Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1879-10-22
A LORDS EXPLOITS.

probably turn out to be an impostor of
the first water has Just been exposed
in this place About two months ago
a young man of good address came to
this city and called upon Mr.. John
Fulston, with a letter of introduction
from one of Fulston's friends in Can
ada. The letter set forth that the
young gentleman was an Englishman
in needy circumstances, and requested
Mr.. Fulston to assist him, if possible,
to procure some light but remunerative
labor. The gentleman gave his name
as Herbert Martin, and his address as
SO Marine Parade, Brighton, England.
He was well received, and continued
to throw an air of mystery about him.
self and appeared to be on intimate
terms with English families of noble
blood Finally the young stranger
allowed himself to be caught once or
twice in calling his mamma cher La
dyship," or the Countess. His con-
fusion and bungling efforts to conceal
his embarrassment were admirably ex-
ecuted, and when at last he found, or
appeared to find, that his secret was
| guessed at, he confessed under the seal
of the strictest confidence that he was
not what he represented himself to be.
The honor of one of Britain's noblest
and proudest families demanded that
his incognito should be strictly pre-
served. No, he was not Martin that
plebeian name was but an assumed
one; his name was Herbert, and in
Burke's peerage he was called Wis
count; he was an English Lord and
\ heir to vast estates.
He exacted promise that he should
be allowed to remain incog. until the
arrival of his mamma" herself an
earl's daughter, who was coming over
to Canada The Fulstons treated him
very kindly, and "Lord Herbert" con-
descended to borrow $50 until mamma
comes" He wanted some light en-
| ployment just for the romance of the
thing In England he had painted
pictures here he would paint fences.
Mr.. Fulston did not make any special
effort to procure fences or doors for the
brush of the lineal descendant of the
royal Tudor, but he generously boarded
him and loaned him money when he
required it, without asking for pay
ment, until his Lordship's "mamma
and remittances" should arrive.
One morning he announced his in
tention of going to Washington to
visit the Thorntons. In few days he
telegraphed from Philadelphia, asking
| for money to return to Erie, which
was sent him. Then he borrowed 500
for suit of clothes, and Immediately
drew up promissory note for FIVE
hundred pounds, signed Herbert,
Viscount," and charging it to the
Mount Edgecumbe" revenues, which
he expected to handle in very short
time.
During his stay in Erie he was in
troduced to two old ladies of a family
living in the southern part of the city.
These persons were in quest of infor-
they were desirous of annoying. He
proposed to help them, and they SUBJ
mitted all their plots, gave him letters
and made him the confdant of all
their plans against the object of their
displeasure. His Lordship consented
and the old people very foolishly per-
mitted him to use their name. He
gave them to understand that he had
written letters of inquiry to high per-
senages in England and that the affair
was in fair way to be successful.
About this time the Fulston family
began to have some misgiving that
his Lordship was not as reliable in his
information as lord of high degree
ought to be. The Countess" did not
arrive, and they thought it very
strange. One morning my Lord
rushed in from the postoffice and joy
fully announced that he had just read
of the arrival of his mamma" in
New York in a New York paper.
Mr.. Fulston got the paper, but the
only English name of Importance that
appeared in the list of arrivals was
man after pedestrian honors. His
Lordship saw that he was discovered,
and that night he called upon the gen.
tleman against whom he had been
plotting, it is alleged, at the instiga-
ton of the old ladies, and informed
him that certain woman in the town
was pursuing him to the death with
hatred as intense as hell itself, and
that he had been engaged to assist in
the work of making the country ring
with the gentleman's name: But he
could not find it in his heart to injure
one who had never harmed him; here
he would give the gentleman letters
and photographs and books which had
been given to use against him. He
was going to Canada that night, but
he wanted to put him on his guard.
There was other information, too, but
such was the pressing necessities OF
the informant that he was compelled
to ask $40 for it. The person whom
his Lordship attempted to bulldoze or
blackmail secured the letters, etc., and
then declined to enter into any negoti-
ations My Lord Herbert then threw
himself upon this persons generosity
for reward and proceeded to bctray
the secrets of those who had trusted
him. He made grave charge against
an officer of the United States, who he
said was in the ring. The name of
the officer and the nature of the crime
are of course suppressed uatil made by
some more reliable authority.
"Viscount Herbert" left that night,
it is presumed for Simcoe, Canada,
and has not been heard of since. 1t is
rumored that his fight was just in
time to save him from arrest on a
charge of writing somebody's name.
1t is related that Webster and
Clay were once standing on the steps
of the capitol when drove of mules
passed, moving southword "There