer Harris, etc. They had nal
+. rowly escaped an arrest in East Tennesse
S and had not time to get money to bea
/. expenses and he had called on Mr.. Doa
e at the request Of the ex.PreSident fC
a money, saying il would require thou
J, sand dollars to make the trip, and the
? only had, two hundred and seventy fv,
D Ills narration Of the event like electri
t fire, thrilled every nerve and warmed tn
4 generous but too confding heart of NJ
e Doak. His personal and political assoc
| ations with the ex>president in the pai
: we're called afresh to his recollection. an
e without hesitation, be said, ''Yes, you ca
have that much and more il you need it,
lie also wanted COED travelling horse
aid him in his escape with yoans johnson