The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-03


out, Baker being,upahlc to gain assistance.
to CAPTURE him: u ssla>* ~Atz s~~~ i &C r. '.
Here the clue comes to-! an abrupt end,
net So much in the disappcarance'o of
Booth as the mysterious disappearance
of Baker fsw tays aftervard.~ Hcs left
note for MI. Ross, Saying that nc was
going into the country to"worh ettns
tradcl carpcnterfiiing;, fo5rr the Winter, "ahd
gavehis address. Mr.. Ross has tried to
find him at this address since, but there
IS no clue to him. OF the main story the
wretched father seems toStake but little
heed. He has-been beset by so many
sharpers, and misled, that he doubts all
new: approaches. Word has been sent,
however,:to the English detectives, and
the matter will be examined there. The
detectives; are confident that this is the
right scent, but they have been confident
from the first, and that don't stand for
much. Mr.. Ross himself, though so
cruelty: disappointed,, and so often, does
not dcsl air of, tho final recovery Of the
boy, though sccptical of this particular
inquiry. Speaking to a recent visitor Of
this revelations the unhappy father said,
opening desk and pointing to manu-.
script enough to fill! royal octave
volume: .,-
''Ihere are hundred other just such
statements. Here are deluges of letters
from people who know where my boy is,
and who will give him up for certain
sum. Detectives write me that they
have clue sure to lead to him; we'll
meaning but ignorant people give inn
probable theories; crazy people write
the most astounding nonsense; spiritual
lists send communications from the other
world; mischiey0us people are even
wicked enoug h to make it a. matter for
practical joking, and -blackmailers- Try to
turn it to profit in ingenious ways that
you would not dream Of, and they want
various amounts, from few dollars for
travelling expenses to come and see me,
to the whole Of the 500, 1000 reward. Here
the last three days." and he showed me
three miserable, stupid crawls-one from
a Yankee lunatic, Offering to get the 10y
for 800 a day for his time and second
claiming to possess valuable information.
and third from "a young detectiyc,'
full of mysterious hints.
Julius Wi.o>yski.
Some few years before the war a hand
some Polish Jew, Witowski" by name, Re-
sided at Lake Providence, La. With
pack on his back he traversed the sur,
rounding districts vending his wares
spurious jewclry to the negroes and talk
ing in exchange cotton or any mark eta bic
article. Ho was we'll known, and shun.
ned by all respectable, people, with whom
he bore anything sbut an enyiablc name,
but in his perambulationsa he had met
with young and attractive widow, and
notwithstanding his VIGOROUSLY bad rep
utation he made an irresistible impress.
sion upon her too susceptible nature, and
in spite of warnings and good counsels Of
friends, she married the handsome vaga.
bond aid at once raised him to the dig
nifty of Il wealthy planter. With wealth
at his command, the redoutable Witowski
gave way to every extravagant indul-
gcncc, and it was not long ere the whole
of the confiding widows property was
dissipated, and the .quondam pedllar and
whilom planter moved with his widow to.
Nashville, where they resided on small
place of thirteen acres. Still his extrav,
agance continuing, his wife left him and
returned to her friends in Louisiana.
Now the war broke out, and Witowski
became an arrant rebel, but Nashville
falling into the hands of the Union troops,
he was at once transformed into a bois.
ferrous loyalist, and by insinuous b'an-
dishments " ormcd his way into the con-
tidence Of the Federal officers, and through
them = notably General Negligible OBJ
tanned sore Fat contracts which enabled
him to indulge his extravagant pro.
pensities. Again he appeared il.
1866 at his old trade Of peddling, but now
he carried on the business IN more ex-
tensive and systematic way. Calling to
his aid his brothers he established ''Cheap
john stores at Greenville and other
places in Mississippi, at which the old
systematic swindling was carried on, the
negroes being the principal dupes.
Again the sAene shifted and Julius WI
towski appears at Washington as claim
ant for 100000 for cotton alleged to have
been destroyed on his estate during the
war. His claim YVES allowed and ne and
his brothers closed up their Cheap John:
and peddling business and embarked as
extensive merchants, Julius becoming a
member of the firm of G. F. johnson &
Co., New Orleans; he also became pos.
sessed of lead mines in Missouri and 9th.
er property. The whole family at this
time showed signs Of affluence, wearing
expensive diamonds and living in
great style. Occasionally y d1iuy woald,
nut in an a nDearance at WASHINGTON WITH