The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-08-19
THE BOSS FORGER.

Adventurous Career of the Man Who
Swindled the western Development
company out of Million Dollars.
lFrom the San Francisco Bulletin.l
About seven years ago Ambrose r.
Woodruff was resident of Lynchburg,
Va, holding a comfortable situation, in
good social standing, and an active mem
Der of one of the city churches, profess
ing devout piety. Suddenly he fell
from the summit of fictitious grace, and
his friends were mortified and astonished
by his detection in deliberate rascaEty.
He was enabled to escape the punish
ment which his crime deserved by alb
sconding, and for years after nothing
more was heard of the fellow in Lynch
burg, except, perhaps, by his faithful
wife. About the time Ambrose L. Wood
ruff dropped into a sea of obscurlty, how
ever, John Miller merged upon the
surface. He appeared at Sacramento,
and in the absence of letters of introduce
ton and high testimonials of character,
he was compelled to commence life in
his new locality by engaging IN the
humble occupation of driving a dray.
This was the first scene in the career of
the champion defaulter in California.
The next may be briefly told. Weary
ing Of the hard features of the drayman's
life, and knowing that his business Ca
pacity fitted him for q more remunera-
tive position, he sat down one day and
wrote letter to the Secretary of the
Union Pacific Railroad Company. The
letter manifested the writer's desires,
and his capabilities as well, in language
so frank and seemingly sincere, that
clerkship for which he prayed was
forthwith granted. No references were
exchanged, no testimonials of business
integrity were sought. It is not necces-
sary to rehearse the same old story
of human credulity but it should
be recorded that the new clerk
grew daily in the esteem of his
associates. Agreeable in manner, en-
tertaining In speech and generous to the
degree Of extravaganza, he soon SUR
rounded himself with friends, some in
fuential, some rich, and none venal, as
the world goes. Among the clerks in
the Office was one Familiarity known as
Jimmy Moore. In the routine of pro-
motion Moore stood on the threshold of
the Secreta1y's Office, waiting for va
cancy which had been promised. In the
confidence of Moore the new clerk held
the first place, and also stood well in the
general esteem of higher officers. The
memorable decree of death removed
Moore hence to another world, leaving
the way open for his new-found friends
speedy promotion. The concluding
chapter of the romance is short. The
unknown clerk was in brief time APP
pointed to the responsible Office of Sec-
rotary of the corporation latterly known
as the Western Development Company.
He daily grew IN popular favor, individ
ual wealth and official prestige. He
ventured with marvellous success, into
the dangerous whirl of stock specrlla-
tion, and was reputed to have amassed
large gains. He permitted none of his
associates to know that he had wife In
the East, and profaned the. marriage al
tar by wedding, under false name, a
wealthy lacy, to whom he had been In
troduced by a deluded friend. He
bought magnificent mansion, and
therein ministered to the creature COM
forts and vulgar vanities of his compan-
lOhs. 80 Lavish was his DISPLAY OF
wealth in household adornments that
Director who was guest of the pros
porous Secretary, suspected robbery,
and had an investigation of the COM
pany's books, and the Secretary was ar
rested as a fugitive and forced to surren-
his available gains. Investigation has
already disclosed the fact that bis, defal-
cation approaches $1,000,000. He is
reticent as to details, and never acknowl-
edges a guilty transaction until the ex-
perts detect 1T. And this is the story of
Woodruff, alias John Miller, the million
aire defaulteT.