Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-12-24
career of ayiiiian.


tafttf Oi tlliiau.
TIE sCoUSDREL ~ SAIL AFTER MARRYING
fouR Young LADIES. AND gUIsINc THREk
OTHERS.
DEcKEelowN. y j., Dee. l, 1879
In 1865 Matthew B. Van Ostrand, Young
man Of good fatally and education residing n
| this township, was married to Ella Penny.
the daughter OF wealthy farmer living in
the vicinity Of Warwick, Orange county,
/ y. Y Some time afterward Van Ostrand
failed in business, which failure was accom-
panied with circumstance 50 suspicious that
Van Ostrand lied to Canada before inyesti-
cation could be made He was followed
by hi- wife, who remained two years with
him in the PROVENCE. Daring that time he
was repeatedly started in business by his
friends in this State and in Orange county.
lie 80 shamefully abused this kindness, how
ever, py squaudering thousands Of dollars
thus advanced him, and taxing the resources
OF ms friends 10 relieve him from the conse-
| quenceS of illegal and criminal transactions,
that they haaly withdrew thar support
His treatment Of his flmily became such
that his wife left him, returning to her
fathers in lsUS, with two children Short
" after this Van O5trand was forced to
leave Canada 10 escape arrest. on charge of
forgery, ard went to Loekport, Ny. Be
ing man OF fine appearance, high culture,
and winning address, he was not long in
getting into the bost society Of the place,
aud, gaining the confidence Of leading busi
ness men, secured n position OF great trust
and responsibility Taking adyntaee Of his
position, he formed the acquaintance ola
| Miss Tucker, an accomplished Young lady
Of Lockport, and subsequently married her.
No; long afterward rumors Of Van Ostrand's
past career reached Lockport The rumors
being Investigated and found true, Van Os-
trand was forced to leave the city to again
escape Justice, leaving different parties minus
several thousand dollars which had been IN
trusted TO his care.
from New York State Van Ostraud went
to Ohio, bringing up in Columbus As IN
other places, his manners and assurance
were not long in gaining him the confidence
Of business circle At Columbus he won
the affection OF d young lady named Miss
| George Vail tie daughter Of gentlemen
who was Van Ostrsnd financial hacker in
certain specullations 10 a large amount The
marriage OF Miss Val AMI Van Ostrand Was
looked forward to a one Of the great events
10 COLUMBIA society \ short time before
the wedding dly however, business asso-
cate Of Van Ostrand' discovered the existence
OF negotiated notes 70 the amount OF s. 900,
10 which The former : name WIS forged. The
passing Of the notes was traced back directly
10 Van Ostrant, AMI be WAS charged with
the crime bv his partner. and subsequently
arrested lie -toutiy denied the crime, and
was supported by many friends. among them
the father of his betrOthei who went his
BAN Tor appearance At court shortly before
the tria. it was ascertainel that Van Os-
trand was preparing to leave the city, which
caused his bondsman to deliver him up to
the authorie-. lie was. tried convicted and
sentenced to four years in the Ohio Peni-
tertiary. The young lady to whom he was
to have been married died during the first
year Of Van o7trand' g imprisonment, it is said
Of grief and shame.
Van Ostrand served Two years III prison,
when he was for some reason paTdonod out
soon atterwar1 he appeared in the village
Of Delaware, Ohio, under the name of
Ryerson. Protesting profound piety. he
took an active and leading part in church
affairs there, and in October, 1874, was
married to the daughter of the Presbyterian
minister Of Delaware, beautiful young lady
but eighteen Years Of age. The couple lived
together to all outward appearance happily
but rumor said that Van Ostrand was unkind
to his innocent victim, which was given
foundation by the fact that in August last
/ she returned u her fathers house with 4
| child three weeks old Almost stimuli
taneously with this, three young ladies', Of
| the bes: families Of the place, charged Van
/ Ostrand with having accomplished their
ruin. TO escape the Indignation of the
| people he aed the place at night. The story
received here of this affair states that one of
the above unfortunate victims of Van Ostrand
died in giving birth to his child, and that
another deserted her home and IL leading a
life of shame III Cincinnati
From Delware Van Ostranl went to
Springfield, Ohio, and at once laid his plans
to ensnare new victim. lie formed the
acquaintance Of wealthy, young AMI ac-
complished widow Of that place, and 50 in
iatuated her that she eloped with and mar
ried him on the 18th of September last
They returned to Springfield, and were
living in style there when an officer arrived
in the place from Delaware, about the middle
of October. for the arrest of the scoundrel,
Van Ostrand, he having been traced to Srping-
field. He managed to escape the officer, and
fed from the place, and no trace of him could
be found The friends Of his Springfield victim
and his luckless dupes in Delaware, now
determined TO bring him to justice, if possible
and employed detectives to take hold Of the
case. They followed him to Canada, anC
found him in the early par: of the present
month snugly enscoDced in the village Of
Windsor. Although he had beer there but
few days. it was found that he had already
formed the acquaintance of a handsome
French milliner named Jean Dubois Bein.
satisfied By inquiry that the girl did no
look with favor on the advance of Van Os
trand, the detectives determined to take he
into their confidence, and make her
possible u decoy TO bring Van Ostrand int
thoir power. She readily consented to ali
in trapping the william, and played her par
so artfnlly that the plan worked to perfec
, ton. 1t seems that Van Ostrand had re
peatedly solicited her to grant him interview
, at a rendezvous appointed by himself, bu
/ she had steadily refused When size fell int
r the plan OF the detectives she replied to
note received from Van Ostrand that sh
l could not meet him anywhere in Windsor
as her people were watching her, but tina
she was going to Cleveland on the Goth O
November, and would meet him at th
United States Hotel in that city on the ODD
Van Ostrand agreed to the proposal, and o.
Monday of last week appeared at the hote
in Cleveland, where officers were In waiting
: and where he was arrested al once. Ii
/ was taken To Springfield aud ia now in ja
- awaiting trial for his crimes