The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-07
"LORD 'ASHBURToN'S" ADVENTURES.
How a Pseudo Nobleman Humbugged
COnfding Americans.
DETECTIVES LEAGIED WITH THE THIEF.
A Rocky Mountain Sheriff Refuses to Arrest
Criminals 'for Fun"

The arrest of William Grifis, alias Saville. alias
Lord Ashburton in San Francisco brings to light
some strange secrets of criminal lite and exposes
the nearous practices which ore sometimes resortod
to under the cover Of official position. In the
early part Of October the prisoner made his debut
a criminal role on this continent On that day he
called upon Thomas Kirkpatrick, the ieweller of No.
$3.50 Broadway. represented himself as an English
noblaman travelling incognito with ample
and a yacht which was supposed to
lie somewhere in the East River. He presented
number OF circular letters of credit on the Union
Bank Of London, had them cashed and soon after
disappeared from the city. Word came to the Cen
trail Office officials of the artices Of the accomplished
forger, and inquiries made regarding him which
only served to reveal his description and tho fact that
he was accompanied by comely maiden fresh from
tho Hub, whose chief characteristics were red hair
and ready tongue.
Almost contemporaneously with the pseudo noble
man disappearance, the Lid.el House, in st. Louis
became the abode of q dashng foreigner and an in
tcresting lady companion, who Haunted about under
an aristocratc title and much sought after by
the denizens of the place in spite of their republican
principles. The man said he was the elder son
of the Earl of Ashburton, and as the Lord" Of
that name he made quite sensation in the parors
Of tho Lddel. Word of his doings reached New York
and suspicion that he might be the man who had
vctinized kirkpatrick crept out and led to nves-
tigation, which, however, did not cuminate happily.
Lord Ashburton appraised that he was being
sought for and taking the hint he stole quietly away
The train that bore him to Denver. Col. had also
aboard gentleman rejoicing in the Of G. c. JOY,
who solicited an interview with the c'-aenant noble.
who had become Mr.. G.. nj. Save. English
tourist and specuator. The stranger intmated that
he detective. and that he had description Of
somewhat taken aback at this but stoutly denied his
identity, though he admitted having known the st.
a brief time nothing Of G. G. Joy
SHERIFF WHO WILL NOT WORK FOR FUN
Of and che Of the
Mountain Detective Agency, that the forger who was
travelling his way was wanted" In reply he re-
ccived the following despatch; - HC
DENVER, Col. Oct. 30 1873.
superintendent wALIxc:-
Send descrpti9n Of torgsr wanted Travelling with red
diatcly D. J. COOK.
To this the following reply was SENT
New York, Oct. 80 1873.
Thirty.threo years feet nne inches peck marked,
get il. Arrest and notify. GEORGE v wv, W9AtL y
On the same day the Superintendent was sonaewhst
staggered by the following despatch:-l
DENVER, Col, Oct. 80. 1878.
get him, with diamonds and note Bank Of Eng
sheriff and Chief of Rocky Mountain Detectives
Mr. Kirkpatrick was shown this despatch and HI
authorized the Superintendent to send the follow
ing:-
NEW YORK. Oct. 81. 1879
VI" give s'0 reward any G Eeis yHa Sen WsnLNo
Then came this final reply from Denver Coli
get him for that Railroad fsre more
POLICE OFFICIALS COMPROMISE WITH PoRGER
While this correspondence was in progress Mn
Joy brought the Rocky Mountain detective chief to
Savile, and they had consultation, after which Joy
accompanied the forgcr to his hotel where he agreed
to compromise the matter for Q of money.
Shortly after that the pair met at the races whera
that he had another despatch from superintendent
Walling calling for his arrest On this the other told
him he had better take him into custody then This.
Joy said, would entail his arresting his wife and
whoever in his company. The upshot of it all
that he consented to wait and telegraph TO New
York further about the reward.
These particulars Saville furnished the San Fran
press after his arrest and he goes with hia
narrative in the following ven:-
with man he called Detective Bull They said they
arrested me for forgery Then thcy searched the
watch. diamonds and money. and asterward demanded
lot Of genuine Bank of England notes which in
the hotel safe. gave them these, but they wanted
5000 more to release agreed. tclcgrapfed for
money, got it at Cheyenne and turned it to Joy.
Then went to salt Lake and thence to San
still followed, and constantly kept clamoring foI
money. In San Francisco he took to drink and led q
wild, registering life, but he gave badger
ing had to keep him supplied all the time.
Once while he was DUNK he told me to get his letters
for him and read them. One OF them contained i'm
structions to keep Saveifrom sending money to his
woman in Denver, as she had left him aud formed
another connection, and also urging not TO let him
return there, New York parties were awaiting him"
THE FoRGER RAGGED AT LAST.
While these unpleasant relations being main.
tanned by Mr.. Joy, Saville himself not idle He
called upon Mr.. Il. j. Baldwin, of the Palace Hotel,
appearing in his quondam role Of pleasure seeking
nobleman, presented letters Of credit and ngrsti-
ated himself with that gentleman that he induced
him to purchase $4,000 worth of stocks. The cir
culsr letters Of s.ville were soon after presented
situation sent cable to London In reply came
the startling that the notes for
geres with directions to tho person uttering
with Detective Mcagher then got upon the track of
Saville, who had left the hotel and living in
and put him under arrest. Then O. G. Joy, his
panion, came under the ban of suspicion and he,
too, taken into custody; but the representative
OF the Rocky Mountain agency WAS prepared for
dispatches the latter bad received from Superntcn
dent walling, exhibited appointment from tho
Mayor of Denver and said that he WAS only "shaiow-
JOY FADES AWAY.
He got of on that plea and long before the inter-
cstiug developments about him made known by
the prisoner he had boarded Eastward bound train
and put many milo between him and San Fran
CISCO Savile it is understood, IN still under lock
and key there and while JOY seeks pastures Bull
is supposed TO enjoy in Denver the happiness aud
pose secured by Savilles money and the companion.
ship Of the red-haired daughter OF the Hub.
Meantime Superintendent Walng has sent on ia
of New York, and II Savle escapes conviction there
he may not fare well in this city. II has been
learned that the prisoner is really William Grifs, OF
Tutfcss Dcvonsnire, England. He left that country
the I'D of last January, in company with one
Cobb and a couple of Alhambra actresses. They
travelled through part of the Continent aud then
came to New York. where they parted company
AN AFRICAN TRAVELLER.