Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-11-13

DdSb Wcch WHEN ne was mere, buc
Colonel told his friends he was on his
way TO Gettysburg to make observations
on the battlefield, for the purpose Of
compiling history Of the battle. This
book, he said, he was writing for New
York publishers, and was to receive $500
for it. At the time he was we'll dressed,
had plenty of money and was liberal
with it. He left for Harrisburg after
brief stay here. His friends expressed
some doubt as to his Gettysburg history.
They knew his crookedness and propen-
sity for assembling and therefore &C
cepted his statements with the proven
bal grain of salt.
Another incident illustrates his COM
posure and ssnvlty under trying cir
cumstances. The older citizens of York
will recollect the school which an old
gentleman named Kraber, about thirty
years ago, taught in little building to
the rear of the Episcopal church.
Kraber was once too i'll to teach and
procured Porter as substitute. The
men were opposites in pedagogical
management. Kraber was stern; Porter
was elastic and lenient. The boys
recognized his weakness and made the
most of it. They pelted him with soft
tomatoes, rotten apples and other
missiles. Porter smiled; Porter bowed;
Porter expostulated; but never relaxed
In sauvity. As result of his efforts to
maintain discipline by moral suaSion,
the school was turned into pandemo-
mum while he served as substitute.
How often he was married his
friends do not pretend to say. Twice,
at least, he bowed at Hymen's altar.
His first wife was a Roman Catholic
lady and through her he is supposed TO
have become so intimately acquainted
with prominent Catholic personages.
There is story, more probably pure
| fiction, that he and Cardinal McCloskey
were on very friendly terms with each
other. Was 1t true? 1t is more rea-
sOnable to accept this tale as one OF the
dreamy emauations from the brain OF
| the deceptive Colonel. In strange con-
traSt TO his professed friendship with
prominent Catholics are his continued
efforts to prey upon Catholic priests
and schools. 1t is hard to reconcile his
conduct with his professed regard for
his victims.
''But as TO his matrimonial ventures.
His second marriage was as singular as
/ his conduct. He met lady at Harris
| burg one Sunday evening and was intro
duced TO her. He had never met her
| before, but that did not prevent him
I from marrying her on Monday evening.
| Maybe his winning ways and courteous
manners secured him this prize, but
aside from all conjectures 1t proved to
be a marriage at very short notice.
Porter was known as tricky fellow
/ in his early days. He was born and
raised on the West side. His father was
John Porter, fine good natured gentle
man and altogether unlike his son.
/ When yet a young man Isaiah was I'm
/ plicated in the burning OF several barns
/ and was sent to the house of refuge.
| After serving his sentence at that insti-
} tuition, he was liberated and given fine
+ education by benevolent gentleman.
I In the course of time he graduated
4 from Union College and became a
| disciple of Blackstone. His friends
say he was a shrewd lawyer and
had he remained an upright citizen
! of York and practiced his profession, his
| talents would have before this time Sc
| cured him recognition in the form OF
public office, but instead of following an
| honorable career he entered upon life
/ OF trickery, fraud and deceit. 1t is said
/ that he Swindled a Hanover bank, his
| accOmplice being his So-called handsome
wife. Also that he entered into part
ship with his father and succeeded In
running him. Others say he left York
and practiced his confidence games in
| Philadelphia. That his crimes were
written up and the inevitable shame and
grief which his father experienced on so
I pablo an exposure of his son, while not
destroying the pride with which he re-
garded him, brought him heart broken
to his grave. Thus, with slight varia-
tions, Porter ran the gamut OF petty
crime, forgery and knavery, one time in
prison and another time out. To such
an extent did he carry on his nefarious
practices that he was written up In
books.
"a recital Of his many crimes would
be firing and would fill volumes.
''As the Colonel's operations were con-
fined mainly to schools and colleges, he
did not forget to pay his respects to the
folks at the Millersville State Normal
School. II is said that the principal Of
that institution fell a victim to his
wiles, to greater OF less extent, in cold
cash.
''Mr. J. NJ. Austin, the well-known
publishing man, after reading the story
in yesterdays Gazette, remembered
that Porter had once been In his en-
ploy. He found, after some search, the
following card:
Z
Attorney-at-Law,
[Ofice on Market Souarel,
ST. Joseph Missouri.
VIII practice in ali the Courts OF the Twelfth
Judicial Circuit and the territory OF kancas.
Refers by permission to Drexel " Co., bank
ers. Phila; Parker, Brown IL Conway \. =;
Ed Converse & Co.. Boston; Clarke Brothers "
Co, 81. Louis; b. NJ. Hughes, Wesn Bank, 81.
Jo.; Nave, McCord 4 Co., ST. Jo."
son the back of the card is written:
"Isaiah'J. Porter, Col. commanding the
Fifty-Seventh Fusiliers Regiment, st.
Charles, Mo-" The card was dated by
Mr.. Austin at the time of its receipt,
November ., 1861. 1t came from st.
Joseph, Mo-, where Porter seems to
have spent considerable time after the
exposures in the East had made his
operations here somewhat dangerous
and difficult. He also spent some time
in Texas. where he is said to have mar
RED"
Every Man to His Trade
The old adage ''every man to his
..oSo hoe q charm valua and something