St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-09
The "Hon. Leonard Morris"
Cuts a Wide SWath in
Dakota.
He Dupes Various People Into
Believing Him a Real Eng
lish Earl,
But Finally Gets Arrested for
Committing a Big London
Forgery.
Inspector Mitchell, Of Scot
land Yard, on His Way
Home With Him.
Special to the Glope.

6peclal 10 tDe OlODe-
FARGO, OAK, Sept. S.-Oswald Rid
die Miles, alias Leonard Morris, earl of
Durham. alias Earl of Chester. was ar
rested in this city at an early hour this
morning by Inspector Mitchell. of
Scotland yard. for forgery of $4,000 on
Woodall & Co., Brokers, of London,
committed about the 18th of July. He
came to Fargo about five weeks ago,
bearing forged letters of introduc-
ton from Vanderbilt and numer-
Gus influential men and members
of clubs in New York and England. His
advent into Dakota was through a
chance meeting with 6. II. Edwards,
agent of the benanZa Grandin farm,
passing himself as brother of the Earl
of Durham of England, an undergradu-
ate of Oxford. and that he was travelling
in America for pleasure incognitO un-
de- the name of Leonard Morris. With
out a second invitation he accompanied
Mr.. Edwards to view the bonanza farm,
as he had letters to the Dalrymples and
others, and
HIS MAIN OBJECT
a bonanza farm in full operation. After
ten days spent at the Grandin farm.
Mr.. Edwards and other prominent men
accompanied him to Fargo. He stopped
at a leading hotel, registering as Hon.
Leonard Morris, England. and within a
very short time was hail-fellOw-
welI-met with a score or more.
Money fairly flowed, and no one
was allowed to contribute cent
while in the earl's company. AT the
time of the Republican state convention
he Signified a great desire to witness the
proceedings and study politics. Such
menaS Gen. Allen, Col. Howell, Jud La
MOure and others prominent in politics
readily satisfied his every wish. In so
ciety he stood on the top round. No
party or private gathering of the elite
was complete without the pleasant, ur-
bane earl incognito. Mr.. Archibald. of
the jamestown asylum, would be only
too gratified to have him pay himself
and family a visit. Certainly he would
spare the time, although his baggage
had been checked
THROUGH To PORTLAND,
where he expected TO meet a party of
Oxford fellow graduates and do the
Yellowstone park, yet he would visit
jamestown. He went, and was received
with wide open arms by the select So
ciety of that city. His bank account
seemed unlimited. He had de-
posted a couple of thousand with
the landlord at the hotel, had
left a considerable amount with DR..
Archibald, had some in the Red River
bank and was SO obliging, so English,
soon reckOned by the score, but
alas, strange stories began to
gain circulation. He had been
been seen riding down Broadway in an
open carriage with the demi-monde.
Society chilled a trifle. His money
flowed all the faster, and his many male
admirers were strong in defense of his
reputation. The Earl of Chester did
not return to his hotel last night nor
until moment before train time this
morning and was standing in the cor
ridOr of the hotel when Inspector
Mitchell, of Scotland Yard, accom-
panied by Officer Cleary, of st. Paul,
and j. B. Woodall, son of the
head of the firm on whom the forgeries
had been made, stepped before him, the
young aliased earl wilted, admitted his
guilt. and accompanied the officers to
Jamestown to secure the money on de-
pOsit there. They returned on the
evening train and went east tonight
with their precious prisoner.