Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-02-22
ROSS RAYMOND.
A sketch OF the Adventurer Who
Attempted TO Exploit New
Orleans.
N.Y Y. lotterto n. 0. Tlnss.pomOcrat.l

Inc arrest Ol u1Is AbOno AeoJmOH
the journalist, in your city for swind'
ling Colonel Rivers, of the st. Charles
Hotel, was a surprise to those not II
the secret, but by those who were.
his personal friends, whom he dupeC
frst-the news was received with sat
isfaction. As one would imagine
there is a woman in the case. Else II
would be hard to explain the suicidal
course which has terminated In jail
It is the old story of the lorlei singing
on the rock and the fatal intatuation
of the boatmen on the waves below:
Raymond, who has been called a
brilliant writer-justly enough, too,
when at his best-fgured here IN va
rious departments of journalism Tor
several years. He was
POPULAR BOHEMIAN,
as one could readily see by his dress
and conversation. He is remembered
here as having a tall. we'll. built figure,
a fine head, strikingly handsome fea-
lures (noticeably a finely cut, express
i've MOUTH and a soft, white hand like
a woman's. In his carriage he had
the bearing Of a successful actor, who
has come by the natural dignity by
his triumphs on the stage; and while
he possessed the atfability of a conf
dence man, be held his equals off at
arms length. AS for interiors there
was that in his manner that implied
that they should not approach too
near him. When with boon compan-
ions he was the leading spirit-jolly,
generous, full of sparkling fun, witty,
entertaining in conversation. He was
we'll known among women Of the
world, and he had as many admirers
among them as the lackadaisical Bun
thorne or Grosvenor has among
aesthetic maidens. Such a man would
naturally have good tailoring of the
snowy sort (if he had money!, and
lavish as much care on his person as
q professed dandy. This he did. His
top coat is almost as famous as that
of the much-talked of apostle of es-
theticism. In point Of cost l believe
it is superior. The front, collar and
sleeves are deliberately trimmed with
sealskins, and the lining throughout
is Of fine, light colored fur. Hat,
neckwear, w%aistcoat, trowsers and
boots correspond, so that if his brown
hair were longer the poetical, the
picturesque Oscar would have a rival
in point Of dress, and people would
run after him in the street, installing
him for the poet. Married. He has
two wives. The romance in his life,
in fact, would furnish a plot to Emile
Gaboriau.
Last night l was talking with a
journalist in a parlor at Brown's-just
such a place as Raymond would feel
at home in, with friends and cham
payne. There were actors at the table
drinking and smoking, and others
coming and going with fair women.
These surroundings called up
RAYMOND AND HIS LATEST EsCA-
PADEs,
if so mild a word may be used. Sitting
opposite was a friend who Glanced to
know a great deal of his history.
where did Raymond come from?"
said l.
LAS far as l know" said my friend,
Raymond came to this country from
England (te's a Londoner, you know
about seven years ago, with a letter
which purported to be from Disraeli
in his pocket. But you would never
have known that he was an English
man. Unlike, the average Britisher,
he made no reference whatever to
England reticence on this point
that | am at a loss to explain, except
that for some reason be did not wish
it to become known where he came
from"
WAS he a newspaper writer then2"
"Yes; the first work he did here
was in the way of correspondence for
the London Telegraph. The first
paper he became regularly connected
with was the Chicago Times, and the
next was the Baltimore American.
For some months he was employed on
the Philadelphia Times, from which
journal he was discharged for throwing
a young Hebrew Of the staff down the
Office stairs. Then he came to New
York, and obtained a position on the
Herald"
What sort Of work did he do
there2"
HE was counted the best man on
the paper to. do general stuff. His
work was mostly OF a special charac-
ter, and he did pretty much as he
pleased. He would undertake any
thing. Through his lack Of princi-
pies he would obtain interviews with
such men as Jay Gould and Wander
bilt, when other newspaper writers
would be locked out. He would
wheedle the lackey at the door, and
afterwards the millionaire, by some
story of pressing business that gave no
clue to his errand. The lion, beard
ed in his den, can only roar.
BY THIS SORT OF ENTERPRISE
he pushed himself forward until he
was given important commissions to
execute in different parts of the
country"
Wasn't the Herald's story Of the
Presidents ride to Elberon written by
him?"
1T was, and that article was a
striking example Of his INSCRIPTIONS
ness. AS you perhaps remember, no
correspondents we're allowed on the
Presidents train. But Raymond
wrote an account of the ride as if he
sat from one end of the journey to'the
other at the side Of the sick mans
bed. People shed tears over touching
remarks ascribed by him to the Pres
ident on that memorable journey.
Thank God; | can look at the ocean
once more, be made him say at a rail-