The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-23

learned yesterday, served a term OF four
years In the Maryland penitentiary, IN Ba,
fimore, under the name OF j. i. Price, and
two years IN the Virginia penltentiary as j.
{. Virlue-from which latter place he was
only turned out in February last. He was
sentenced to ibe Virginia States prison BY
the Hastings Court OF this city on The 9Th
OF May, 1870, for forging the name OF Mr..
Michael, OF Philadelphia, in some land
transaction here. He had, however, visited
this city In the summer OF 1875, when, re-
presenting himself as a brother Of an influ-
entail sboe-manufacture OF Boston, 1t will
be remembered he
SwlNDLED Our BEST PEOPLE,
including the then Superintendent OF the
Penitentary, Colonel French Slrother, and
the Board Of that institution. He drew up
a contract with Colonel Strother for one
hundred convict hands to make shoes with.
in the prison-wals. His plan was to obtain
money, and his previous experience In the
Maryland penitentiary enabling him to ex-
hibit great knowledge and experience in
the shoe business he thus impressed the
Superintendent and the Board so favorably
that they entered into the contract with
him. The fraud was discovered, not, how
ever, until he bad obtained some two hum
dred dollars from various parties, among
others member Of the Board and City
COuGcil. He engaged a gentleman now in
the city as superintendent OF his shoe 5usi-
ness, and offered him very large salary.
Mr.. Lucius Lanier and Colonel Herbert,
OF Baltimore (as he represented), were TO be
his surelies. and these gentlemen not APP
pcaring tie fraud was at last found out.
The following is
HIS DESCRIPTION:
He Is a Spare-built man, between forty
and fory-hve Years OF age, with heavy
moustache and ide.whisker., or full beard,
Of a dark sandy color, with a decidedly Ro.
man nose, sharp, penetrating eyes, and an
amount Of assurance rarely ever equllled.
His teeth are bad, and he has very bald
head. He has habit Of Strengthening him.
self up and throwing back his head with a
dignied air, and in conversation has vast
amount Of assurance. He visited several
houses Of prominent citizens, and impressed
all with the fact that he was a distinguished
northern capitalist.
WHEN He WAS TURNED 0UT
from the Virginia pententiary he visited
the families 0f several prisoners who reside
in Petersburg and represented himself as
being guard in the shoefaciory at the
penlteutIary. He brought them cOnsOing
news from the prisoners, and told their
friends how they were getting on: told
them that any little kindness he could do
for them be Would do with pleasure. He
said he hid great Influence, and would do
a.! he could TO get their friend. out. With
Ills GLIB TONGUE
he succeeded IN borrowing so from a gen.
tleman Of the Denitentary on the eve Of his
departure, aud after he left wrote TO him
complaining that he had not given him more.
He made humane gentleman, who was
looking after the spiritual welfare OF the
prisoners, believe that he was great travel
Ter. Had travelled over the Holy Land,
Egypt, and other foreign countries, and
discussed passages OF the Holy Bible with
him.
In memory OF a man who had died in the
penltenilry the following is his tribute,
and 1t will show
HIS LITERARY ABILITIES
and ready pen:
"F.." at the age we first met him, was
about thirty, and from bis physique we
were anything else but pleased with the
man or his makeup. He is a TALL wiry fel-
low, without shape whatever, and you could
not but laugh at seeing him. F. is a grad
uate Of Yale, and left that venerable iDst-
tuition with all the honors she could bestow
upon him at the time. He was an honor 10
his class. He was endowed by nature with
a brilliant mind, and was possessed OF much
wit aud the Use OF a ready pen. You
could never take him uuawares. And
we said you would not be pleased
with Of" on first meeting him, but
after being acquainted with him for
little while you could not, il you wanted
10, dislike the fellow. You are indeed to
some extent fascinated with him. You adj
mire his brilliant mind and ready wit And
after you begin to learn who and what the
man is, and the many faults he has, you
still like him and feel ready 10 render him
any assistance you can which he may de-
sire. And to any one who is fond OF
THE STUDY or HUMAN NATURE
we unhestalingly say that in .F." he
would find a study which would be Il pro-
blem not readily solved. Although pos.
sessed of qualities and education Of high
degree, and once commanded fine position,
and with the pecunary means which he had
could have placed himself in the front
ranks" He was master of himself in every
respect excepting one, and that one was
master Of him. And that cone mastered
him. To it he was Il slave.
He SACRIFICED EVERYTHING
he had character, money, position, every
thing that man could have, he sacrificed 10
that one passion, rum. Time and time
again friends had made efforts 10 regain
him. but only to see him fall the heavier the
next time. sad, sad, indeed, to think one
possessed Of the many noble qualities which
+. possessed and mind as brilliant As his
could never he reclaimed.
Dear reader, do not blame him. Let
his many friends and our many readers cast
Il tear Of sympathy and shed tear Of pity
over the poor fellow. With his family we
deeply >ympathize. Poor fellow, he is now
gone. In our memory he will ever find
soft spot, and in the language 30 familiar 10
our ears let IL say,
"'Rest In peace"
The following letter. written to one OF the
superinlcndcnls, is said to be
CHARACTERISTIC OF HIM:
RICHMOND, Va, February /, 1881.
- -, Esq:
Dear Sir,-FareweIl. No, no. it is most
too lonely a word to say. And | am re-
minded OF what the poet said: