Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-17
A PRECIOUS ROGUE.
ONE OF The "sMooTHEsT" SWIM
Oilers IN THE COUNTRY.
Nictimizing OF Distinguished People
An American Romance.
lRy tclerraph 10 tho plspatch.l


Urea. N. Y. December 16.-Orin Skin.
ner. who was arrested here Monday night
Cor passing a worthless draft on a Syracuse
liveryman, proves 10 be one Of tho
smoothest" check swindlers in the coun-
try.
Skinner, who Is 81 years old, came of an
excellent family. He has moved in the
best society of several American cities,
and spent five years at hard labor IL Port
land prison. England. Whena young man
be studied in the Columbia law school,
New York city, aud after graduating car
ried his law studies still further in that
city. Tie is mau OF charming presence,
brilliant conversatlonalIst. and
ripe scholar lie claims TO be on
most intimate terms with Dir. James
G.. Blaine and said to travelling
man before he was arrested that he aud
Blame have often exchanged personal con-
fidenees. Furthermore. he boasted that
when the Burchard speech came out he
went TO Mr.. Blame in the Fifth-Avenue
Hotel and tired hard TO induce him 10 write
q card to the American public denouncing
Burchard's reference 10 " the three IL &"
BLAINE HIS DEBTOR.
He saws he had business relations with
Blame when the latter was not worth much
money. and shat be afterward operated in
stocks for him in Wall street lie adds
that Mr.. Blaine owes him $4,000.
Ia 1870 he went 70 Quincy, H., and be-
gan the practice of law Re won the love
OF Emma Browning, daughter OF o. III.
Browning. Secretary Of the Interior under
President Johnson. and senator from llli-
nois 20 ell the uneNpired term OF Stephen
A. Douglas. In 1874, with his young and
beautiful wife, he removed to Chicago and
became partner in the law firm of Cloudy,
Chandler d Skinner. in 1879 he was
dropped from the firm on account OF n
questionable financial transaction with the
Allied silyerm mines Of Colorado, yisIon::
ary and not too reputable scheme. OF
winch he was the chef promoter.
The furthering Of the interests OF the
Allied mines brought him in contact WITH
many of the leading tinancIeTs OF the
country. At that time he gave TO Mr..
Blaine a block Of stock in the mines for
the privilege Of using his name.
GAVE BLAINE STOCK.
The stock was given and sold with the
understanding that If the holders were
dissatisfied with the investment they could
receive percentage on II from New
York bank. Mr. Blame promptly disposed
OF his stock under tins provision, and was
not drawn into the litigation that fo!-
| lowed.
The company maintained Offices at New
York and there Skinner spent the winter
Of 1880. gaining much prominence as a
leader Of huapcinl manlpulatoDs. He was
| imprisoned at the Tombs by some persons
whom he had swindled. but meeting one
| Of the Tweed gang imprisoned there he
persuaded him TO 20 his bail for 5000,
promising to use his efforts IN having his
| bondsmen liberated. The day after bis
| I,l.-,tt1,, fr,r,t Z ha 1nTp hu skinner sailed
| for Europe.
In 1851 SINNERS father-in-law died and
/ it was found that the old man had been
ruined 10y his son-in-law. Banks in Chi
| caco. St. Louis. and Quincy held his paper
| to the amount of Sl15,09O, Browning
| having issued It at Sklnuer's request and
| supposiug that each issue cancelled the
| previous one. Mrs Browning and her
daughter were reduced to AFFECT poverty
and after lives of princely luxury, were
obliged TO keep a bOarding-house. They
| died seven years ago broken in body and
| spirit.
| his OPERATIONS INTENSIVE.
Skinner has operated from Europe to
| San FraeciscO. His operations are Well
| known. il is SAID Of him that nearly every
| bank in the city of the Golden Gate has
| been victimizod by him. His methods sre
! the same wherever he goes. lie succeeds
| in getting himself into the wealthiest Peo-
ole and then proceeds TO hoat the fraudu-
! lent paper.
! While in California it is said that SKIN.
! ner passed forged paper TO the amount OF
| S2j. 0U0 on a sCn-in-law Of Senator SHARON.
Then he went to England. issued more
forged paper, and was sentenced to five
| wears al hard labor His sentence expired
| early last summer, and he at once returned
| To Chicago and attempted to borrow
money from old friends, but was unsuc-
/ cessful. He married his present wife IN
| Washington short time ago. She IS OF al
| excellent family, being a slsterln-law 81
! Judge A. C.. Tenant. of COoperstown, \.
Y. She was holding a government posi-
ton IL Washington when she met Skin
ner.