The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-12-26
CALIFORNIA MUNCHAUsEN
The Celebrated Mr. Greer Encounters an Uu-
profitable Customer.


No biographical dictionary OF dlstin-
guished Pacific co sters could be considered
complete witch failed to furnish the world with
sketch Of Col. ClarksOn; at least. such was the
inform ton furnished to Mr. Greer by a COsm1-
pOiitan Hotel wag. The life-taker started after
la. victim. whom he found RECALLING himself at
the lunch table. The biugraphist introduced
himself to the Colonel and OPENED his little
game IN the usual s,vlc. The Colonel listened
with that auAhle dignity which Is his most
distinguished cbaratteristic. lie Wag-ed hi .
snowy roatec In smiling acqIescence, ana eX
pressed bis Willingness to pa ouixc the promo ed
book. lie brought his cYeeldss 10 .enr upon the
two cents a WORD contract, aud the two cents An
hour contract, ana the engraving contract. lie
Eladdeued IN heart Of Greer bv agreeing to ~
and signing all, aud consented that Greer should
write the biography from data furnished 10y
MINIS If OClfk-uul, and then tIey adjourned g.
Grccrs room. and the de-htcd cook sharp sent
for a cOuule at untIlc~ " green seal aud d"z 90
liz r.. and ms busy nnrtr. iutted down tho
marvellous Things furnished by tue versatile
Colonel
Inc Colonel told i'm hi. biography how h.
was born In Kentucky during the war Uf lSi2
TOW he studied law wi h Henry Clay. aud .hJs
LAT the undatiOu fIr those intimate person
relations witch subsequently, existed bet D.
himself and the erett kehtuckN ora or. lie to-
late how ON one uccasi ln. when " Tank las 10
iamtliry cd4cd hiu) was snort II the NJ r'--
strv funds ~ game ot poker ne 'Clarks"nl
had loaned MIN 500 In silver when ne hop
peued to have ~ his WI-tcOat pocket. lie tod
Of tt manipulation II countr, iolti =. III.
man trcfncu. If Sew Ofic MS ste amer ltuc. his
construc ION Of the Louisville aud Iiuoinnati
Railroad. II WIS ne who furnished Hon ~
Marshall wi % points tlr his speeches. AMI y ~
pltcd George u. Prentice with material for MS
lea Ter. then win i'm rimaiion .allns beyond
.ue uo "a Is of "Oid intucN.' the orator.
witn INK with uis W ne, led hi- biographer d VIII
TO the halls of tn Mnnt0z IGtas. lie sei2ed the
coiors wAen Shicl Is dropitd them al 'hepulta-
pee. lie was with VI y when santa Ana wa,
seized. H. was constantly consulted uy SOFT
lie dtcta ell the prO 'Ol of ace and gave the
gen raj idea OF The trea OfGu dalOuic lIid4lsO
Then came t. California. ana siili .s ne
pcuoil Of the twD cents pcr rd IN N le ped t.
it, toll the subject oI It's Itbprs multiple una
Tel al IA llta a. 20 4 tIf
Broderick there was never duel wherein G. rN-
sou mad Il 1 been consulted from the SHa,ta
lung excitement wherein TIE had not been "A
pioneer. lie had elected every Senator aud
manipulated tNsrs convention. aud no puolic
nan cared 20 count him for a Zoe.
The Colonel Gid mot tell how he once sold 400
suppo.ititlOus turkeys IN amythicdl San Mateo
ran IA to Al. W nipple ~ E-,pti ~ ncmory; now
Wnilple paid IN advance for the gopole,s aud
built coOps on the roof for their safe Keeping,
and waited in VAIN for them. Tor alas, tney were
Neither did he relate how he liled In "A
I'll nN execution u-oinst himself. and on
tits security obt, iued from the svmpatne' g
boys ~ WHO wouldn't see au old man s
family turned into the street a sum
oi money to redeem an imaginary fortune.
Actual ttct, indeed are not IN the toioneis
linz but. given clear field and - credulnus
tom ms Inner con'c'ou-ncss IN an hour III IN
could aiun Hutchinson IN aweek. hat ni 1t
ne outlid himself, until at lnrec O'Clock in the
morning Greer was compelled from snrcr eN-
haustiun to ask his victim to let up anu give him
chance to write ny has notes Clarksun bl nuly
nnisrrd the wine, pock"trd tue rem lining
cigars, told Greer to write M AL the points ca
lew hundred 70 ge- more or less was nothing to
him 20 " ue wanted II done Handsomely" s.,
ana left
After Clirkson's departure, Greer figured up,
aud found tnat under the contract ClarKsou's
hilsrapny would amount To ABOUT SjJtOl. This
induced aim e. make inquiry, when he ledrue !
that the chance Of collecting the money Would
Sc Freely justify the tine To toe expended Ia writ
ing 40 the NE OF Cot. 81 lrk,On. IL j. t. b. re-
GREETED ia the memoirs OF the old war horse
were thus summarily sluclcned ; f0T, lis "a speci-
men - ei bnrtte, KIND hearted. harmlcs. lying.
tncy Wuu,a have advanced Tue work prop sed
by Mr. Greer