Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-11-19
A SRindler's Tricks.

address called at the Virginia Female In
stitute last Friday morning, gave his name
as H. NJ. Goldsboro, of Maryland, and re-
presented to Mrs. Stuart, the Principal,
that he had daughter he wished to enter
at her school; that she was in CharlOttes-
vile and would be up on the train the
next day. After agreeing upon the price,
he offered Mrs. Stuart draft for $50,
and that being a good deal more than the
sum charged, asked for the change. The
secretary, Mr.. Frazier, not being about
the establishment to make the change or
give check instead, Mrs. s. told him she
would place the balance to his credit. The
subsequent proceedings Of the party proved
him a swindler, and it was mere acct
dent that Mrs. Stuart was not victimized
by him:
The same evening he called upon Rev.
J. l. Miller at the Staunton Female Semi
nary, told him his name was Myers, and
handed him fattering letter of intro
duction. purporting to come from Rev.
DR.. H. l.. Baugher, and dated at Gettys-
burg, Pa, and saying that his excellent
friend, Mr.. Myers. wished to enter his
daughter at Mr.. Miller's school. Mr.. Mil
Ter being we'll acquainted with DIR.
Baugher. and thinking he recognized his
handwriting, did not hesitate to contract
with him for the tuition of his niece, Miss
Lydia Ludlow, who had, be said, stopped
to see some friends at Waynesboro and
would arrive the next day. The price
agreed upon being $l25, Myers handed
Mr.. Miller Washington draft, signed by
]. B. Sanderson & Co., for $50, explain
ing that it was tor some money that had
just come into his hands for his niece. Mr..
Miller. not having $25 in currency, gave
him his check on the Augusta National
Bank for $25. and the stranger left, having
produced so pleasant an impression upon
the clerical Principal that he invited him,
when he returned The next day with his
niece, to spend the night with him. He
agreed to do so, and said that he was stop
ping at the Virginia Hotel.
Shortly afterwards the same person paid
a visit to Father McVerry, and by means
Of letter which he presented as signed by
Cardinal McCioskey giving the bearer an
excellent character, he got the promise of
S. SO to pay the cost of recording two leg
acies which he had come to pay into Faith
or McVerry's hands. These purported to be
requests of 500 and 5000 each to the Staun-
ton and Charlottesville Catholic churches
from benevolent individual lately de-
ceased. Goldsbor0 gave the Reverend
gentleman check for $500 and after he
left Father McVerry sent postal order
for $3.50 to his address at Westminster,
Pa, where he said he lived.
The next attempt of our confidence man
was on Capt. J. Z. Marquis. He came to
him with memorandum Of an epitaph he
wanted cut on tomb stone of Confeder-
ate soldier, "John X. Ludlow, died of
wounds received at the second battle of
Manassas. He represented that the SOL
der had been buried at the University
burial ground near Charlottesville and he
wished to erect the monument over his
grave. Capt. Marquis told him he had no
doubt it was all right land the Captain
thought it was tool but he being strang
or to him be had better pay for the stone
which he had selected at 800 and he
would then letter it for him. This Colds
boro agreed to do the next day at IL o'clock
after tho banks had opened. That night
| the two went to Humpty Dumpty at the
Opera House. the stranger insisting on
paying for both and having the best seats
in th house and in settling with the tick
ct agent. showed wallet well lined with
bank notes. After the performance he
offered Capt. Marquis snd another gentle
man an oyster supper which was courte-
ously declined and the parties separated
for the night.
The next day came the denouement. At
the suggestion of Mrs. Miller that the man
might be q swindler, Mr.. Miller went to
the Virginia Hotel and found the name of
Jas. M. Myers on the register but be had
only registered and had not taken room
or meal. He traced him to the Ameri-
can Hotel where he had registered as
Henry NJ. Goldsboro, Winchester, Md,
and represented himself as q lawyer who
was looking for his daughter on every train
from the east to place her at school. It
was then that he discovered that he had
entered his daughter at Mrs. Stuart's and
that the daughter had not come to time,
the niece did not arrive on the train Satur-
day evening, nor did the man meet his IL
O'Clock engagement at Marquis's marble
yard, 80 there being failure of connection
all round, Mr., Miller ordered the bank not
to cash his check when presented. But on
Monday it was presented by Barth & Loeb
who had sold the man $3.50 worth Of goods
and given him $3.50 liz change, and the
egal advice Mr.. NJ. had was to the effect
that under the circumstances he must pay
the check. Goldsboro could not be found
having after paying his bill in good
money at the American Saturday morning
vanished in thin air, no one seeing him 20
off by train OK private conveyance.
Father McVerry had meanwhile de-
posted the check for $500 and sent his
own for $500 to Richmond for the Char.
lottesville church fund, and the p. o. Or
der to Pennsylvania. His $500 check
cams back protested. and he telegraphed
to Richmond not to pay his check for
$500, and Capt. Waters, Chief Of Police,
telegraphed to Westminster, Nd, to arrest
the man who called for the postal order.
Mr., Miller seems to be the chief and
almost only loser, as his $3.50 draft from
Washington was received yesterday, pro
tested, with the following note from tht
cashier: "nct good; do not know tn
drawer"
| nho ,oop,o roal mama IT, aaama ia moi