The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-16
vvaRo MASTERS NERVE.
passes for White at washington
ne md Cuts q Mighty Figure.
Fram the Baltimore American.

nj a
srou the Baltimore American.
u.sHrNeroN, July 13.-Ben White, a
-, negro from Boston, struck this town
.So,,t a year ago in destitute condition.
1Do1 -.a,ants found it hard enough to exc
- living for two in Boston, so got rid of
D. hv sanding him here. The boys name
ben " White, and the only reason for
MoS 30. - that name can be found IN the
-. .hat his father Tears reputation OF no
laCS ou -s,.5ay as a decorative Whitew asher.
II.te ,,onno negro was so nearly white
~ resemble a dark-complexloned
ca,casian rather than negro. He bore a
liter of introduction to the rector OF an
Fniscopal church on Capitol NIL, VINO mas
L,p1,-i Known Whites true condition. the
a. ai'.1:yuan secured for the pseudo White a
Ciei - with Dr. Corning as general chore
Here he passed for white In every
Wy, and soon made himself so generally
"af1in that he was promoted by easy
u ts.as IN a Dosicion in which ne received a
etds NJ 800 a year. ABBOTT this time his
seon-dinate love of dress began TO assert it
naif He indulged in extravaganza outfits,
Sd sd snent fanciful sums for his togs. He
e 1iIa secured the position of general Wash
a. 5,+on AGENT for Chester b. Albree, The
i ms oscsne manufacturer, of Allegheny, Pa
III ahout this time he also began to shine
.aioIIv He had apartments al one of the
ssoshio1able hotels of Washington. Here he
AA1.;ngled with some of the best people in
.nis c,ty. and bad but little trouble in being
.l,1 into the best circles of Wash
;a~ton's society. In maintaining his posi-
Us, in the social whirlpool he was as liberal
W veritable priace. His floral presents
1.ora the handsomest Small could get up.
st he ran I'D large bills at high-priced
nh en- off hn
80 If invitation and other bits of work
for the reckless free lauce.
white not only passed In the highest So
cietv in Washington, but like a true
..bl9od. he cultivated the demi-monde with
q magnificent lavishness. Swell wine sup
,ers with 1.-The girls" as his guests, were
classed among his frequent amusements, and
no more captivating host than this young
s,coon" could easily be found. In his flyers
with society he was not content with the
middle class or moderately wealthy. as
might be supposed, but was the frequent
quests of congressman and senators. In
fact. he was often seen at the theaters and
elsewhere as the escort of leader in social
circles.
Tee fellow was dude of no mean caliber,
and if he had the treasury of the United
States back Of him he would have bank
rupted it without turning hair. Twenty
five suits eff clothes were found at his hotel
after he was called away from the city, and
the pairs of patent-leathers, russell CATERS
and other fashionable articesof footwear in
his possession when he fed cause acute
anguish in the breast of his shoemaker,
whose unpaid bills is another evidence of
Whites extravaganza. The story of Whites
downfall was told briefly in this mornings
american. He has been at work for Albree,
the fiFe-escape manufacturer, for some
time past. and recently secured
the contract with the Louise Home
for putting up such escapes as was
necessary The work was done by Albree's
men, and some time after its completion
White received payment for the work in
four checks. aggregatng 1000. By this
time he was getting over MS mead i'll the
social swim. Bills from florists, tailors
bootmakers and others were coming
regularly through the mails, and the young
sharp began to perceive that nothing but
decisive move would save him. He forged
Albrees name to ali the checks, making
tnem payable to himself, and deposited the
checks at Lewis Johuson's bank. He then
began to take his flight higher than ever,
spending in a few weeks over 5000. His
wild splurge began to alarm Mr.. Corning,
who knew Whites salary, and be-
ing convinced that something was wrong,
manner of living pursued by White, and
advising him to look after his accounts in
this city. ThursdaYS r. G. Curry, trav-
cling agent for Albree, arrived in this city
from Plttsburg, and at once discovered that
the Louise Home debt had been paid Il
month before. White, by this time. had
learned Of Curry's presence in this city, and
by Friday morning had all his plans ar
ranged for speedy flight. At the Lang
ham, he stated, with deliberate GOODNESS,
that he was going to Saratoga for the sum-
mer, and had the clerk at he desk cash Il
Sl4 check for him. He then went
to the Belvedere hotel and secured
room. In the evening he entered
the hotel with bis usual jauntiness, and
went to his room, where he rang for mes
senger. Giving the boy who answered the
cali bill, he sent him to the Baltimore and
fotomac depot to purchase a ticket for
Lexington, KY, and on the messengers re-
turn ne left the hotel, going through the
para, presumably FOX the purpose of enter
ing the IL o'clock traiu for Kentucky with
out having to pass through the crowded
depot. This was the last seen, of him, and
ne passed out of sight, nonchalantly puff g
acigarette, and apparently as unconcerned
as though he were strolling out for a cali
upon some fashionable acquaintance.
!, before leaving on Friday he idrew from
bne bank the last $500 remaining, and is
consequently we'll fixed for his southern
travels. White wouli never be taken for
a negro He is of dark, sallow complex
ion, and by constantly kee ping his kinky
halr clipped close to his hea I'D, he DESTROYED
ali evidence as to his race. He had the
Drown eyes of negro, handsome teeth aad
fairly good features.