The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-22
TAKEN In BY A FAKIR.
TRICKS OF A SHREWD STRANGER
WITH MANY ALIASES.

solid with the Boys" But ia Caught
Pockets-Lawrence Believed to be
the Same SHARP" That Victimized
Atlanta, Macon and Augusta.
George Lawrence is in a fair way to eat
his Christmas turkey in Jail. He came here
Wednesday representing himself as adj
vance agent of John Robinson's big show,
and took up quarters at the Pulaski house.
He represented that the Only great origi la
John Rohinsons worldwide, highly moral
circus and interesting religious animal
show would pitch its tents in Sa-
vannah Jan. 4 and s. positively for two
days only, and that he was here 10 perfect
all necessary ARA 1gements for the comfort
of the vast aggregation of talent, and the
international convention of animals which
would be on exhibition under acres Of can
vas IL lie could find room enough near the
city to put up the tents
CONTRACTS BY THE DOZEN
Lawrence contracted with the proprietors
of the Pulaski house to house the artists Of
the arena, the ringmaster aud the funny
clowns and he then started out to contract
for the provender for the trick mules,
and the trained Arabian steeds
and the meats for the hyeuaS T. 'ers and
lions, none of which were ever fed on any
thing less expensive than Boston beef, while
he insisted tnat the thingamaroo and the
whachyoumaycallit, recently lassooed in
Nomansland, must be fed on the latest
turkeys in the city. He sent out for we'll
known but cher in the market who had been
recommended u him rs one who
would be able to furnish the
juiciest meats to the will animals
and the butcher visited Lawrence at the
hotel, and was impressed with the i'm
mensity of the rations IL would take TO
supply such vast aggregation of animal,
reptile and bird life.
A CATCH FOR THE BUTCHERS.
Such voluble advance agent could not
fail to impress the butcher and before tine
latter parted with Lawrence he had three
contracts in his pocket, which included the
furnishing of food to all the animals from
the sacred mouse of Thibet to the gigantic
African elephant and all the birds from
the tiny Egyptian humming bird
to the South American condor. With such
profitable batch of contracts in his pocket,
the butcher thought Lawrence was very
modest in only wanting a little paltry com
mission of $25, and that sum was advanced
cheerfully, and Lawrence was introduced
about town as the rattling agent of the
greatest show on earth.
Having arranged for housing the circus
talent and providing for the appetite of the
animals, Lawrence began to look around to
see what he could do to start of John Rob-
inson'S circus with great ectdt.
FREE WITH PASSES.
He formed the acquaintance of ex-Justce
of the Peace Mike Naughtin, and with that
gentleman visited the city exchange to
learn the cost of the license. Here Law
renee made himself agreeable as an mimi
table teller of side-Splitting anecdotes, and
he was SO favorably impressed with Mr..
Naughtin that he gave him fou teen re-
served seat tickets for the parquette, and
made him his special agent to furnish the
mayor, aldermen, city clerk and all the
judicial and county offices with free pas .es
to the dress circle of the show on both
nights.
Justice Sam Reynolds was introduced TO
Lawrence as one of the Judges, and Rey-
nolds was given carte blanche for seven
passes. Thursday afternoon Lawrence en-
gagged two-horse rig and took in the town,
and Thursday night he painted it a ros cate
cardinal. a
BEGAN TO sUsSEor SOMETHING.
That night when tue butcher went home
and looked over his three big contracts,
which, if he had been permitted to carry
out, would have Melted some $500 or $500,
he began to wonder why John Robinson's
agent was satisfied with so small commits
sion and he began to think that he mad
been duped.
Yesterday morning he put Detective S.
Basch on Lawrence's track, and when the
detective struck up with the circus man he
accused him of being a fakir. Lawreoce
assumed to be very indignant, said he was
q gentleman, and wanted Basch to under
stard it. kilograms were sent Off inquir-
ing il Lawrence represented John Robin
son, but no answers came. Lawrence was
unable to return the S25. he had received
from the butcher, and was lodged in the
barracks. having only 80 on his person
when locked up. Last night warrant
was issued from Justice Molina's office
charging him with obtaining money under
false pretenses, and he was committed to
Jail.
PLENTY OF ALIASES.
Lawrence, it appears. has a new alias in
every city he visits. At Atlanta he repre-
scented himself as Mr.. Van lerb 1t, agent
for Sells Bros, circus He played the same
game there, obtaining margins from
merchants, with whom he contracted as
Sells advance agent. At Macon, on Nov.
IL. he gave the name of Charles Dayton,
agent for Sells Bros, and after breakfast at
the hotel Lanier he made contracts for sup
plies for Sells B~os' circus, receiving
margins from different dealers ranging
from $40 to SIS. He was arrested
for cheating and swindling, and
was afterward indicted by the
grand jury. On Monday last after a
months imprisonment he was tried in the
Macon city court and acquitted. When re-
leased he talked of prosecuting Mr.. w. H.
Wood, butcher, whom he had victimizet,
and who was the cause of his arrest. The
Telegraph says that while in the Macon
Jail Capt. Martin of the Montgomery
police force, identified Lawrence as Dixon
the safe blower, as did Mr.. S. A. Crump Of
Macon Dayton after his release from
jail slandered the jailer's household, and on
Tuesday afternoon Jailer Birdsong hunted
him up and gave him John L. Sullivan
blow on the nose aud slapped his face
HIS CAREER IN MACON.
The Telegraph in noting his disappear
ance from Macon, saws; at is said that a
party Of men have been looking for him to
place him on tue cars, or on a rail, if con-
venient." Sells Bros. published a card re-
ferring to Vanderbilt in which tn y saw:
"We understood that ma named Van
derbit has been representing himself as an
agent for our circus, and has teen making
CONTRACTS with hotels, liverymen, bill post
ers, lot owners and others, and on the
strength of these contracts he has borrowed
money and been guilty OF swindling the
people in various ways Hehas no authority
: TO make contracts for us; has never been in
our employ at all, and, IN fact, we have
never seen the man, but have learned OF
his swiudling transactions in different parts
OF the country. He has provided himself,
we understand, with printed blanks, which
N L.