The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-28

THE BLAND COLOR ARTIST GATH
ERS IN A LOT OF THEM.

Basis of His Operations and How 1t
was Upset by the Morning News
Exposure-The Story of One of His
Pupils-Some of the Work at Which
They Were to Make Their Fortunes.
The MORNING NEWS recent expose of the
photograph coloring swindle, brought Prof.
w. A. Martins operations to a close much
sooner than he had anticipated, yet he found
many dupeS among poor women who were
attracted by his deceptive advertisement to
furnish them light work at which they
could earn from 81 to SIP per week.
When the MORNING NEWS came out last
Saturday and the chagrined landlady who
had rented Martin a room cad the article
she was very indignant that she should have
been so cas- ~ imposed upon. In an inter
view with MORNING NEWS reporter yes
terday afternoon she said that she took the
paper to Martins "office," and thrusting it
in, asked him to read it. After he had read
the article he assumed an air of injured
innocence and left the house, saying that he
was going to the MORNING NEWS office to
shoot the man who wrote the article, and
sue the proprietor of the paper if a retrac-
ton was not made in the next issue.
A LITTLE BLUFF GAME.
Martin did call at the MORNING NEWS
aud inQuiring for the editors room, was
shown into it. He proved to be good a actor.
He said that very scurrilous article had
been published about him, and he wanted
TO know who was the author He was in
formed that the editor was responsible for
it, and he was asked in what way he had
been unjustly dealt with. He replied that
he was poor young man from the North,
trying to make an honest living teaching
color painting. He added that he might
have known that no Northern man
had any reason to expect Justice in the
South. His business he said, had been
ruined by the publication. He had sold no
paints, and he added that it was not con
dition that he was to furnish photographs
TO be colored and for which he was to pay
any price. He was informed that he might
write out a statement, but this he declined
to do. He was then told that the matter
would be more fully investigated, with a
view to discover if any injustice had been
done him. With that he went his way. He
hurried back to his lodgings, and lost no time
in bundling up his bottles of cheap paints
and photographs which he hastily packed in
bis trunk, and telling the landlady he was
going to change his room to the Screven
House he left at once.
Upon his return from the MORNING NEWS
Office he told his landlady that he intended
to see that there was a retraction in Sun
day paper.
fDo you want to know my opinion about
what he did when he left my houseP' she
asked.
Yes"
"Well, think he got on the car that
would take him to the first boat or train
leaving town. That's what he done.
THE PROFESSORS LANDLADY.
The lady stated that Martin came to her
place on Tuesday, March 10, and rented
room for month, but paid for only two
weeks He then advertised in the MORNING
NEWS, and the first day the landlady's
daughter was kept busy answering the calls
at the door. This she would not permit
after the first day, and thereafter Martin
had to answer the calls himself. He had
bureau full of paints, and the story
he told different callers that he
bad to wait until they arrived from
New York, the woman said, was untrue.
Toward the last Martin delayed the deliv-
cry until, as he put 1t, he could get a
larger class" all the time here and there
picking out his victims and gathering in $4
from each, giving them three photographs
to color as trial pictures. He fixed upon
Saturday to make a Wholesale delivery of
paints to his Glass; and Monday as the
first day to begin to receive and pay for the
pictures they would color, telling one of
his students on the day before his exposure
that he would remain in Savannah four
months.
ONE OF MARTINS VICTIMS.
Among one of many of Martins indignant
victims was Miss s. Z. Smelie, living at No.
1877 South Broad street. That lady was
very ready to relate her experience with
Martin, and she was very much put out be-
cause the police had let him slip away.
Miss Smehe, who has decided taste for
art, visited Martins hastily constructed
studio on Friday, March Is, and took her
first lesson. Martin informed her that she
would have to buy dozen bottles of paints,
which, with all the outfits complete, would
cost her 81 10. He said that his paints had
not yet arrived from New York,
and she would have to cali
again. AS there were others waiting to
take lessons she left, returning Tuesday
morning. Martin then gave her dozen
small vials of coloring matter worth about
75c. or 81 and two very small brushes, for
which he charged her 81 10. He gave her
three photographs to paint, telling her that
that was ali he would give her at that time
and to bring them back Thursday On
Thursday she took them back, and Martin
kept two of them, but faulted the coloring
of one Of them, which he returned, giving
her three Others to color and to return to
him on Monday.
THE POLICE INFORMED.
On Friday, the day following Miss
Smelie's last visit to Martin, the MORNING
wnws exposed the fraud. When Miss
omelie read the article she did not rush
around to Martin to reproach him, but she
quietly hunted up Policeman Rogers, and
told him that she wanted him to keep an
eye on Martin until Monday On Monday
Miss Smelie, full of confidence that the 20
liceman had kept Martin penned up, took
the remaining four photographs over to
20S Broughton street. They were coored
according to Martins latest formula, but
Martin was not there.
Miss Smelie turned the photos over to the
MORNING NEWS that they might not only
adorn its art cabinet but might also point
a moral and adorn tale, and perhaps serve
to warn trusting ladies in other towns to
beware of the leaginous-tongued young
man who gives lessons in coloring photo
graphs. Miss Smelie's investment. which
includes lesson soc, paints 81, brushes Zoe.
sponges pc, and sums up 81 50. proved a
barren ideality, with nothing to show for it
but the fading colors and the four photo
graphs that Martin left behind They are
cabinet photos from the "studio of Genelh
Hubert Brothers, 933 Olive street. St
Louis, Mo-" but, Of course, these parties
have nothing whatever TO do with the
swindlers who are using them.
MANY WOMEN VICTIMIZED.
Miss Smelie said that there were a great
many Indies and hard working girls who