St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-17
A CLEVER SWINDLER.
He is Making Life Burden For the
officials of the United State Geo.
logical Survey.
The Different Chiefs of Bureaus Person
ated and Money Borrowed in
Their Names.
A Row Over the Sum Allotted For
the Benefit of Polygamous
Mormon Wives.
The Appropriation For the Army.-
The Severalty Bill Passed.
Congress.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 16.-A swindler,
who is apparently man of some ability.
has been preyng upon the people in various
parts of the country by representing HIM
self as scientist connected with the geo.
logical survey, and his career has now been
continued with good degree or success for
about four years. He takes the names, one
after another. of the chiefs of the several
scientific branches, and bOrrows books and
specimens from libraries and college mu-
seumS, and money from professors and IL
brarians. He has examined alleged coal,
iron and copper mines and received money
for making favorable reports, which he
promised should appear in the annual pub
lications of the survey. More than once
he has
PROMISED POSITIONS
in the survey to persons who have paid
him literally for the supposed favor. In a
dozen places he has arranged to deliver
lectures upon scientific subjects, and has
decamped after making as many dupes as
possible. He is said to have fair COM
mand of geological and paleontogic termin-
Ology, and to be plausible and entertain
ing talker upon variety of subjects. Re-
Gently he has been operating under the
name and title of Capt. Clarence E. Dut-
ton, whose fame as a geologist and writer
is we'll known. The first that was heard
of him in this character came
in letter to Capt. DuttOn
from Northern Michigan. The writer
said he had driven in the dark and through
the mud along distance to hear the captain
lecture, as per agreement, and was cha
grined and surprised to find that the lee
turer was not on hand, and had not been
heard from at the appointed place. He
could overlook this failure and swallow his
disappointment, but he begged that the two
valuable books, borrowed by the geologist
from a clergyman to whom he was intro
duced by the complainant, be returned, as
the clergyman held him responsible in the
matter. This writer expresses admiration
for Capt. Dutton'S ability and acquire
mentS, but
EARNESTLY LECTURES HIM
upon the grave defects of character be-
trayed by the book episode, and admonishes
him to reform. Then came letter from
the president of an Ohio university apollo
gizing for his delay in forwarding docu-
ments, and expressing the hope that it will
not prove fatal. Next, the president of
literary society in Indiana wrote to close
the bargain for lecture, begging that an
early day might be fixed, and assuring
Capt. DuttOn that the ladies would be de-
lighted to see him again. A man in De-
trOit demanded the return of book loaned
to the captain, and informed him that those
promised to be sent from Washington had
not arrived. Maj. Powell says the survey
has heard from this swinder as often as
once month for four years, and he thinks
it time that steps were taken to put all end
to his career, an opinion which Capt. Dut-
ton thoroughly indorSes.