The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1880-04-03
K.sauEinaESIe Exposure of "a Haa-
sonic Nnap0sxor.


limpostors and swindlers in the south
and southwest is fellow whose favor
tie alias is "Prof. Willie" He is
about six feet high, slender, has black
hair, dark complexion and large dark
eyes, one of which opens wider than
the other while the Prof. is talking.
He is very familiar, pushing and
'.bright" towards masons, and is never
tired Of Boosting about his fcats as a
pedestrian, athlete, billiard and card
player.
lie honored Lake Charles with a
visit about a year ago, but did not
bleed anybody here to any extent,
though he tried to, contenting himself
in afterwards fleeing brethren in other
States, by giving them drafts, for Dor
rowed money, on various parties here,
which, of course, were worthless.
Geo. s. Benson, Esq, was Master of
Lake Charles lodge No. 165, F. d A.
NJ, when Prof. Willie made his above
named visit here, and learned all about
the Professors crookedncss after the
latter's departure. Recently Mr.. Ben
son, while ea route to California, re-
cognized Prof. Willie among his fellow
passengers, but did not renew his ac-
quaintance, and the Professor had for
tnnately forgotten Mr.. Benson's face.
A letter just received by us from MIR.
Benson, rccitcs a most amusing ex-
posurc of Prof. Willie on the latter's
attempt to work his way into Pcndel-
phia lodge at Los Angeles, California.
Mr.. Benson, being present, and hay
ing informed the Master of the lodge
who Prof. Willie was, was appointed
by the Worshipful Master on COM
mittce to examine the Professor, and
was introduced to the latter, by the
other members of the committee, as
Past Master johnson, of Pendelphia
lodge. In blissful ignorance of the
identity of "Bro. Johnson" Prof.
Willie boldly claimed to hail from
Lake Charles lodge No. l94, lthe true
No. is lG5--Editor) Calcasieu parish,
La. lie said he left Lake Charles
about four months previously. Being
requested by "Bro. johnson to name
the officerseof Lake Charles lodge, he
promptly replied "Dave Lyons is
Worshipful Master, Jim. Kinder, Sc
nior warden, Sam. Kinder, junior war
den, and a Mr.. Pujo is senior deacon.
(None of the above persons are Masons,
except Mr. Lyons, and he is not an Off
Ger of Lake Charles lodgo-Editor.)
Turning to one of the committee, the +
Professor said 81 want you to write to
Dave Lyons, Master of my lodge and
King of my chapter, Ionic No. 8, There
is no Royal Arch Chapter in Calcasieu
parish--Editor.) who is my brother-in-
law, and sheriff of Calcasieu parish, and I
tell him to send You my description,
under the seal of my lodge and chap
ter, and ask him to tell my sister Alice
to take my photograph from her album
and give it to him to be sent to you
with such certified description of me,
so that you may be fully satisfied
of my identity. j will give you my
picture now, there he handed over
photograph of himself, at the foot of
which were the words AVN. Willie,
Champion Billiard PIayer,'' and you
can compare it with the one you will
receive from Lake Charles. / have
suffered untold miseries from mistaken
identity!' AT this critical moment,
when Prof. Willie was sure of admis-
sion and cordial greeting, a member
of the committee gave "Bro.. Johnson"
Geo. S. Benson,) the wink, and the
latter 'opened" on the Professor, with
full narrative of all the latter's say
ings and doings at Lake Charles about
ayear ago, of his subsequently attempt
ing to visit the masonic lodge at Orange,
Texas, and of his claiming there to be
brother of a Past Master of Lake Charles
lodge, Of his subsequently obtaining
money on false pretencesin Mississippi
and elsewhere, on worthless drafts on
citizens Of Lake Charles, ETC., etc. The
exposure was sndden and terrible, and
Prof. Willie wiltcd under it as if struck
by lightning. In the most abiect man