The Portland daily press., 1878-04-15
A NOTED CONFIDENCE MAN


w NUE. uotou couHueuc6 man VINO SOmetlm6
ago operated in Portland. He was born in the
town of Weathersfeld, VT, and as the oldest
of seven children. When about 16 years old
he went to Montpelier there learned the print
er's trade and worked as compositor and re-
porter upon daily newspaper. Becoming
tired of the hum-drum life of country town.
White next made his appearance in Boston.
where he worked as reporter and type setter
upon the Atlas, then in its prime. After re-
naming there for some months, he left for
Bangor and was employed upon the Wing and
Courier in the same capacity as when on the
Atlas. Bangor was too quiet place for the
young man, however, and he went back to,
Boston, and from there went to New York
where he was employed upon the New York
Herald as reporter. He became led of
alittle money while on the Herald, and the
next seen of him he was in the employ Of a
firm engaged in manufacturing window shades.
Here he began to develop talent as a sales
man, and as result of the business sagacity
manifested in his dealings. the firm became
quite prosperous, and White, after making
about $50, 900, withdrew from the firm and
formed partnership with two brokers, under
the firm name and style of VIM, Hawkes. &
White. for the transaction of a general broker
age business. This was about the latter part
of the year 1851 and the first of 1852. The
miners were beginning to arrive from Califor-
mia at about this time aud by means of false
weights, so 1t is said, those who were foolish
enough to trust the firm with their gold dust
were robbed of very large amounts Of money.
Subsequently, according to Whites story, he
became cognizant of the fact that his partners
were making systematic efforts to rob him by
making large loans to the dry goods firm OF
Moulton, Bardwell & Slote. These loans were
to be divided among the members of the dry
goods and brokerage firms, and when the cap
ital of the brokers had been used up in the al
legged loans the dry goods firm was to fail.
White was informed of the plan, and after
borrowing all the money he could from BUSH
ness friends aud getting the funds of the firm
into his possession, he started for Europe with
ter making tour of the old world he came
back to this country, was arrested on no less
than 20 civil suits, but lodged them all and
went to Vermont and purchased nearly $780,
tame for him and he again went to New York
city and entered the brokerage business. Up
to this time his reputation as keen business
man stood high, and he numbered among his
business friends and acquaintance some of
the wealthest men in the city During all
him for his former transactions while in BUSH
ness made it become necessary for him to have
more money. Accordingly he went to Alder
man Libby aud succeeded in wheedling him
his law suits were settled he would ba in pos
session of almost an unlimited amount of
money, and that then all would be right. An
other one of his victims was Pearl street mer-
chant named Platt. This man was completely
ruined, and shortly after died, AS nearly all who
ocu inn hon of hrnty hoe nn
then became acquainted with Mr.. Locke W.
Winchester, now treasurer of the National
Express Company, and proprietor of the Win
chester House of that city. White represented
to Winchester that he was engaged in the civil
suits above mentioned and succeeded in stick
ing him to the tune of 100000, which he still
owes him. Two of the smartest lawyers in the
city were his next victims, but their names are
unknown to the writer, as are also the amounts
out OF which they were swindled, but it is
enough to say it was very large. About this
time be was arrested upon one of the num-
erous civil suits pending against him, and
lodged in Ludlow street Jail
Being unable to obtain bail he was compelled
to stay in durance for some time, but while in
Jail he formed the acquaintance of Sheriff
Willett, who he finally persuaded to enter into
business with him. The result of this venture
was, that Willett was out about $4,000 with
nothing to show for his money. There being
some informality in the complaint upon which
with shook the dust off Gotham from his feet
The next heard of him was in the state of
Louisiana, at the close of the war. There he
was elected supervisor of two parishes. and
figured prominently as ballot manipulation.
Through his efforts Warmoth was assisted into
the gnbernatorial chair, and, as reward for
services rendered, he was given the government
printing for one year, he having in the mean
time started newspaper in the parish of New
Iberia. 1t is almost needless to say he made
Ct dnH atl NE 1n4< De-
coming tired of journalism he went to Texas,
and, upon some one of the numerous islands in
that state, started q mammoth hennery, in
which he had thousands of hens. The food
destroyed all this property, and, becoming dis
gusted. Mr.. White left the South and turned
up in Portland. In this city, although total
stranger, he very soon scraped acquaintance
with Heading merchants, and shortly there
after opened dry goods store. He formed the
acquaintance of a wealthy lady, Mrs. P. S.
Williams. and succeeded in sinduclng her to
start with him a dry goods store in Denver,
Col. Her brother John and Eben Mayall were
also interested in the project, and the firm
commenced business at Denver, under the
name of Mrs. P. S. Williams & Co., with Mr..
White as business manager. Mrs. Williams
withdrew from the firm, after losing, as she
said, "a fortune, all of which went into
Whites pocket, so it is said The firm was re-
organized, john and Eben Mayall remaining
in the firm. White then commenced to buy
immense quantities of goods in Boston, Balti-
more, st. Louis, Portland, New York and other
cities. As soon as these goods were received
he would reship them to other places, have
them sold and pocket the proceeds. The RESULT
Of it was disastrous failure, and Mr.. Eben
Mayall, dismayed at the ruin which stared him
in the face, shot himself.
Upon making an examination of the books
of the firm, it was ascertained that the firm of
j. M. Shelly & Co., Kansas City, had been vic
timized to the extent of $4,000; A. Little &
Co., Portland, Me, $4,000; Sargent Brothers of
Boston, $4,000; Kalor, Merrill & Co., Portland,
$4,000; Pingree, Woods & Clark of Boston,
several thousands and firm in St Louis, $685.
600. White was shortly after arrested by Kan
sas City officers, but made his escape and
splendid style, gave grand entertainments, and
cultivated the acquaintance of the wealthiest
people. Becoming acquainted with Mrs.
Charles Fehrer, wealthy widow lady, he sue
ceeded by telling the old stories about his fabu-
lous wealth and law suits, in swindling her out
of $4,000. HIS next victim in Montreal was a
Mrs. Murphy, poor woman, the proprietor of
q small grocery store. He got So 800 out of her
all she had in the world, and left her $500 in
debt, which sum she borrowed to lend him.
suddenly took his departure in June. IT, aud
arrived in Boston the latter part of the same
month. Board for himself, wife and two chill
dren was taken in fashionable South End
boarding mouse, where ne was introduced TO
Mr.. Clinton Lowell, who in turn introduced him
to his uncle, Allen G. Lowell, wealthy man.
The same seductive stories were poured into
the ears of these gentlemen, and they suddenly
found themselves $4,000 out. Mr.. E. M. Lin
nell. young business man Of Boston, was also
introduced to him, and to him and Mr.. Clinton
Lowell the credit for his arrest is largely due.
Mr.. Linnell loaned him money at different
times, but he generally repaid it, having at
times thousands of dollars in his possession, so
Mr.. Linnell says. @Finally, he became aware
that his career was about coming to an end in
Boston, and after giving the Lovells notes to
secure them. he took his departure for Charles
ton, S. c., to which city he was followed by
Messrs. Linnell and Clinton Lowell. He was
arrested upon information furnished by Colonel
Rhett, Chief of Police of that city, but SO oily
was the tongue of this "Slippery Jack" that
Linnell agreed not to prosecute if ne would go
to Jersey City with him, Linnell. This White
consented to do, and since his arrival in that
city he has been Swallowed night and day by
special officers While at Charleston, White
who is a Mason, convinced Rhett. who is also q
member of that organization that Linnell and
Lowell were the rascals, and that they were per.
scouting him.
So strong was the feeling against these
gentlemen that they were looked upon with
suspicion, and Swallowed by the police, while
| at the same time, White was walking the
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