The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-03-16
"Mexico Bill" IN Town.
louisville Commercial


of the Louisville hotel last night, and with a
firm and free hand spread his name across the
register, Col. Lem, NLcHenry retired behind
the desk and famed himself. Nothing so
| gorgeously beautiful in physique had crossed
his vision since Capt. Lewis returned from
Kansas City in his buckshin hunting dress.
| The electric light and the diamond pin in Co.
| McHenrys shirt front both paled before the
light that flashed from Mexico Bills" eyes.
| Mr. Feet was called up to aid Col. McHenry
| in digesting the situation. The new guest was
dressed in nicely fitting garments, his wide
collar rolling open from throat as beautiful
| as q woman's His beautiful head was sur
mounted by sombrero, and he was very com
Portable, thank you. Before he was assigned
to his room, a C0Danerc5dl reporter had q con-
versatlon with him touching his identity and
his occupation. Mexico Bill, as he chooses
to call himself, is certainly an odd character,
and in fact an enigma whom no living man
can solve. He prides himself on being mys-
terry and his theme and glory seems to be to
have people talk about and ridicule him. His
desire is to see human nature in all its various
phases, and to gam this end he appears in all
sorts of costumes for the purpose of attract
Ing attention of those whom he wishes to
study "Mexico Bill, +" is an exceedingly hand
some man. He is 5 feet 101 inches high,
weighs 24S pounds and is magnifcently pro-
pOrtiOned. He was born at the Cape of Good
Hope, South Africa, torty-seyen years ago
hut bod Ot a.,
years of age, He has black hair rather long,
piercing eyes, and Is the very image of Frank
Mayo, the actor. He has travelled the world
over, and has seen life in all its various phases
He has fought in foreign wars, and tor two |
years was scout on the Mexican frontier |
lie carries thirteen scars on his body caused by |
bullets, and five fresh scalp wounds on the top
of his head, which he received few DAYS ago
in Charleston, W. Va. Four were inflicted
with spittoon and the fifth with q knife.
The knife wound is five inches long. He had
difficulty with a Virgnian, and narrowly es-
capped with bis life, as he had done on several
other occasions. He claims to be lecturer
and orator, and at moments notice can lee
ture on any subject, no matter what it may be-
He conyerses fluently in thirteen different
languages, and is undoubtedly highly edu-
Gated man. Why he adopts the curious mode
OF living is certainly mystery. He says that
lie is always happy, and in conversation with
him he impresses you with that fact He SAYS
he never allows anything to trouble him. and
that he would just as soon be a common la
boref as the President of the United States
He travels about from town to town with no
particular final stopping place in view, except
Potters field, where he says he expects to go
As stated before, he dresses oddly for the pur-
pose of attracting attention, and this has
caused him a great deal of trouble, but it
seems to be the sort of trouble he courts, iol
he courts notorjety. His principal costume is
that of a Mexican desperate. With his pant.
in his boots, a large sombrer0 on one side oi
his head, aud his large shirt coll, turned ou
over his coat, he struts the streets of every
city he visits, and the people as they pass give
him wide berth. Last Monday he appeared
in this costume in Cincinnati, and detachmt t
Of police ran hitn into the station house. III
was locked up for about two hours, when til,
chief of police decided to turn him loose The
next day everybody supposed him to be Oscar
Wilde. After getting the people well worked
up over him he skipped out, and turned W
here yesterday as stated above. He was ar
rested on suspicion in England 80 times, ana j
in the Tn ted ~lates about 500 times In ST.
Louis "a short time ago, the chief of polio. !
sent 20 officers to the hotel where he was stop
ping to arrest him. ,
/ hey feared that he was desperate charac- ;
ter and that it would take that number of men |
to make certain bis capture. In New Orleans ,
in 1876, during the sessions of the returning .
board, he appeared in that city il the charac- I
ter of a desperate, aad registered at the 81
Charles hotel as The Great Unknown" H ;
created great excitement, and the people were n
actually ataid OF hun. He refused to tell any a
thing about his antecedents. He claims that {
he has two cousins living here, in Louisville :
who are immensely wealthy. He has not been
near them for years, and he does not care a
about having them recognize him. His mode |
of gaining a subsistence is secret which he t
will not impart to any one. He says he makes 5
his living honorably, and deties any man to 5
say that he ever did Il dishonorable act in his C
lite. He often lectures. but this is only when d
ne can secure free hail. as he lectures with :
out compensation. How long he will remain c
IN Louisville, he cannot tell he may stop here f
! day or two, or probably week He goes E.
rom here to Nashville, and Nashvillians are i
hereby notified to look out for him.
IMMIGRATION STATIsrICs-Duringt the jar Ii