St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-22
AN AMERICAN ANANIAS.
A SwindIer ofVarious Accomplish
ments and the Boss Liar OF the
Nation Now Working st. Paul.

this country that but few have attained
national prominence through drawing
the long bow. To be sure Eli Perkins
has reached fame and riches, too,
through his LACK of veracity, and by
steering clear of the truth at all times,
Col. Tom Ochitree and Joe Mulhatton
have managed to keep even with the
yecords made by the boss liars Of ancient
ymes-Ananias and his spouse. But
shese and all other stellar American
Munchausens rank subordinate to one
but recently arrived i'll this city-a 30
hemian of the first water, who came
here from st. Louis few days ago.
His name is Kelly. At least, that is
one Of the many names he uses in his
business. He has as many aliases as
there are sands on the sea shore, and ii
he works other cities as he does st.
Paul, he undoubtedly needs them all.
The appearance OF this Mr.. Kelly is not
prepossessing, and yet it serves to illus
trate in the highest degree the trulsm
that it is not safe to judge a man by his
clothes. He is suavity itself and the
best specimen of the genus liar that has
ever appeared in st. Paul.
To summarize his dOings since he be-
gan cavorting around this city less than
4 week ago would be difficult task. He
has worked sill the old racketS and sew
eral new ones with phenomenal success,
and is still at it. Numerous rebutfS
have not diminished the volume OF his
nerve. ard the Swath he has cut in sew
eral local circles will long be remem-
bered. As has been stated this MI.
Kelly came here from st. Louis. He
came unheralded, and it is well
for him that he did. The first
thing. he did after his arrival
was to visit the various newspaper
offices. He looked in at each in turn,
sighting none, and gave all whom he
met to understand that he was jour
nalist of the metropolitan variety, con-
yersant with all the details of news
PAPER work. In proof of his statement,
Which had doubtful ring, MIR. Kelly
fished out of his inside pocket tattered
document which was an Endorsement OF
his extraordinary ability. 1t bore what
purported to be the signatures OF sew
eral prominent editors and writer's Tor
the press of st. Louis, and gave MI.
Kelly IL good send-off. On the strength
of this he proceeded to realize imam
cially from the acquaintance he had
made and Melted handsome amount.
Then he loaded himself with Boyne
water to celebrate his arrival in the cap
ital of Minnesota. Had his money held
out. there would have been a whisky
famine in St. Paul. AS it was, he sue
ceeded in getting gloriously drunk, and
M to a late hour yesterday was still in
1itinn Tho IiOInr which
MI. Kelly imbibed did not at any stage
of the game affect his power of speech.
On the contrary, it seemed to aid his
articulation. 1t gave him frequent
hemorrhages of language, and at every
Opportunity he ran the gamut OF
tongues, quoting the Greek and Latin
poets with such tluency as to impress
his hearers. But all things have an
end, and when MI, Kelly came to the
limit of his financial tether, he dlscoy-
cred that the journalistic Samarltans,
who had befriended him at the outset,
could not be induced to bite again.
Yesterday he gave striking example
of his versatility. Shortly after noon
hour this ultra-Bohemian invaded the
Army building, Second and Robert
streets, and, penetrating to the office OF
the department commander, announced
himself as an attaehe of the GLOBE, and
asked to see Gen. Ruger. That gentle
man had not yet returned from
luncheon. and Mr.. Kelly was SO in
formed. 1t made no difference to him,
however. us the bearer of important in
formation he could and would wait
Given a seat the visitor cleared his
throat and then deluged the Office with
his eloquence. He opened up In Greek,
turned to Latin, sandwiehed in a little
Spanish. eaSed off OH French and then,
dropping into plain United States, told
his hearers that he was sen OF Gen.
Getty. He did not look it. Had he
stated that he was an applicant for adj
mission to the workhouSe there would
have been no good reason TO dlSbelleVe
him. However, before those with
whom he was conversing had recovered
from the surprise induced by the sud
denness with which the visitor revealed
himself as Mr.. Getty, they were told by
him that there was to be some import
ant changes in army circles. First
Gen. Terry had fully decided to retire
and Gen. Ruger, SO MI. Getty, alias
Kelly, stated, would be promoted to the
vacancy. He further said that the
information which he impaired had
come to the GLoBE by wire from Wash
ington. Having fired this bombShell
Kelly began to cultivate, or, as he put
it, renew the acquaintance which he
had with the heads of departments,
He knew all about the army, its move
ments and the men composing it, and
had their biographies at his tongues
end.
Approaching Gen. Thos. S. Vincent
Adit. Gen. Kelly grasped his hand an6
said: Hello, Tom, old boy, how are
you? | declare, you remind me 81
much of Gen. MeiggS that were | no
certain of my senses l should think
was addressing the latter Gen. Vim
cent looked hard at the fellow, who, un
abashed, kept up such a flow of CONVEX
Sation on military topics that at las
Gen. Vincent offered him seat and Ell
tertained him for fully twenty minutes
Then the visitor attempted to negotiate
q small loan and the interview termi
mated abruptly.
In some way OF other Kelly managed
to elude the messenger whose DuSlneS:
it is to sit near the door to the office O
Gen. Ruger and prevent callers from
entering before they have stated thei
business and it is learned whether the.
will be received or not. AS he entered
the Office of Gen. Ruger Kelly EXTENDED
his hand and said in his blandest tone
"Tom, old man, you are looking as wei
Us when secured your appointment a
Washington"
Motioning him away, Gen. Ruge,
touched bell and q messenger appear
ing, ordered that Kelly be elected from
the building. This was done, but Kell.
was equa! to the occasion. He returned
planted himself in the adjutant gen
erals Office, and would have been ther'
yet had henotb been elected second time
Several of the army officers. including
Gen. Vincent, acknowledged after Kel
ly's departure that they had been takeI
in by HIM, and also paid him the com
pliment Of saying that he was tn,
slickest sWindler ever seen about thi
premises.
Where Mr.. Kelly is now is uncertain
l.