Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-05
NOBLE ENGLISH RELATIVES
A Plausible Method of Attempted Imposi-
tiOn on Episcopal Clergymen.
He Had an English Accent and Claim
ed to he the Servant Of
Titled NObleman.

1t has not hitherto been well known that
the Episcopal clergymen of Washington are
descendants from the British nobility. 1t
Is not really a fact but that has not de-
TERED a very clever young Englishman
from trying to work as nSat confidence
game as has ever been attemped in this
Part of the country. The story of this
mans operations Is amusing and it's repati-
tion now may save some of the young
pastors of the city much distress of mind
and wasted sympathy. Some days ago
Rev. Mr.. Cole, assistant rector of Epiphany
Church, received a call from a well-dressed
and fine-looking young Englishman. who
made singular Plea for financial assist
ance.
Il. ah. 1 am daily in expectation of a
remittance from London" he began. from
Sir Philip Mckin, In whose service. ah.
1 have been for some time past. There
seems to be some delay in your posts here,
have been told that DR.. McKim. the pastor
of this church. who Is widely known
through Great Britain. is a brother of my
employer. and 1 have called to see If he
could not aid me temporarily while l am
awaiting my remittance.
Mr.. Cole was not aware of DR.. Mckim's $
British conn ection and had never heard
the rector allude to his titled brother. He
was not therefore fully impressed with
the romance and decided on middle
ground, and seat the fellow cut to a neigh
boring restaurant to get meal. Mr. Cole.
however, has had experience enough with
the world to take sensible precaut!on.
ard so he took care that the money for
the food should be in the hands of third
party. a trusted servant who was to see
that it was spent for its legitimate object
But the enterprisiBg subject of Queen Vic
toria concluded that the game was not
worth the candle and gave the servant the
slip before the restaurant was reached
Consequently Mr.. Cole lost nothing through
the transaction.
other Noble Relatives.
A day or two later he chanced to meet
Rev. Mr.. Johnston. assistant rector of St
Thomas Church. and told his experience
with the Englishman as a good joke.
why, that's odd,' said Mr.. Johnston.
There was another fellow, an Englishman.
who called on me the other day and told
about a remittance that he expected daily
from hi employer, Sir John Aspinwall.
brother a< our rector. i CHANGED to know
some 90 Nr. Aspinwalrs personal history
and the ciIss lid not get much sympathy
from me-"
The two clergymen compared notes and
concluded that the polite Briton was the
same in each case. They laughed quietly
the last of it. But couple of days later
Mr.. Cole encountered Rev. Mr.. Wood, as
sistant rector of St. Johns.
WELL" exclaimed Mr.. Cole, in greeting.
the employees of the noble relatives of your
rector"
why, that's curious" said Mr.. Wood.
II did have a call only yesterday from a
young man who was expecting remittance
from his employer, Sir Benjamin Mackay-
Smith, who he said was a brother of our
pastor. and who Is now in New Zealand.
He asked for temporary aid, and would
have secured ii, but chanced to know that
Mr.. Mackay-Smith has no brothers in Eng
land"
Other cases of this young mans efforts
to tide over his temporary financial diff
culties while he is waiting for the draft
from London have not yet come to light 1t
is probable that II the stranger shall not
meet with better slccess with other clergy
n en- whom he has accosted he will soon
conclude that Washington is a poor field
for operations and transfer his headquarters
to some other city, where possibly the
clergymen are more Intimately related to
the English peers. There are elements of
genius in this enterprise, however, much
as 1t is to be deplored as a moral spectacle.