Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-11-29
The Adventurer Who is Reported
TO Have ElOped With Miss
SickleS.
Correspondence New York World

Correspondence New York World
WASHINGTON, November 22.-The
statement that General Sickles' daugh.
ter had eloped with a man named Nc.
earthly, is generally credited here
among the members of the foreign
legislations. 1t appears from what
can be gathered that the elopement had
been planning for the last two years.
McCarthy's life since 1872 would read
like a romance. Although engaged in
numerous dubious operations, he has
most successfully kept himself out of
serious trouble. His first visit to this
city was paid in the winter of 1871 and
1872. By some means he ingratiated
himself with prominent members of
the foreign ~logislations and with army
and navy officers. He is a handsome
man, of fine presence, well educated,
OF refined tastes, and although over
forty years Of age, does not look more
than thirty. He represented himself as
an x-Confederate officer, bearing the
rank of Colonel, and stated that he had
served in Mexico with Macmillan
and was a member of his staff. He
said also that he was well acquainted
with the unfortunate ex-E Empress Car
lotta, and hat he it was who had
assisted the Princess Salm-Salm to
leave Mexico, having accompanied her
out of that country and through
Northwestern Texas on horseback.
1t was while on his trip through
Texas that he discovered, as he stated.
certain coal and copper mines. On
the strength of this statement he or
ganized a company called the "Texas
Land and Copper Company" cash
capital $4,000. In tho articles of
agreement Mccarthy, as the party of
the first part, received a one-third in
terest. He organized a party of sur
veyors, and in May, 1872, started for
Texas, via st. Louis, in which city he
proposed to obtain his outfit. While
in st. Louis he occupied at the South.
ern HOsel the same rooms occupied
by the Grand Duke Alexis only a
short time before. The purchase of
wagons, mules, horses and groceries
being completed, he started for Texas.
While in st. Louis he excelled
even the Grand Duke in his lavish
expenditure of money. The whole
affair was a bubble. Mccarthy had
never been in Northwestern Texas in
his life, but he had heard of copper in
that part of the State from men who
had been there, and some ofthese very
men he employed when he reached
Sherman, in Texas. The copper was
found, but the land whichw a entered
and surveyed turned out not to belong
to the company. The members of the
Texas Land and Copper Company. So
called, were foreign ministers, navy
officers and a few prominent citisens.
Mccarthy was next heard of in Chi
cago as the chief of a mining bureau.
He was very successful there, clearing.
II is said, upwards of $l50,000. 1t was
in Chicago that he met his present
wife Che has another in Canada1
and to her he undoubtedly
owes a great deal of the success
which has attended his latter opera-
tions. She is said to DO very iutelli-
gent and beautiful. After marriage
he spent tome time in Europe, where
he lived sumptuously. Returning To-
New York, he was arrested for a dia-
mond robbery and acquitted. His
next appearance in this city was in the
fall of 1877, when he hoodwinked the
Secretary Of State, and obtained on
forged letters in regard to Cuban mat.
tiers $4,000 from the Spanish Minis
ter, with which he fed to England,
where he was known as Col. William
Fitz Charles Mason Mccarthy. Ru-
mors here are to the fact that a girl