The Leavenworth weekly times., 1879-02-20
A BAD BREED.


Baptist church here, who created such :
stir Tor time with his lectures, concerts
entertainments, ETC., and who departed a,
suddenly "a he came, leaving no trace bui
many mourning friends. Ii was not known
definitely where he had actually gone, un,
I'll it happeued to transpire that he had
chosen to select Dubuque, Iowa, as his abb
ding place, which town he left under not
the most favorable circumstances, and
where he is remembered with even more
vigor than here. Leavenworth has been
| blessed with many clerical dead beat in
her time, but Allan was prince OF them all,
| though TO his credit be il sand he didn't Gre
ate as much damage here as he possibly
might have done, although he may probI-
bly, have taken advantage Of every Oppor-
tunity offered. In Dubuque, however, he
took the people in most gloriously, and had
them dancing to most lively tune-ior he
was most accomplished musicign and
could play TO perfection upon the financial
sensibililiss Of people where another man
couldn't elicit the slightest responsive note.
This is the way the Dubuque Herod talks
about him, and FROM the tenor OF the srti-
Gle II is very evident that little or nothing
has been concealed:
In the month Of November, 1879, Rev.
Allan Curr dropped down m Dubuque like
a meteor. lie represented himself as being
an "eminent" Baptist preacher and lee
turer having done" Europe in the latter
capacity, and went through Canada like
dose OF salts, enlighteniDg the Kanucks
upon The mysteries Of the Bastile, the
Tower of London, the British Parliament,
etc, purportibg to have been one Of the IA
v0red reporters Oi the House OF
Lords, editor of a Iromin,nt newspaper
there, and manager OI magazine. lie
heralded himself "a lecturer with finely
printed circulars, giving The synonyms Ol
his lectures and press notices, some Oi
which stated that he was the greatest liv-
ing lecturer now before the people Ia both
continents: the most eloquent speaker OF
the age" and other lsuiatory expressions
that greatly mislead the people, and which
no one doubts as being written by himself.
81 the best stock OF trade he possessed was
cheek, ana that most gorgsUusly tmbla-
zoned with brass.
About the time the Curr dropped in upon
us, the Baptist society here was without q
pastor, aLd, We believe, had sold their
church, or was about 10 sell it. The society
was going adrift, although they kept their
organization intact, notwithstanding the
fact that Rev. Mr. Ferris had gone off and
i DIned the Methodists. Curr sought out the
head men of the Baptist organization and
after presenting his glowing credentials,
they consented that he should hold meet
ings in its behalf. Being without a place
of worship they rented the Athermum which
they used during Sunday. Curr succeeded
in creating quite furore. The Atherram
was nightly crowded with people, aud il
was hard to tell why they were drawn
thither. CUR was below mediocre as s
SPEAKER, he lacked the individusl magnet
I'M 10 draw people TO him, but, neyerlhe-
less, the people went TO the meetings,
Just because they were held in a place
where Madam Rentz, female minstrels had
held forth, and Barret; had sPJu;ed Shaks-
pesre.
Tne Baptist society finally engaged him,
and he at once set 10 work erecting new
church (which was creditshle, TO say the
least) out OF other peoples money. lie
purchased the lot on the southeast corner
OF Main and 18th streets promising TO pay
for it. He then applied TO the different
brick makers, lumber dealers, hardware
men. etc. for donations Of materials, prom
ising each that he would purchase the bal
ance Of the material necessary TO complete
the edIfice from them. Alter exhausting
all resources obtained IN Dubuque and the
adjacent country, he conceived
the idea Of making su eastern trip
for the purpose OF raising funds to complete
the church. lie was somewhat successful
and remitted a considerable amount oil
money to the Baptist society, but nothing
near the amounts he reported 10 have coi-
lected from time 10 time, by letter, the bal
ance generally being in promises 10
paw" which were never realized. However,
the church was built and the baSemen. fin
i-hsd.
The society. through the erection OF this
building was deeply in debt. The Rev Allan
Curr was becoming odious not only 10 most
of the members of the society, but to The
general pu6Iicof Dubuque. Hewas chron-
ic solicitor and many called him clerical
dead beat, but whether they were right in
their coniectures the public can Judge BY
reading what follows. 1t would be safe To say
III at the Rev Curr was on the tramp about
half the time, and as it has since turned out,
more II his own benefit than that OF his
struggling flock at home. Last winter,
during the temperance excitement, he sud
denly appeared on the streets from an east
ern trip, with his mouth full OF braggadOcia
and his pockets empty. The excitement
in the Temperance movement was waxing
warm. He saw a chance TO make himself
conspicuous ard pitched in rough shod.
Executing a brilliant coup fefdi, he put
himself at the head OF it and opened the
upper part of the church for a tabernacle,
providing it with seating capacity, stained
gla-s, etc. with other peoples money, and
finally undertook 10 bulldoze the other
clergymen, in which he goC Rev. Mr..
Noung's muscular christianity aroused, and
was ordered out OF his study. Although
Curr did something toward excepting up the
excitement, ii was thought his of'icIousness
actually retarded the movement, "a he was
terribly unpopular.
About the time the walls of the church
were being erected, he purchased Mr.. Wood
worth's residence on the bluff al the head
of Twelfth street, agreeing to pay -, geo tor
il, and paving down $50, informing MIR. W.
that his wife would soon arrive from Scot
land, with the means TO pay the balance.
He claimed that his WHO was connected
with q noble family and would not think Of
living in a rented house, and twas through
the greatest oosxing that he had gained
her consent 10 reside in this country But
il now turns out that Rev. Mr.. Curr was
a scsllswag in Scotland, and that his wite's
family had disowned him long ago
and sent him adrift II will therefore be
seen that his fine mansion dodge was only
a blind to mislead the public. Mr.. Wood
worth retook possion of the property three
or four weeks ago. The furniture is mort
gagged to a Mr.. johnson, a mason, for 800.
But little, if any Of il can be found. 4
room in the house is locked up, which Is
supposed to contain it, bur it is fegred that
when il is opened the cupboard will be
bare, and poor johnson will have none.
Curr was notorious schemer-his schemes
always tending toward quilting the public
out OF money. He started little Baptist
paper that petered out after collecting all
the fifty cent pieces he could. When the
Cironiole had ceased to be mourned, he con.
ceived the idea of starting another publica.
tion called the Stuord and Shieid. With thi:
he managed TO cut his was into the good
graces Of those susceptible TO gullibility
and shield himself from all harm, which hi
adroitly did. According to his talk his new
paper was gaining an immense circulation
The proceeds he intended to devote towards
finishing the church building and liauidst
ing its debts. II he could be believed, the
LIZ p n