Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-10-15
ROSS RAYMoxD,s vTsIc
His Vain Efforts to - Hsnise the
windv i'm Wilmington.

ROSS RIYATOND'S PISIf.
His Vain Efforts TO 80 Raise the
Winds i'm Wilmington.
Ross Raymond, the notorious journal
istic fake, turned up in this city Inst
week impersonating Lieutenant W. y.
Burwell, assistant superintendent of the
strength of his quasi position he called
upon well-known resident of the city,
whose son is now n student ut the
academy, and ingeniously laid the wires
which he hoped would lead up to q loan.
He was dined mt his hosts house and
entertained in manner BETTING his
rank. During the day he made several
visits to the telegraph Office for the
stated purpose of receiving telegraphic
money order from Paymaster Raymond.
As matter of course no money order
came to hand, and Raymond affected nm
air of great disappointment and swore in
mild sort of way.
On one of his trips to the telegraph
office Raymond encountered an engineer
in the navy stationed in Wilmington. The
two men had met before, in Alexandria
during the English bombardment of that
port. Raymond was at the battle in the
capacity of an alleged correspondent of
the London NesOs, and during his Egyp-
tian career "did up" the English and
American officers for good round sum.
From these facts Raymond was well re
membered, and was directly called TO
mind with the circumstances stated, and
the engineer promptly notified Raymond's
host, and bade him be on the look out.
As anticipated the request came for a
loan, trihing amount, Raymond evil
dauflv ali zfnnr that lhp xyoo t1O6ar a alou1
of suspicion, as he noted that he had been
recognized. With the information at
hand, the request was denied, and the
quasi officer disappeared, stating he was
going to Philadelphia, where he arrived
next day and registered at the Girard
House, going to New York yesterday.
Ross, it transpires, has just been to the
Annapolis Naval Academy, where he
posed as a New York Herald corre-
spondent on mission of bust
ness to do the institution up
in detail. His fine conversational qunli-
ties and his polished manner won him an
entree to all the private clubs and the
most exclusive official circles. He played
a rattling game of poker and it is said
gave the officers at the academy some
points in exchange for their dollars. He
also negotiated several loans of various
amounts and during his stay acquired
some nautical points which with his nat
ural aptness permits him to talk with
familiarity of things marine. The
names of officers of the navy and cadets
he picked up and apparently is now using
them to further his schemes of raising
funds.
His ostensible mission to this city he
claimed was to meet the commander of
the ship Juniata who is native of this
State and is expected in Wilmington
within few days. As his borrowing
game was frustrated he however, disap-
peared as quietly as he came probably
to repeat his racket elsewhere among the
parents of naval cadets.
Raymond has had a checkered and
romantic career. As journalist he was
among the brightest writer's in the profess
sion, and especially as war correspon-
dent, he being one of the most brilliant
that followed an army. He has been con
nected with the lending papers of this
country France and England, and has
drawn princely salaries for his work in
the field. His pen always commanded
big pay and he duped nearly all the lead
ing papers with very sensational fictitious
stories. He was responsible for the
Herald article some years ago, giving an
NCCOuub VI bne ehChpb VI Iub unlinulh
in Central Park, New York, timing his
work SO nicely that it could not be yeri-
| fed before using. Later he duped the
London Neaos and Times with startling
stories from battle fields OF the Franco
Prussian war and he became so unreliable
that he was literally driven out of the
profession.
During the Egyptian trouble, however,
he was given an assignment ON account of
bis brilliancy but deceived his employers
hy giving II false interview with the
MahdI and was dismissed i'll Alexandria,
Egypt. after the bumbardment. Then he
set cut upon II course of borrowing money
and raised big stake. Raymond next
turned up i'll Paris MS the courier of the
Mahdi on n mission to negotihte n big
loan. He invited the diplomats, bankers
and capitalists of the French capital 60 q
big dinner at the leading Parisian hotel.
For their entertainment he ordered most
sumptuous banquet Mt cost of nearly
25, 900 francs. The guests assembled but
Ross absented himself and has not since
been in France. He came to this country
and turns up every now and again victim--
izing people out of money through
various assumed names, positions or RINK.
The Chester Times OF Friday says:
"On Wednesday evening u portly, we'll
dressed man entered Browns Hotel and
engaging a room registered as MIR. Ray
mond. He was very suave in manner and
soon won the good opinion of everybody.
He passed as correspondent of the
London Times, and seemed to he walking
cyclopedia of general information. He
came down from Ridley Park with Engineer
Edwin Wells, with whom he had become
acquainted at the park, and to all appear
ances was man of respectable
pDnnpatinn Hn9taFfl0U 4ffa
mond entered the office of Joseph
s. Baker, plumber, at Sixth and Crosby
streets, Philadelphia, and represented
himself as an agent of Philadel-
phia gas fitting house. He gave
his name as Francis, and seemed to
be acquainted with everybody connected
with that establishment, addressing them
familiarly by their first names. As he was
leaving he discovered that he was Short
and asked Mr.. Baker to loan him IS. He
then wrote out a note to Charlie" telling
him to give the bearer the money on HIS
account, and taking "a that Mr.. Baker gave
him left.
Mr.. Baker had his suspicious aroused and
at once started for Philadelphia to see II
this man Francis was really employed at
the house stated. Later in the day Chief
of Police Williamson heard of the presence
of Francis and proceeded to secure suffi-
cient information to warrant his arrest as a
fraud. Unfortunately, Mr.. Baker went to
fnllauelpnla instead OF nrSt leaving In
formation at police headquarters In
Chester and the delay gave the man a chance
to escape.
Raymond is in Philadelphia, and writes
to the Philadelphia Times denying that he
was ever In Wilmington except to gladly
pass through. He was, however, identified
as the man passing for Lieutenant Burwell
In this city on Wednesday. Raymond Is
probably mixed ON his dates, as he has boon
working his games pretty sharply within
tho nm ar faxv xvaaka