The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-03-17
A MATCHLESS IMPOSTOR.



an old dwelling of curious architecture.
1t was several stories in height, and at
one corner was a round tower contain
ing a staircase. In the middle of the
last century this was ths residence of
the Hauck family. Henry Hauck was
a Hollander, who settled in Dundee
about the year 1700 and introduced a
new method of manufacturing sail-cleth.
He grew wealthy and acquired much
property. In 1871 he died, and was sue
ceeded by an only son. This son re-
moved to the dwelling already mem
toned, and was equally prosperous as
his father. He died in 1850, and left q
son and daughter. The latter died,
but the son continued in the same
place and business, and, dying in 1871,
left his property to his two sons, John
and Henry, who were twins, and at the
time of hisdeath, in their twenty-sec0nd
year. While Henry, however. received
the bulk Of the estate and tie business
John was to receive only e certain sum
in money, for John wsa dissipated and
of depraYed habits, and it was said that
his mother died from the effect of a beat
ing which he gave her because she ex-
pOstulated Nth him on his conduct, Be
this as e may, soon after his fathers
death ais brother gave him the large
sun of money which his father had be.
eueathed to him, and he went to HoI-
sand Ostensibly to act as paid agent for
the firm.
For some time he appears to have
conducted himse with unusual nro-
priety, and was So successful in business
matters that his brother came to place
great confidence in him. In 1884 he
wrote to his brother Henry, informing
him that he had it in his power to make
large purchases of fax and hemp on
most advantageous terms, but that to
do this he must have funds at his dis
PosaI. Henry at once provided for
this, and John drew large sums on
letters OF credit. Then he disappeared,
and nothing S4s heard of him for years.
In the mea1time Henry married a Miss
NewaIl, End having built a handsome
RESIDENCE up town near what is ncw
l1,I KnoWn as Perth Road, removed there.
Inc name had come to be spe1t Hawk.
ap.d the spot were the new residence
Sas built was named HawkhiI by which
name it is known to this day.
Henry Hawk took his wife's brother
into partnership. After the new
partner had become sufficiently fami-
liar with the business, Henry resolved
to visit Antwerp and other modern !
ports, alnd put his business relations on
a better footing. There were no steam |
shiP,s in those days, and he had to cross
IH.e German Ocean in a smack, which /
ran as a regular packet. He had
delayed his going on account of the
health of his wife, and did not start
until June 10, 1885, six weeks after the
birth of their first child-a sOn-who
was born on May Sd of the same year.
On the evening of the day on which
Henry Hawk sailed one of the domestics
rushed into the house from the garden,
where she had been spreading clothes
to bleach, and excIaimed:
Good sakes, guide us! Pve just
seen my master looking in at the
gateP
Say no. a word" one of the oldest
servants said, cor it will alarm your
for she viii think it is wrath
and that something has happened to
him."
But Mrs. Hawk heard the exclama-
uOn ssshe was coming down the stairs,
and entering the kitchen, she inquired
what 1t meant.
g was stopping to lay out the
clothes" the girl said, land happening
to look up, / saw the figure of a man at
The great gate. / was startled, but
looked again, and then l saw my mas
teI's face distinctly, ali pale and hag-
gard.'
Mrs. Hawk restrained her feelings and
said. ZS
"irs vour fancy, girl; what else can
IL be- Your master Is beyond the Bass
Rock hr tais time. with far wiLG and
a clear sky
Three weeks later Mr. Dewar, who
had satoft on The Iegate, called at
.he Office If Hawk & Newhal.
" Where's Mr Hawk p he asked.
Why, he's been gone since last
june" answered Mr.. Newhau.
GQne siuee last June!" Mr.. DewaT
'xciaiSed; gone whereof
" 70 AntWerpt," was the reply.
" That is strange" said Mr. Dewar,
taking out q Pocket-bOOk and turning :
me leaves.
"What is there strange about itP'
Mr., Newhall said
6 Way, on July got note from
Henry by messenger asking me to send /
lim Gl2O TO use for an emergency, and
ent it to him"
Mr.. Newhall stared at his visitor in !
yonder but Mr.. Dewar not only showed
,im the entry in his pocket-boOk but
Produced the letter, which so far as any
,ae could say was in Henry Hawks {
land-writing. !
Neither Of them could explain the I
MYSTERY, but both agreed that for the
PRESENT and, in fact until Henry's return, {
loJhiug had better be said about the re-
circumstance.
On August u the packet returned
rom Antwerp without Henry Hawk. {
,he brought a bundle of letters, how Y
Yer, for Mr.. Newhall, which were duly '
at the Office. Two addressed
o Mrs Hawk, in her husbands S writing, {
7ere given to a boy who started up the +
)vergate with them toward Hawkhill. {
AT that time there were few dwellings l
n the Overgate above Fay street, all
eyOnd being open country, with the ex- :
option of a few residences here and J
here. As the boy passed Tally street, :
ig burly man, dressed as a sailor, came
ut of dramshop, and, crossing the :
treet, walked up Overgate on the oppO- !
lie sidesof the boy. They walked al
lost abreast until they were couple of
undred yards beyond Fay street. Then !
le man paused, and the boy observed Z
lat he felt into his pockets. The boy !
as passing on ahead, when the man '
allied out to him:
"Say, youngster, pull up; I've lost :
{
The boy stopped and turned, and the Z
ian crossed the road toward him. /
q Look here" the man said, "you c
now Wilson's dramshop of Tally Z
reetT I
" Yes, sir, do" the lad replied. I
" Well, said the man, "PVe left my
there with q valuable letter /
iside, which / was taking to Mrs. /
Lawk, of HaWkhill, from her husband, :
nd which he gave me just before the .
acket sailed from Antwerp"
:. NhY. I'm inst onino I'M to Mrs Z