Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-02-19
A FARMER DUPED.
Rock HiU Herald,

main over night, and after being escorted
into the house and seated in front of a glow
ing fire, the elder of the two strangers gave
his name as A. Summerfield, the owner Of {
large livery stable at Lancaster, and tina
his companion, whose name was DuPre
was a Frenchman, who had lately gone t.
Lancaster and could not speak English
Summerfeld then entered into the detail
of an interesting tale which our readers will
perhaps read with interest and we repro
duce it here.
About three weeks before, so the story
runs, two young Frenchmen, named DuPre
arrive at Lancaster from France for the pur
pose of establishing factory for the manu-
facture of fine French wOolen and cOttOr
goods. The machinery for this purpose hat
been shipped from France and had arrived
at Lancaster several weeks ago, togethe
with $500, 900 or 5000, 900 worth of fine Frencf
goods, samples from a factory in Frame
which was owned by the DuPre family
the samples being brought to this countr.
to give the people an idea of the splendid
class of goods that would be turned out by
the proposed Lancaster mills. The brother
also brought with them twelve black sheep
of an extraordinary kind, the wool o
which was used in France for the manufac
ture of fine cassimeres and doeskins. Thes'
sheep were exported for the purpose o
stocking a farm near the proposed factor.
and it was expected the farm would finally
furnish the mills with all the wool tina
would be needed.
The brothers had received much encour
agement from the people Of Lancaster ant
Chester, and were making preparations t.
commence the erection Of the factory. Pend
ing the selection of a site, however, tht
elder of the DuPre brothers dropped deat
on the streets of Lancaster and this calami
ty put an end to operations for tee present
The young brother was thus placed in {
lamentable condition, being unable to speal
the prevailing language, stranger in {
strange land, having on his hands the deat
body of his brother, great amount Of fac
tory machinery, and lot of goods worth
100000. He telegraphed his father IL
France for instructions. The old gentleman
replied at once, directing the young man tt
embalm the body Of his brother, to leave
the machinery with Heath Bros, to dis
pose Of the goods as well as he could, ant
then return to France with the body fo
interment.
The sorrowing young brother had ar
ranged with Summerfeld to assist him il
disposing of the goods, and he was glad tt
say they were succeeding well. The mer
chants of Charlotte had made purchases t.
the amount Of S150,00O. On Friday before
they had left Lancaster with five wagons
loaded with goods to sell as we'll as they
could in the country. Up to Monday the!
had succeeded in disposing Of all but ONT
wagon load and had sent the other wagons
back. The amount obtained from the three
days' sales was about $4,000. On that day
they had sold of the remainder about S3,80'
worth, many of the neighbOrs around buy
ing heavily, and what was then on hands
would have to be sold by the next morning
as the young Frenchman would leave Lam
caster for France on Wednesday morning
in company with the embalmed body of hi
brother. The remnant therefore would bt
sold at great sacrifce-French calicOes a
II cents per yard; French cassimeres at
and 10 cents, and other French goods a
equally low prices. The goods were put W
in packages containing few patterns o
calico, which Mr.. Thomas was assured were
bolts, few patterns of poplins,a few pieces
of cashmere, two table-cloths and two suit
of what was claimed to be French broad
cloth. The merchants in Charlotte had pait
S65 per suit for the broadcloth, it was alleged
butif Mr.. Thomas wanted them they woult
make sacrifice and sell them at S55 pc
suit. Summerfeld eXpatiated long while
but failed to effect sale. The converse
tion finally took a turn and presently Mr.
Thomas and his guests retired.
The next morning found Summertield ant
his bereaved companion still anxious to sci
the remaining goods, and as an lnducemen
to get Mr.. Thomas to buy offered to sell hin
the suits for $40 and throw in the callcoes
etc, but he still declined to purchase. A
70 to1,n
pile was accepted and the money paid over
when the couple left, ostensibly for Ian
caster, but in reality in search of Others
whom they might be able to dupe
Some time after Summerfeld and his com
panion had taken their departure Mr.
Thomas made close examination of his good:
and concluded he had been wotully swim
died. whereupon he went before Justice
Magill and swore out a warrant against
who had done all the talking
He easily got on their track and traced
them to this place, on Thursday afternoon
but not until after they had departed. He
got Constable G.. J. Pride, Jr., to accompany
him in pursuit and next morning Mr.. Prlde
succeeded in capturing Summerheld at the
residence of Mr.. John Nichols, in this coun
ty, where he and the young Frenchman had
lodged the night before. Summerfield was
brought back to Rock Hill, and before the
constable could take him to Richburg before
the Justice by whom the warrant was is
sued, Mr.. Thomas agreed to drop the suit II
would pay back the, money
upon the return Of the goods and would
pay the costs in the case. This Summerfield
agreed to and did do, and was soon on the
road seeking whom else he might devour
Whether or not Mr.. Thomas was swim
died we are unable to say, but 1T IS sur
prising how easily he allowed himself to be
''taken in." The story of Summertield was
and as thin as water, and the
wonder is that any sensible man could have
been gulled by such a tale. Summerteld
try generally and Mr.. Thomas seems not
to have been his first victim.
Our friends in Lancaster will be glad tC
know that the death of the elder DuPre
brother will not'stop the building Of the
factory, as Summerfeld assured Mr.. Thomas
that its erection would be commenced as
soon as an Englsh-speaking cousin of the
DuPres could come from France to take
charge of and superintend its building, and
that it would be expected of all who had
gotten advantage OF their great bargains
that they would assist the coming French
man in buying up sheep farms. Captain
Thomas, we suppose, will assist. At least
we think he ought to, as they have taught
him valuable lesson.
TIE FEBRUARY COTTON REpORT.-The
February cotton report Of the Department
of Agriculture at Washington makes the
crop sent to market from the plantations on
the 1st of February 50! per cent. of the crop,
loo vipU 10I tO he markatel Virginia,