The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-14
BURNSIDE'S TEMPTER.
Career of George II. Lewis, Man Who Has
Committed Unnumbered Grimes.
Phila delphia Press.

ment at Washington, was quickly followed by the
fight from the national capital of George Fl. Lev
is, who had for year or more been the manager
there of an apparently prosperous petroleum
brokerage business. The disappearance of Lewis
brought to the surface many claims against him,
some of which are of a distressing nature. 1t
also revealed the fact that Burnside had been
victim of the peculiar business methods of Lewis,
and suggested the possibility that many other
employees of the postal and other departments
had suffered serious losses. For time it was
suspected that others beside Burnside had been
induced to misappropriate funds, but such action
has not as yet been shown. The mans career is
remarkable example of the power Of good
presence and winning manners, when misapplied,
to rob others of spare cash.
The connection of Lewis with the fall of Burn
side dates back many months Soon after he
made his appearance in Washington he sought
the acquaintance of Burnside and impressed him
with his ready fund of information upon all fnan-
cial subjects. He told Burnside that he could
make endless sums of money If he only had
sufficient capital. Won over by this talk, and
anxious to find new methods of support for an
expensive scale of living, Burnside gave Lewis, it
is said, 81 900 for speculation in oil AT the end
of month he called upon Lewis for an account,
and found that his profits" were $780,
ooh that's nothing - Lewis is represented as
saying II can make lots of money All want
is the capital to invest. / can double it, and
turn it over again and again"
Under such circumstances it is not surprising
that Colonel Burnside trusted larger sums in the
to have gone to his friends and urged them to
share in the golden mine he had discovered.
Dozens of clerks III the various departments
invested their earnings and made
larfr ne mar m
draw money Lewis would pay them part of the
cash he was constantly receiving from other
victims. If clerk, new to this rapid route to
fortune, called upon Lewis with his savings the
petroleum broker would receive him with;
''Who sent you hereP
Colonel Burnside"
ooh, that is all right We don't let everyone
into this, but if Colonel Burnside recommends
you, I'll consent to take your money"
Thus the stream of dollars flowed into LeViss
pockets, occasional driblets being paid back in
the way of dividends aud profits" from the
marvellous petroleum pool. At last the crash
came Burnside found that he was in too deep
water. Lewis very quickly fed. Some time
after prominent lawyer of this city received a
letter from clerk in one of the departments in
Washington. from which the following is an
extract.
Early last month placed in the hands of George H
Lewis 81 500, and took his receipt for the same.
This sum was to be used in the purchase of oil and
returned to with profits, when called for. Mr..
gagged in this business at 629 street, this city
had been urged for long time to go into this by
number of friends who had told me they making
large profits Finally went to Colonel j. o. P.
Burnside, who had been represented as one who had
made large amount on investments with Mr. Lewis.
Burnside recommended Lewis highly; said he was an
honest, upright man. and he, Burnside, had made
quite large sum during the past year upon his in
vestments with Lewis.
Upon these representations 1 gave into Leviss
hands 81 500, / stated. Afterwards dropped
Lewis line, asking when my profits were to be paid
He replied that everything was all rght-"Come over
in the morning and get your profits. went over in
the morning. and found him very busy when he asked
to come IN about IL o'clock, as he had not witten
mp my accounts; 1 went at the time named
when he put off until the next Monday morning.
When got to his Office Monday morning, he had
left the city and has not returned. understand he
resides in Germantown your city. l very foolish
to do as did, but l did it. Can you aid me in any
wayl am in distress for this was my all, and could
not afford to lose the money During the time he
held this money he told it had Melted several hun
bred dollars
Accompanying the letter is copy of the re-
ceipt reading
Received of-ffteen hundred dollars in all, as
margin crude petroleum, to be settled semimonth
". GEORGE H. LEWIS.
The whereabouts of Lewis are unknown His
wife lives at Germantown. but he is not there.
The unfortunate clerk whose letter is quoted
above, is believed to have many companions in
the unhappy result of Leviss Washington oper-
ations and time may prove that the charm OF
his goose which seemed to lay many golden
violate the trust reposed in them. The clerk
who lost his all has not suffered more severely
than have many other persons unfortunate
enough to meet Lewis in preceding years.
1t was than twenty years ago when
George H. Lewis became a clerk in the employ
of Charles Magarge the pioneer paper manu-
faet1rer of this city. Lewis wormed himself
into the confidence of the Magarge family, pro-
fessed warm friendship for the sons, and in the
course of time married Mary the daughter of
his employer. Mr.. Magarge's business was
prosperous and his fortune great The young
couple lived on Locuststreet, above Seventeenth,
in excellent style. All went well for time, but
suddenly Lewis was discovered to be defaulter
to large amount, variously stated at from
$50, 600 to $50, 900. He ran away and for some
time was engaged in selling a new kind of match
in the West His father-inlaw soon forgave
him, however and again he found his way to
confidence and responsibility in the Magarge
paper house. But the result was the same.
Again Lewis became defaulter to another large
amount The two sums together were over
$780, 600, and this serious loss, coming upon Mr..
Magarge in advanced years, was the 1rst step to
a series of misfortunes, which finally resulted,
few years ago in his financial ruin.
In the course of the operations which led to
his second defalcation Lewis is said to have
forged the name of Charles Magarge. He was
not prosecuted, however, but at about this time
he was arrested on another charge, and for
brief period languished behind the bars of
Movamensing Still his friends did not desert
him. Through Jnelr lnHuence lncluulnS UnaO
of E. r. Cope lin whose employ he was for
time), Lewis was not only released, but given a
clerkship in the Philadelphia postofice There
he rose rapidly, his tact and abilities winning
quick promotion. In his various positions there
he seems to have conducted himself properly,
and his good qualities, dominant for the time
being, made him so many friends that on
leaving he was presented with set of silver,
engraved with record of his many virtues.
At about this time be persuaded a gentle
man named Adams, who had some capital
and a handsome establishment on Broad
street, to join him in starting
brokers Office at Third and Chestnut streets
Adams furnished the money and Lewis supplied
the experience, After some months, Lewis sud
denly departed for New York, and the firm of
Adams & Lewis was more. Mr.. Adams lost
go much money that he was obliged to sell his
horses and sacrifice his Broad-street residence.
In New York Lewis soon found employment