Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-14
LAYTON LIGHTS OUT.
A Hotel Advertising SwindIer Accumu-
Iates Bills Amounting to Upwards of
81, 900 and Disappears, Leaving His
IN tho

A Hotel Advertising SwindIer Accumu-
Iates Bills Amounting to Upwards of
$1,000 and Disappears, Leaving His
Creditors in the Lurch.
Some time ago, either the latter part Of
October or early in November, a party
calling himself A. g. Layton arrived in
the city and registered at the Pulaski
House. After getting the lay Of the town
be announced himself as a hotel desk
manufacturer. and went to work TO Sc
cure permission to erect desks in eacn OF
the four hotels in the city. Inc
desks were to be given to the hotels, the
advertising space on them TO be filled with
illuminated advertisements, for which
he contracted with merchants and busl-
ness houses. The first desk fitted up was
in the Pulaski House reading room, which
was completed about Christmas. Ehe
desks for the other notes.-the Screyen
House. the Marshall and Harnett-were
not completed on Monday, when Layton
gathered his trappings around him and
lit out of the city, leaving unpaid bills
amounting to u wards of 1000.
Layton led fast life from the day he
came to Savannah, and won repu-
tatiOn so unsayOry that he was
Stunned by respectable men.
The business houses with which he mad
contracts and dealings are among his
principal victims. After obtaining con-
tract fO- certain amount of advertising
space in his desk the advertiser gave his
note for the payment of the amount agreed
upon payable upon the fultillment OF the
contract In a number of cases these
notes. after having been advanced upon
and not Endorsed, were discounted to par
ties who, upon their presentation, dlscov-
cred the swindle. Layton was finally ar
rested, but compromised the matter and
went on with his work.
1t was with a good deal Of difficulty
and, in many instances, after several
DAYS drumming, that he secured con-
tracts. The general appearance OF the
man was against him, and gave the i'm
preston that he was fraud. His man
ner was repulsive, but, aided by I'M
daunted perseverance and making tne
iairest of promises, he succeeded IN OBJ
tanning contracts amounting to upwards
of 1900. Only a small part OF them.
however, were fulfilled.
The contracts for building the desks
were let to Savannah builders, who figure
as losers to the amount of over 5000. A
number of leading merchants, llyerymen,
the hotels where he boarded, and his law
yer are out whatever was due them, and
which, probably is not less than sou or
$500.
Layton patFonized all the bars in the
city where there was any chance of OBJ
tanning the acquaintance Of the young
men Of the town, and spent his
money freely what he had, and
succeeded in obtaining credit in number
Of places, probably many more than are
willing to acknowledge dealings with him.
After fleeing everybody into whose con-
idence be could Orm himself, and obtain
ing in number Of instances goods under
promise to paw, his funds became low, as
they probably were the most Of the time,
and being pressed for payment he took
refuge from his creditors by fleeing the
city. The last that was positively seen Of
him was on Monday about noon, when he
to be greatly excited about
and was believed to be drunk,
| is thought that be left either Monday
afternoon or sometime during Monday
night by some of the outgoing trains,
either to Charleston or Florida.