Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-04-11
!mf!he Mtnhteatpr.
FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL IL, 1879
Carried Back to West Virginia.

Carried Back to West Virginia.
In the last two years gentleman ap-
parently about forty years of age, with
waving hair, and quite intellectual face.
of that peculiar type seen in the illustra-
tions of Poe's poem of the 'Raven," has
been occasionally stopping at the Virginia
Hotel on his way to and from West Vlr-
ginia He registered as sc. n. Town
send, of New York, p and his stays varied
in length from few days to few weeks.
He had the air of millionaire and suited
his financial dealings to it. To barber
he would pay twice the regular price, and
to the newsboys and the hotel servants he
was wlnd-fall. Last year, attention1was
particularly attracted to him by the fact
that he was arrested in Philadelphia on a
charge of being implicated in the sale Of
fraudulent West Virginia land deeds. The
operation was large one, and it was
stated that E. G.. Booth, the famous Cen
tennial Exhibition Virginian, was put in
for some forty til ousand dollars. The
charge turned out afterwards to be some
thing to be settled by a chancery suit, and
not criminal arrest, and Townsend was
released.
A few weeks ago he again stopped at the
hotel, waiting, as he said, to be Joined by
a person from Canada, to whom he pro-
posed selling some land. The person did
not keep the appointment, and Townsend
left for West Virginia. There he was as
free handed with his money as ever. He
announced his business connection with
Hon. Harris Hoyt, and the Mountain
Herald of Hinton, announced the sale Of
a large body of land in Mcdowell and
Wyoming counties to Hon. Harris Hoyt,
for the purpose of colonization, adding
that a large number of foreign colonists
were expected shortly to arrive to occupy
the purchase, which was ''rich in coal and
timber, and the sell productive" His
liberality in West Virginia was equal to
what it had been in Staunton. To a clerk
of court whose fee bill for entering a
deed was 1923, it is said, he tossed $50
bill, remarking that clerks fees were too
small anyhow, and to some one else for
petty service he threw SIS bill. He went
from Hinton into the back counties-Ra
leigh, Wyoming and others. While in
Hinton he gave draft on Hoyt & Lam
sing, Brooklyn. N. Y, for $50, which was
returned unpaid. Upon being told of it
he said he was sure there was some mis-
take about it, and wrote to the parties and
they paid the draft on receipt of his letter.
During his stay in Hinton his bill to M.
A. Rife, proprietor of the ''Wickham
House." reached sos, and his bill to Burke.
Prince & Bros, merchants, brothers-ln-
law of Mr.. Rife, amounted to $50, For
the first of these he gave draft on Harris
Hoyt; of BROOKLYN, which was sent to the
National Valley Bank of Staunton for
collection, and for the second he gave a
draft on Hoyt & Lansing, of Brooklyn.
which the receivers sent to Wingo, Elliott
& Crump, their merchants in Richmond.
Mr.. Rifle telegraphed to Brooklyn toknoW
if the draft would be honored, and recei-
wing no answer became suspicious and with
Mr. Burke Prince, having gotten warrant.
eo.l.owed Townsend to Staunton, Monday
sindin him at the Va. Hotel. He said he ex
pected some money and would pay them.
While in Raleigh county, W. Va, he be-
came indebted to Mr.. McCrary. mer-
chant. also brOther-inlaw of Mr.. Rifle
to the amount of SITS, and it is stated to a
merchant in Wyoming county for $500
for both of which sums he had given
drafts on Hoyt & Lansing. Mr.. Rife, on
Tuesday ascertained from the National
Valley Bank here, that his draft was re
tn, ned unpaid and found out at the same
tina that Townsend was preparing to leave
for Wa. 'dington. He procured the pres
enca of !hief of Police, T. J. Crowder
and Townse, I'd was arrested just as he bad
sent waiter round 10 buy him a ticket
to Washington, Tuesday ulght.
Townsend on be. ing arrested said to MI
Rife: .
1T was no use of your doing this.
ravor intended to sv indle anybody.
know enough about law to know IiiaI yo'
can't hold me in Virginia for debts mao
in West Virginia and [ could seno ZOE
LAWYER and get out of this easy enough
but I'll 60 back to Hinton with you o., VI
cars Tonight and settle all these tlaiI1s
MI telegraph my principals for s5oo AN
have it sent to me there and pay you oil
You've been to a good deal OF expens
coming here after me-you say 1orty y
fifty dollars, I'll pay that too. You snan
lose anything"
He sent the telegram for the money AM
on the Wednesday mornings traih
Messrs Rife and Prince left for HlhIo'
with him.
While at Hinton last week, Townsend
received from the office Of the Register O.
the Land Office at Richmond, a large PACK
age by express. the charges on which were
$3.50, This fact leads to the sCaIelneH
that all the records of the West Virginia
aands are in the old Virginia Land Office a
Richmond. There are, it is stated, AM
correctly so, thousands Of acres OF Yves
Virginia land to which there are 40 owner
land .no claimants, and not likely to be TO
great .uortion of it. because OF It's worthless
character. These lands are taken up
Inv sneculators and sold and this has give
use to innpmerable law suits. IN case'
where they have been sold to parties at Cd
NorUh, they have proved utterly valueles
and in other cases actual settlers hav
long since acquired titles and the new pu'
g hasers find law suit ahead OF then
Very lately an English party having pA
chased $4,000 worth of them and pal
$4,000 on the purchase, has entered su
TO recover the money paid, because th
sellers could give no title. it having lsn
since passed into other hands. The price
asked for them are so tempting, sometimf