Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-03-06
A BOGUS LORD.

A BOGUS LORD.
WHILE LOOKING FOR FARMS HE
TAKES TIME TO DO SOME
STEALING.
THE REAL ESTATE MEN AT HARRISON
BURG FIND A CUSTOMER WITH A e., OO(
DRAFT-AFTER BUYING LARGELY HF
SKIPS TO AUGUSTA WHERE HE ssBOR'
ROWS" A WATCH AND lifts" $6O-HE
IS ARRESTED AND SENT TO HARRISON
BURG.
sc. &C., &C.
On Monday evening Of last week, a short,
thickset man, apparently about thirty years
of age, with dorld complexion and a
strong English accent, walked into the
Revere House at Harrisonburg and wrote
upon the register, Lord Fl. A. Hope of
London, Eng" Hegave out that he wan
ted to invest in property, and was soon tax
ell in charge by the boomers and real estate
men OF the town and driven around to in
spect various eligible pieces of real estate.
He exhibited Bank of England draft for
$4,000, OF what purported tc lie that, and
purchased the Liggett farm of 225 acres
North Of that town, at 800 per acre, the
terms to be half cash and the balance IN
one and two years with interest-the cash
to be paid down as soon as the title could
be examined byhis legal counsel. He also
bought a vacant lot on East Market street,
adjoining the Register" newspaper Office.
for 81 200 caSh-or what was to be cash.
He also drove over three or four farms
near town in company with the real estate
men with view to purchasing. While
his days were spent in these serious bust
ness transactions, his evenings were put IN
among the lighter and more volatile denizens
of ''Smoky Row. and ''Tin Cup Alley"
On Wednesday he bought 81 suit of
clothes from D. NJ Switzer & Son and left
his old suit to be wrapped up, promising
to call the next morning, pay for the new
suit, and take away the old one. Thursday
morning he attempted to board the 5
O'Clock freight for Staunton at Elizabeth
street crossing, but the speed of the train
was too great for him and he struck out
walking, for Pleasant Valley station. man.
aging to spare time enough on the way to
negotiate for the farm of Lewis Kaylor.
He left behind in Harrisonburg hotel bill
of $500, the Switzer bill of $500, and sew
eral obligations for small loans obtained
from the enthusiastic real estate men.
When he arrived in Staunton he went to
house to which he brought an introduce
ton from Harrisonburg bagnio and re-
manned there it is supposed till Saturday.
In the meantime Mayor Switzer of Harri-
sonburg and one OF two of the Harrison
burg police arrived in Stanton looking
him up. AS he had made descent on one
booming town, it was thought he might
have steered his flight to some other, and
kilograms were sent to Basic City, Buena
Vista and other places. But he had, for a
time, taken these towns off his tourist list
and was operating in the country.
On Saturday he appeared at Swoopes.
eight miles West of StauntOn, afoot, hay
ing doubtless heard Of the presence Of the
Harrisonburg police in Staunton, and left
here between trains. He dropped in at the
farm of Mr.. John Thompson, one of the
best known and most respected citizens of
that neighborhood. To Mr.. Thompson he
stated that he was looking for a farm to
buy. and borrowed his horse to ride around
and look at some in the vicinity. When he
returned he asked if they would keep him
over Sunday and they Hospitality agreed to
do so. He was very anxious to get farm
to suit him and proposed before he left to
look at others in that section.
On Sunday evening he at last found the
sort of farm he was looking for. He was
sitting with Mrs. Thompson in the parlo1
and asked her to let him see her watch
She handed it-a gold one-tO him. After
inspecting it, he said it wanted cleaning and
he would take it to Staunton with him the
next day and have it cleaned for her. She
declined at once, but he very coolly put it in
bis pocket, saying it needed cleaning and
should have it. She says that she saw from
his eye then that it would be better to give
it up. There were none OF the gentlemen OF
the farm around and if she resisted the thief
she feared the fellow might kill her. Aftel
dark came on, he borrowed Mr.. Thompson 5
horse and rode down the road piece where
he left the horse with Mr.. Thompson
brother and started afoot for Staunton
After he left the house, Mrs. Thompson
happened to think of a satchel which wa:
,r-J,i oh canfa Nd
considerable sums Of money. including
some $50. little fund she was keeping fol
her infant child. On opening it she founC
that the man had opened it during her ali
-sence from the room. and robbed the baby
pocket book OF it's contents and also stolei
the baby's gold necklace. The thief hat
missed $115 Of her own money in anothel
pocket book which yas in the satchel, al
well as two OF three smaller sums he nigh
have gotten if he had not made such a hur
the theft and Mr.. Thompson started a NAL
to Staunton Oh the midnight train to lool
the thief up.
But in the meantime "Lord" Hope ha
come to grief. When he arrived in Staun
ton about O'elock, being unfamiliar wit
the streets he approached man on COZ
ner and asked his way to the place he ha
stopped at when here. The man proved t
be a Harrisonburg policeman who was her
on the hunt for him. The policeman Offer
ed to show him the way and did-to tn
county Jail, where he was safely lodged il
q coll When Tailor Ruohpr searched hin