The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-07-22
E,%nchbursSStilIA Ahead.

! HEAVY DEFALCATInS-A LYNCHBURGtR
| Turns Tr WITH NEARLY A MIALlrS.-The
publication some days since in the city
papers OF n heavy drIalca,ion in san Fran
CISCO. Cal. by man passing under the name
nf John Miller, bur whose real name was
r>certaincd 10 be WorGroOf, created much
excitement aud speculation here, many per-
sons believing that the party was none other
than Ambrose X. Woodroof. whose" opera
lions" in this city some tour years $50 are
sell remembered. Nothing definite. how
ever, was known about the matter until the
arrival here on Friday evening last of IN
attorney from California, Mr.. Brown, who
came armed with power oil attorney lrcm
4. Il. WoodroOf TO draw from the banking
house of WooGroof & Spence whatever
amount might be there To his credit, he
lWouiroo!) having previously sent to this
iirm a sum OF money to pay certain men
toned deuts contracted before his hurried
II ght FROM this place in 1909 Assurance
was thus made dUuplv sure, and The main
facts ~ given by the San Francisco Bulletin.
heretofore published. were ascertaincd to be
correct: which, IN substance, are rs follows ::
Miller alias WOndroof was the secretary,
aud virtually Uhough not nomnally) the
treasurer, OF the Western Development Com
pan, of sun Francisco, which is combina-
ZION of four of the largest rii'road Compa-
MES. and through hi, bands there passed
>ririv some five or SIX millions of dollars.
Unaolc TO resist the temptation. though re-
ceiviny an annual salary of $4,000 III go'd,
ne commenced his populations, and c0ntln-
ucd th"m until his 'lI.gotten gains Amounted
20 nearly 81 ,0000 o, III" greater part OF when
ne invested in landed property, and under
bis assumed nlme OF Miller transferred It TO
Wooarnof. an alleged resident of Australla.
intending when he was sufficiently gorgcd 10
llre 10 t!nlt country. aud under his real name
rca'iza upon his landed estates thus acquired.
lie was detected, however. about the 1St OF
July, and is now reported TO be in the Gus
tody OF the company which lie dttrauded.
who have not yet put him IT, the hands OF
the law, hoping that the greater portion Of
nis Ste4lngs may yet be recovered.
Tbs much we have been able TO gather in
regard TO Woodroot'S operations in Califor-
MIA. TO which. however, we may add thrt be
married there several years since, notwith.
Standing he had wife living III Amherst
county in this Safe. and thus adds 10 his
other crimes that u higamg.
Some time since his Virginia wife, with
whom it is said. be regularly corre>ponded,
visited him in San F.anci.c", where she re-
siding in SIcrcueuto CITY, where he had
erected Ialirial residence. co>tn- S1J0.O00.
| Each Of these ladies was III entire ignorance
at Woodrnoi'> Illegal second marriage; nor
! vas the Fir-ini. lady cngnzent of 1t until
hrr arrival Al SMa'oga, y. y, last week,
! when The narrowing information, together
xilu the facts OF her huSrand's pecll'I'ion>.
were communicated to her by the ut orney
wuo bad accompanied her from California.
HPr feeling. upon hru:lUg this may be better
,magined than Described. and We throw il
veil over the sal scene that en>Ucd.
loon arriving here Mr.. Brown, the con-
pluy'S attorney, commune 'tcd w III M">>r>.
Woodroof Il Spence, hut the otj:ct OF bl,
visit in SOME way leaked ont; and other
lcredi,ors of Woodroot, the payment o! whose
claims bad not been ordered, becoming
aware of the fact that there was probably
money in their hands belonging TO him
served attachments upon them Monday for
SOME ten or twelve thousand dollars, and
Yesterday attachments were also levied upon
nropcrty in Amherst in which WoodrOof is
| believed to have an interest. NoodIOpi's
legal wife, who Is here also, il Is understood
has employed c3uuSel and will assert her
rights in whatever property he may have.
We deem it proper TO say that Mc>srS.
| Woodroof Il Spence, the bankers 10 whom
| Woodrool sent the money mentioned above,
have acted in entire good faith Throughout
this unpleasant affair, that all debts ordered
by Woodroof TO be paid were promptly set
tied. and that whatever surplus III any 10
their hands will be promptly paid over to
whomSoeYer the law decides |. rishtfulIy
belongs. They have had no correspondence
with Woodroot, and the act of sending the
money to them was voluntary on his part
and it was disposed o. he directed.