Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-30
ESTHETE'S ADVENTURE.
0swar Wilde in the Clutches Of
Swindlers.
His Unsuccessful Efforts to Break a
Sand Bank.
Wild Ride 10 stop Payment on
Checks Whieh He Had
Signed.
Special to Cincinnati Commercial.

| NEW YORK, December % Preyi
ous to the departure oil Oscar Wild,
Tor Europe many Of his acquaintance,
~ this city were interested in a stor,
that he had been swindled by "baDc,
sieerer. Mr.. Wilde professed Il
make light of the matter. and when
spoken TO BY reporters he returned
eyasive or misleading answers. Those
OF his acquaintances who know N,
facts felt bouud TO conceal them SO
long as the apostle Of @sthetieism"
remained on this side Of the Atlantic
When he sailed on the Bothnia on
Wednesday, their tongues we're loosed
aud they talked more freely about the
swindle. A lulf report Of Mr.. Wilde's
experience with "banco" ssindle,s vas
obtained from authentic sJucers iva
Tribune reporter to-day
In the afternoon of Thursday. d.
cemberl4, Mr.. Wilde drove rapidly in
a cab to the Madison Square Bank
IN Twenty-third street. Entering the
bank with evident excitement, he
asked to see the cashier, and told him
that he wished to stop payment upon
three checks amounting 10 Sli60
which be had signed only few min,
utes before. lie described the checks
and hinted that they had been Oh.
tanned from him by fraud. Mr.. Wilde
then went directly TO the police sta.
tion In West Thirtieth street, and in.
quired for Captain Williams, saving
that he desired an interview on urgent
business. Captain Williams led the
way into his private room and closea
the door Mr. Wilde threw himself
upon spall sofa 10 a graceful half
FecliniDg attitude. He ran the fingers
ofone hand through his long hair, and
With the other hand no stroked bis
lfowsers qntasily. At length he
cleared his throat with faint cough.
and said:
Captain Williams, ia your long
and varied experience as an officer Of
police, ! presume you have occasion.
ally met with persons who make fools
Of themselves
The Cap ain smiled ard gave an
affirmative nod.
We'll, " Mr.. Wilde continued, 81
have just made fool of myselfp
Then hp related 10 detail his expe.
FienCe. tie was walking on Broadway,
not far from Union Square, when a
sharp featured and we'll dressed Young
man stopped him and extended his
hand.
Excuse me, Mr.. Wilde the
stranger said, hut | am a son of Mr.
lrexel, OF the 6rm Of Drexel, Morgan
& Company, the Wall street BANKERS
Having seen you opce OF twice Ia nv
fsther's othCe, hope you will pardon
me for introducing myself
Mr.. Wilde had been In Mr.. Drexels
oboe on business, and he was taken
Oft bis guard, lie shook hands with
tho nani expressed his qualification
at the meeting and accompanied him
into q neighboring restaurant, where
Mr.. Drexel told Z story of having
won Q priEe BY a lottery drawing, BE
induced Mr.. Wilde to accompany him
to a house on either Fifteenth street
or Seventeenth street between Second
and Third avenues (Mr. Wilde could
not find the house aiterWards), and
led him int9 loom where two o.
three ather men we're throwing dice
The poets friend insisted on m king
a throw for him, and Mr.. Wilde was
told that he had won a hant some sum
Gradually as the play went on, Mr.
Wilde became interested in the game.
and then be lost steadily. At length
he was Informed that his loke,
exceeded his winnings by $50
he had not much money in
his pocket, and he was pressed
to give check for the amount. He
consented After few more throws
he was declared a loser to the extent
of 500, and be signed another check
Tor that amount. His blood was up by
that time and he made large ventures,
only to learn that he was in debt
$l0e9. He wrote his name to a check
tor that sum, and then refused to play
longer. 1t had dawned upon him that
he vas being swindled. Young Drexel
made loud Outcry aud declared that
Mr.. Wilde's treatment had beer out.
rageous. He persisted in accompany.
ing his Acquaintance from the house
but Mr.. Wilde shook him of. ran for
a cab aud hastened to the bank before
the swindlers had an opportunity to
get any Of the checks cashed. When
Mr.. Wilde had concluded his story to
Captain Williams he gave a full
description OF "Drexel.h - He was
then asked to take look at the
rognes gallery in the Captains
ofhco. His attention was there
directed to photograph oil
Joseph Sellick, alias Hungry Joe"
a noted confidence swindler, for
whom the police had been searching
On seeing it, Mr.. Wilde at once recog
nised the features aud exclaimed,
well, | declarel that is Drexel be-
yond doubt" Captain Williams
and his detectives tried to end
Hungry joe and his Confederatos,
but the swindlers had eIidently,posted
themselves regarding Mr.. Wilde's
action, and they took care to keep out
OF the way. On the following Monday
Captain Williams received the checks
which Mr. Wilde had signed They
we're gont to him by mail without
oomment. Until he received back the
checks Mr., Wilde was nervous, fear.
ing that they would be cashed by limo.
cent persons, and that he would be
sued for the amount. He declared
Afterwards that he could not afford to
so into Court either as complainant
against the "bauoo" men, or as do
iendant in aeivil suit. Il was said BY
the police to day that no arrests could
be made under the circumstances
Sellick IS believed to be out Of the
city At present,