The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-10-27
A MODEL CARPET DAGGER.
THE EiRLr HISTORY or JOIN u
PATTERSON OFPENNSILI'1NIA.

IAlIEhSOA Ma.
EWindlinC in early Lifo--A Newspaper
Thcft--Brazen Etfronterv The Aveng-
ing Nemesis Rejected by the Senate
-ConVlcted Of Bribery Confessing
Himself Forger- Robbing His Sis
ters--A Choice Chapter Of Crimes.
Now that the efforts making to
bring John j. Patterson to Justice
have forced him again into notoriety,
it may be of interest to our readers
to refresh their memories with tho
details of his early life in Pennsyl-
yania. His career in that State was
q bcftting preface to the course he
has run in South Carolina. The
following is n synopsis Of the biog~
raphy Of Juniata's great statesman,
as first given to tho world by the
New York Ssue of November 5, 1878
Tho facts are all matters of public
record, and cannot therefore be de-
MED by the cheeky criminal
JOHN ]. PATTERSON
was born liz Juniatn county, Penn
sylvania, his father being a well-to-
do and respected citizen of that
place. The subject of tho present
sketch entered the school of politics in
1853, by moving from Juniata to Har-
risburg, where he purchased of
Thco. Fem and Philo Lcdgwick the
Pennsylvania Telegraph. There
was nothing about him at that time
to make it possible to conceive of
any political earthquake mighty
enough to upheave him into the seat
OF John G. Calhoun. Hc had al-
ready set out on tho road which
formerly led to the penitentiary;
and as q christian statesman had
not then been invented as employ
ment for the superfluous rogues Of
the land. Johns chance of ending his
days in making shoes or plating
chair bottoms for the State were as
good as those Of any young man of
his age.
TIE FIRST FRAUD
committed by Patterson after
emerging from obscurity was in
swindling Mr.. Fem out Of tho pur..
chase money for the Iclcg2uph. He
paid third cash, and gave his
notes for the balance ut stated pc
riods. He represented that he
owned $4,000 in his own right, be-
sides his expectations from his faith.
Ell. This subsequently proved to be
Il lie out of the whole cloth.
A few months after this, and be-.
fore his notes became due, Pattor-
son sold the IclcgraoA to NTcssrs.
Clyde & Miller, for an advance of
three thousand dollars, and left the
city. Fem came to Harrisburg at
the maturity Of tho notes, but did
not find his man. a diligent search
brought Patterson to light, but he
said he had no money, and must
wait till Clyde q NIiller's notes
became due, when Fonn should re-
ceive every cent due. He refused to
hypothecnte Clyde IL Millcr's notes
as security, and on Fen's threatening
to attach the money in their hands,
Patterson put up u whimpering plea
that he was engaged to marry a
high h-toned young lady. If," said he
''you proceed against me in this
way, my prospects will be blasted.
Trust to my honor, and I solemnly
declare / will pay you every cent I
owe YOU" Fenn replied, ''It shall
be us you say, Mr.. Patterson, debt
of honor, and will trust you"
ALAS FOR THEOPIILUs
Patterson Immediately disposed
of his notes to one John H. Berry
hill, and when Mr.. Fem next asked
him to redeem his pledge, he laugh
ed in his face, and told him coolly,
to get the money the best way he
could. Fem, oxasperated, went to
court and obtained Judgment in
August, 1858, against Patterson for
S3,904.22, with $918.17 Of interest.
But Patterson had no visible means
Of support, and the Judgment could
not be enforced. Fem patiently
4 4 l., l.