The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-26
A VERY BAD RECORD.
AN ALLEGED CALIFORNIAN WHO
WANTED TO BUY a THEATER.

6rE0IOr4 w 6B MOI " A6b ne O06LnS0
The Young Journalist Detected, but
Permitted 70 Skip the Town With
out Prosecution.
Mr. Edward Bradford made his first pay
ment on the Savannah theater yesterday
morning to his brokers. Messrs LaRoche &
Mclaughlin, and thereby hangs a tale.
Az HISTORIC STRUCTURE.
Anything connected with the venerable
structure. nearly three-duarterso Of a century
old. is Of interest, for its stage has re-
sounded with the tread Of the kings OF
the drama, and its walls have echoed
back the carols Of the queens Of song.
That the ancient landmark should pass into
the bands Of a stranger was certainly
enough to create more ian passing inter
est. This interest was deepened by the
fact that the stranger persisted in saying
that be had bought tho theater. while its
proprietor and manager, Mr.. TomliDsOn
johnson, as positively denied that he hal
sold, or that any one had the right TO
bargain 10 sell the thea er.
Mr.. Bradford. alias Record, came TO Sa-
vannah one day last week and registered
at the Pulaski house. and quietly took
survey of the city, after which he began 20
look around for real estate broker, and
finally settled upon LaRoche & Mclaughlin
as the proper men to aid him in procuring
site for a modern opera house.
THEATERs IN GREAT DEMAND.
The senior member Of the firm was most
favorably impressed with the young CAPT
talist from the Pacific slope, and took great
pains in chapero ing the stranger about the
city. and impressing him with the fact that
no city is making such steady and rapid de-
velopment as Savannah, and in no city in
the country would a modern opera house
be such bonanza as right here. In fact
Mr.. Bradford in his associations with his
brokers and their friends was firmly imbued
with the idea that there ought to
be two or three theaters in Savan-
nah to accommodate the show-going
popuiace. Mr. Bradford had about settled
on site for a new opera house at Brough-
ton and Abercorn streets when the sugges-
ton was made to him Thursday afternoon
that it would be a great scoop for him 10
buy the Savannah theater, and he could
enlarge and remodel 1t at his leisure and
reap rich harvest from his investment.
BETTER TO BUY THAN BUILD.
The idea struck Bradford favorably. and
he and Mr.. LaRoche visited the building,
and after a critical examination a figure
was placed upon it. which Mr. Bradford
FASTENED to accept, taking from his brokers
pliance with the agreement, give him a
clear title to the property. Mr.. Bradford
was to pay 5000 down, and $50, 900 whe1
the papers were made out showing clear
title. The balance of the purchase money,
some $4,000. was to he secured by a
mortgage, and partial payments were to be
made.
Mr. Bradford's brokers staid with him
until long after midnight, congratulating
him over his investment, and were up
bright and early yesterday morning to get
the first payment to bind the sale
The new proprietor Of the theater. after
breakfasting, found his brokers waiting for
him with an anxiety that was fully justified
by the expectation OF the princely commits
sion to be received. Mr. Bradford accom-
panied them to their Office, where be pro-
ceeded to make his first payment He drew
draft for $500 on Kountz Bros, bankers
OF New York, and another for a, 500 on a
San Francisco bank, in the name Of Edward
Bradford and E. r Record
By this time there was suspicion that
Mr.. Bradford was not the capitalist be was
thought to be, and Detective 81 Basch was
told TO shadow him From that moment
the stranger betrayed an uneasinezs,
and he managed 20 gain access to his
room and get some of his linen, which he
carried away in his hand.
DETECTIVE AT HIS HEELS
When Detective Basch next Jaw Brad
ford he was at the Savannah. Florida aud
Western depot, with his hands on the plat
form railing of train about to steam ont
from the depot, but when he saw
Besch cycling him h left hurriadIy
and was overtaken on Bolton street. Here
the officer informed him he must accom-
pauy him down town. Bradford petulantIy
inquired who wanted him, aud the officer
said that the proprietors Of the Pulaski house
wanted him for attempting to skip without
paying four days board past due The two
then drove down TO LaRoche & McLau IN
Inns office, where a long consultation
was held and IL was decided that Bradford
could not bs held for the commission of
any crime, but he was confronted with evil
dence which showed that his New York
draft would not be honored, and that he
was not known in the local annals of Los
Angeles journalism by the name of Brad
lord. II he were known at all, as ne had
claimed
1t was humiliating aud painful ordeal
he was subjected TO, and when he was per-
United 70 leave the Office he went east n
Bryan street at rapid pace, and when
the Charleston train left at $40 O'Clock last
night, Mr.. Bradford wa, a passenger, eager
for the train to pull out, having left a suit
of clothes, valise. and some underwear in
his room at the hotel, without calling to
explain why he had to leave the city so
hurredly.
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.
Suspicion having been aroused an ex-
animation OF his room in the morning, when
Bradford was out with is brokers, dis
closed the fact that his clothing was mark ed
Edward Record. In the bureau drawer
was found telegram torn into fragments,
which, after being carefully placed
together, showed it TO be- from one g. III.
Hallenbeck, and dated New York, Oct. 6.
1t read as follows:
Ed. n. Record-Do not think 1t advisable to
close with Russell to-day. Get his best offer,
and tell him you will have to see me- What
train do you take Tomorrow
When these facts were learned Detective
Basch was instructed to telegraph to
Kountz Bros, New York, and they wired
back:
Neither Of the parties mentioned bradford
or Record are authorized 10 draw upon us for
any amount.
IL Bradford had any scheme or plan TO
defraud any one while here he did not dis
close it. On the contrary, he differed from
any Of the confidence men and fakirs ever
coming under the observation Of the detect
ives Of this city.
IS HE INSANE?
The stranger bears close resemblance to
the Rev. Charles Hudson Smith, of Boston