The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-07-19
WILLIS KNOWLES HAWKINS
AGAIN.
Further information Concerning the
Record OfIhis Remarkable Sewing
Machine Agent.-t Gap In His His
tory Unearthed.

Below we publish letter from the
agent of the Wheeler * Wilson Sewing
Machine Company, ut Baltimore, who
gives short account of the doing- OF our
friend "Knowles" while sojourning in the
Monumental City.
Mr.. c. Il. Deacon, the author, having
seen a copy Of the REGISTER containing
an account of this artful dodger and his cN-
PLOTS in our city, volunteers some addi-
tioaal information coming under his own
observation, which stamps this inimita-
BILE character rs one of the most danger
Gus persons at large. The information is
published to show him mp and
with the hope that some limo
cent party may be put on the alert, and
any news coming from reliable
and responsible sources concerning
such rascals will be received at our hands,
Win inc same coHsIucTatloIl, anu iuI VIZ
same purpose.
OFFICE OF
WHEELER& WILSON MAN'G. Co,
BALTIMORE, MD, July lG, 1873.
Editor IVhee.ing Da,ty Register, Wheel
ing W. Va:
DEAR SIR.-I have been handed Il
copy of your paper containing AN account
of one Willis NOEL Hawkinsin which
YOU give sketch OF his life, but you
have missed one year Of his exploits at
least, and thing more. He applied TO
me for an agency and gave bond about
March 10th, 1870. He worked from
Stanton, Va, and had the son
of his bondsman, with him
AS n partner. They ran
three or four counties and did big bust
ness for several months, but matters not
looking altogether regular, took n trip
ever his territory and relieved him OF the
agency. He reported in this city and
canvassed for several months more, en-
deayoring to work out his Indebtedness,
but not succeeding very well. He board
ed Mt the Fountain Hotel, then kept by
Mr.. Shave, and after running up u large
board bill and borrowing Us much rs pos
sible from his friends, on the strength of
our Indebtedness to him, (?) he jumped
the town, first paying his board with a
forged check, and getting Mr.. Shave to
pay him II considerable difference be-
tween the amount of his bill and the
amount of the check. The check was
drawn on bank where we did not de-
post, but he signed our name to it.
Giving it to Mr.. Shave on Saturday
night, he had time to get out of reach
before Mr.. Shave discovered the forgery.
He had used one of our check stamps.
How he got it was n mystery.
The next we heard of him he was
leans, Wheeler ~ Wilson agents. | be-
lieve be succeeded in defrauding them to
some extent.
lie left bills of all kinds at Staunton,
Va, and here also. He left Us March
llth, 1871; just one year with us.
If newspapers generally would take
your view of the case and publish such
scoundrels, it would be better for the
community, and warn merchants from
employing them. Your description OF
the gentleman is excellent, and if there
is any change in him, ii may be a more
experienced rascality. If managers
would be more careful about references
there would be less trouble with gents of
his ik. His first experience in the
sewing machine business was with us.
and if he has learned rascality since, in
the same ratio, he ought to excel the
worst.
Very respectfully, Yours,
G.. K. DEACON,