The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-09-16
GAY LITTLE MAN
Plays His Little Game Too Long and is
Nnbbed-IInETy I.ncy Jngged.

Cording to Lacy was 10 show here Octo-
her s and 0, and for which he made the
most extensive arrangements.
Saturday it was developed that Lacy
was confidence man and fraud of the
first water. As soon Us this was learned
to BIZ an indisputable fact there was q
rush Of those the sharper had worked
for money, to get him in the laws
clutches. 1t was not long till he was
landed behind the bars and he is still
there. The chances are believed to be
excellent for his going to MOundsville
and spending a term in the
State penitentiary, That, however,
will be no new experience
for Lacy according to the latest report re-
ceived concerning him. This report is
that his right name is Harry Bertram,
and that under that name he served
term in California for doing the very
same thing he has done here. This re-
port comes from the Lancaster cor
respondent OF the New York Clipper. In
his letter OF last week he had the follow
ing:
ry Lacy representing that he was con-
tracing agent for Forepaugh's circus,
called on Manager Durham, Of the Opera
House on the 9th, saying he wished TO
arrange for billing the show, which
which would exhibit here October and
9. Mr.. Durham telegraphed to Adam
Forepaugh, who replied that the show
would not be here this year, and that
the man was an impOstOr. Harry u
mer, manager OF the She Company, ar
rived here on the 9Th and spoke to
Lacy, who was leaving for the west on
the same train. Ulmer recognized him
as Harry Bcrtram. who had served u
term in Jail in California several years
ago for Obtaing money by claiming to be
ia advance OF various shows and seCur-
ing bonus from people with whom he
made alleged contracts. He is at his old
tricks, hut Manager Durham nipped his
little game in the bud, although several
people had fallen victims"
This story Of how he tried to work
Lancaster, is the story briefly told of
how he did work Wheeling. He arrived
here week ago yesterday, and proceed
ed to make himself agreeable with
everybody. His nerve was something
phenomenal, aud he cut wide Swath.
lie contracted with Secretary Hook, Of
the State Fair Association, for the use
Of the grounds for $500 and made great
blow over it, taking care to impress on
everybody with whom he came in con-
tact that he was the only man who had
ever sucCeededin getting the fair grounds
for circus purposes. He had a hundred
different schemes in connection with his
show. After making contract for the
grounds he went after and got the bar
privilege. Money was no object TO him
and it mattered little what prices the
people with whom he made his contracts
wanted, for everything went. He kept
Omiortably tankGd up on beer all the
week and had one or two scrimmages
that led to his arrest and presentation
before the bur OF justice pre-
sided over by his friend, Mayor
Scabright, from whom he borrowed $25
few hours before his arrest Saturday.
He tried TO sublet his bar privilege 10
Mclaughlin 4 Mckinley, but failing to
work them in satisfactory manner, he
let Sam Brubaker have it for l0O, which
was $50 less than he had contracted
with Secretary Hook for it, and got Mr..
Brubaker to make an advance OF $50 on
the $l00. He made a contract with +.
Schenk & Sons for meats for the animals
aud worked them for S27 80. From
Kimberly & Davis, who were to furnish
hay for the elephants and horses, lie got
$50, and came near getting more. He
had other people on the string, and
would probably have sCooped them in
had he had little more time and not
been quite so devoted to Wheeling's ex-
ccllent quality Of beer.
The fact that he had no luggage OF any
great amount with him, and that all his
contracts were gotten up on type
writer instead OF being printed as is al
ways the case with circus contractors,
together with several other little irregu-
larities on his part, made several people
suspicious. Friday night Editor Faris,
of The Graphic, sent dispatch to
Forepaugh at Fl. Dodge, Iowa, asking
about Lacy. The answer was received
Saturday morning, 1t was signed
by old Forepaugh himself, and stated
that lie would not show hers this fall,
that he knew Lacy and that he was
thief, and advised that he be ar
rested. This was shown to
the proDr;etors OF the Mcclure
House where Lacy had been stopping.
They at once went before Justice Phil
lips and swoEe out a warrant, which was
served by Constable Lon st. Myers.
Lacy settled the hotel bill, but that did
not let him out, for Mr.. Brubaker had
sworn out warrant charging him
with fraudulently obtaining $50. Lacy
in default OF 5000 was sent to jail to
await the hearing this afternoon. He
kept his nerve 10 the last and Charac-
terized all the proceedings against him
as an outrage. The cases against him
are clear, and there appears to be no
loophole by which he can escape getting
the punishment he deserves.