Omaha daily bee., 1889-02-03
Long Logs, Short Waist and Little
Feet,
A VOICE MORE TENOR THAN BASS
Big Pop Eyes and a Sallow Com
plexion
A FIGURE RATHER ROTUND.
Five Feet, Ten and One-half Inches
High,
THERE YOU HAVE ROSS RAYMOND
The Versatile and Ubiquitous Swind'
Ter Whose Deeds OF Daring Have
More Than Once Startled
Two Continents.
A Smooth SWin,ller.

ITOnurtpht iSSJ DV jU'nFS tTprtDn DcNnctt.l
LONDON, Feb. g. New York Herald
Cablc-Spccial to The BEE, The statement
comes from Birmingham that Mr.. Joseph
Chamberlain discovered on his return from
the United States that Mr. Austin Chamber
lain had been swinded by an ngonius
stranger to the amount of el0, also that
through the introduction Of Austin Chamber
lain the swindler succeeded in obtaining
from the Birmingham Bank the sum of ESQ,
and finally through his own introduction as
Mr.. Chambcrlains son, he was able to
gather in some valuable plants from an or
child dealer The person announced himself
to Mr.. Chamberlain as Mr.. Ritche, an Amer
lean. Now all this reminds those who have
kept themselves informed to re-
cent crimes of the fine Italian hand of the
notorious Ross Raymond an adept in conf.
dencc games whose exploits have startled
two continents. Starting in life as n subor-
dnate journalist, Ross Raymond speedily
discovered special aptitude III other direo'
tions, and few years ago fell like blight
upon the beautiful southern states of Amer
lea, where he passed himself off as n New
York Herald correspondent, and reaped
many of the shelScls of the unwary. He
swept over the south until the Herald laid q
heavy hand upon him, and obstructed by
too much free advertising he
changed his name, wrapped his
mantle Of inQuity closer around
him to defend himself from the chilling
blasts of suspicion, and for time vanished
from the knowledge of men. That he was
still successfully plying hls trade, however,
began to be rumored, and America happen
ing to present Objectionable features as a
field for artistic ingenuity in his line, Ross
RAYMOND lnpartel from itS IiDbpspit ia h1a
shores, and presently turned up in Paris.
Here he played his great COUP which served
to make him famous. He appeared Mt one Of
the swell Paris hotels in the guise of an ori-
entail potentate. He was the hey of Tuns,
or the bey of Agiers, or something
after that fasion, and so successfully
did he ply his confidence vocation
that not only was the Paris Boniface
a sad loser through his distinguished guest,
but wall of grief and impotent rage went
up from the tradesmen of tha Rue dc Ia
Pax, the Rue Castighone, and other boule-
wards, the echoes of which did not die away
in many months. Since the period Of this
splendid display of rascally audacity it has
only been possible to identify Ross Raymond
through the peculiar characteristics OF his
work. He is apparently gifted with ubiquity.
There has been attributed to him confidence
operations occurring on periods very close
together IN widely separated localities.
simply because they bore the ear marks Of
this master of his ar t. The jewel
swinde, to the amount of 1900 francs
in the Rue de la Paix few
weeks ago by an alleged American calling
himself Van Dyke was executed after the
fashion of Ross Raymond. An unsuccessful
attempt of similar character made in Ber.
Raymond. Several other recent cases recall
the methods of this clever and INSCRIPTIONS
rogue. He is now believed to be in England.
Three weeks ago he presented a forged let
ter of introduction to Wilson Barrett, in
Nottingham. 1t purpcrtad to be from James
Russell Lowell, introducing him as = Har-
ward university professor, and desir-
ing Mr.. Barrett TO lecture in Cam
bridge, Mass. He impersonated tho
character admirably, and might
h ave succeeded in exacting a loan from the
tragcdan, only that the latter happened to
show the letter to resident who knew Mr..
Lowcl's penmanship. Meanwhile the ras-
cal had fed. He has many wigs and IS a
master OF disguise. Not long ago he played
his arts on the mayor of StratfOrd- on Avon,
and also on Henry Irving, presenting him
self by forged letters Of introduction from
his alleged uncle, George w. Childs, of Phil
adelphia who gave TO Sbakespeare's BIRTH
place last year fountain that Mr.. Irving
dedicated. The very latest story since the
Chamberlain swindle is related of
clever person who made his appear
ancc aJ Ballymeua few days ago
representing himself to be Major General
Roche, an officer in the English army,
ANXIOUS to purchase troop horses He sue
cceded IN obtaining an introduction to
gentleman owning fine stud, and obtained
four splendid animals and change out OF
$500 check. Afterwards it was presented at
the bani; on which il was drawn aud was
returned dishonored. II is quite on the
cards that the Egyptian officer was Ross
Raymond. So many years have passed since
he began his ncfariOus career that it is
really about time the authorities, in the
different countries he favOrs with his visits,
called a halt.
To aid in this most desirable work the
Herald gives the following accurate descrlp-
tiOn Of the notorious ex- Journalist and present
confidence man: Height five feet ten and
half inches, weight 1876 pounds, fingers deli
cate and tapering long waste and short legs,
small feet and a small but a good corpora
ton, sallow complexion big pop eyes, an He-
braic cast of features and given to wearing
false boards and whiskers, and also specta-
cles. He Is about forty years-Old, with o
voice more tenor than bass, and IL fond Of
whisky. He was born IN North Cumberland,
but has resided much in America.
-
An Indian Scare.
SACRAMENTO, Gala, Feb. 1.-The ou1cials