The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-01-10
LOOK OUT FOR HIM.
<,n,T,oyaL FACTS ABoUr BRYCE
ruE rouNa ENGLISH sWiNDLER,
And Accounts Of His Operations In Other
Cities Besides Ricbmond-A Long
List OF His Aliases


with a number OF credulous ui'iuuais
by representing himself to be the grand
son OF Sir Henry Bessemer, the inventor
Of the Bessemer steel process n"' evil
IDENTIFY been playing his cards in various
parts Of the country and has 'ie'il''~ei
not a few who have a sort OF mania Tor
making the acquaintance Of the Hiiine-
date descendants Of titled Enslishnleh'
Bryce recently did a little sly "o4A IN
this city He was taken into lhe eo"ii-
dence and friendship OF some Du. "aS,
| unfortunately for himself susp1cteu OF
being a fakir by those who happeneu TO
know something about the diS.ns u,ail'i
ancestry the young man claimed ~ 10, 20, p
and Bryce alias Bessemer, WIS i''uB-
way. and few other names, sklppeu o.tr
10 Petersburg and continued hiS i'.,ie
game with some OF the residents OF 'he
Cockade city. They were soon ION 10
him." however, and ne made hiinseii
scarce for quarters unknown Nnen lsst
heard from he was believed TO be on MS
way TO Norfolk.
In Other Pasture.
Bryce proved a highly-cultured faklr
! in Rochester. y. y, and other places IN
! lif MI I'll SNiHNilUI ANYBODY WIZ ~
! confidence in his glib tongue and smooth
ways. He represented himself as son
Of Briggs Priestley. Of y. Prlestley & Co..
Bradford. England. W. G.. Hitchcock *
CO.. OF No. 453 and 80 Broome street. New
York. who are sole agents i'm America FOR
b. Piestly & Co.. are making every eff
fort TO capture this sly fakir. In the Dry
Goods Economist. dated December 18th.
Messrs. Hitchcock q Co. have a COM
plete account OF "Bryce's" operations.
with description of the man.
Look out for him. reads the descrip-
tive circular "A bogus Julian Priesty'
alias Bessemer.' Bryce. WINS 'Rids-
way &c, on his travels. Nictimizes all
VINO credit him. Watch for him, and hold
him If he comes you- way"
IN the issue Of this paper for October
18th, and again in that for November 18th.
we warned the trade against a young
man who was travelling about the country
representing himself as a son Of Briggs
Prlestiey Of =. Priestey & Co, Of Brad
ford, Ene,and whom We represent IN
this country, and who. on the strength Of
this impOsture. yictimized merchants and
others whom he could induce 10 believe
his story. Besides working under the
Priestley name. this versatile rascal on
occasions impersonates the relative Of
Spilt Nilfi prominent I4N-ll@uultu NHJSr
name he thinks will be influential in
other quarters where he applies for
money. Through the iron region Of Penn
sylvania, for example, he called himself
Julian Bessemer and stated that he
was grandson OF Sir Henry Bessemer,
the inventor Of the Bessemer steel pro-
cess.
In spite Of several exposures OF his
methods, which have been published we
learn that this man is still al work. and
has succeeded In borrowing Of quite a
number Of merchants We last heard Of
him IN Rochester. y Y, where. we are
Informed by Messrs. Carroll. Beadle &
Nudge, he again represented himself In
TIER establishment as Julian Prestley.'
The swind'er.s Method.
From this point also our attorneys
have received the following letter. writ
ten by their Rochester correspondent.
which throws light upon the methods Of |
the swindler:
Rochester. y. Y. Dec 4. 1893.
Messrs. Sullivan &. Cromwell, New York: |
Gentlemen. Your long. telegram Of /
wednesday last was delivered 10 me at /
my house early IN the evening. ! sent il /
TO the police headquarters. adding my |
personal assurance that the case was one |
Justifyins their procedure They had al |
ready heard from Alessrs. Carroll. Beadle |
q Nudge, and made such inquiry as they /
were able TO make for the discovery Of
the man. Mr.. Carroll had given them
very full and exact personal description.
1t so happened that en- the latter part
or last summer / was called upon al my
ONCE by young man who introduced
TO me as the son OF the Right |
Hon. James Bryce. Of London, author Of
The American Commonwealth and at
present member OF the British govern.
ment. Mr. Bryce Is my personal friend.
ana, IN fact, is altogether too near an
acquaintance 10 suit the purposes Of this
young man. / treated him with great
,ordiallty, but took occasion 10 ask him
so many questions that, while / endeav0r-
,d not % disclose my consciousness that |
be was an imposter. he did not act upon |
my strong Invitation 10 call upon me
again little later after I should be re-
leFed OF some occupation which was then
Urgent In the course OF the same day
le called upon my friend. Mr. Kimban.
ne tobacco manufacturer and introduced
himself as the son OF one OF the Willses.
treat tobacco manufacturers in England.
ia also upon the president OF the Young
Mems Christian Association. calling him
eli there still Bryce. but grandson OF
ome one whose name he gave. who was
ne originator Of such associations I'm |
england. Notwithstanding all these ex-
osures 10 peril, he got safely out Of
own.
From Wednesday evening / heard moth
1g more about your friend until ] went
ONE 10 dinner Friday evening. and was
called upon by near neigh
or. who had heard the story Of my visit
D the summer. and who said that Mrs
III, wife Of the president OF our Univer-
ity, was al that moment in his house.
ma mentioned having had a delightful |
al from the son OF Professor Bryce. |
hat he had declined her Invitation 10
iay 10 tea, but had engaged himself 10
an again at 8 In the evening. 7 heard |
as news with great jos. because II was
lanliesuy your friend and mine M once
TIL, as ! learned that my name had been
% him I'm conversation. and
: he had been told also that DR.. HW
al met Mr. Bryce at dinner at my
ouse my expectations were not as conf
ant as otherwise they might have been.
ice police were az once notified and
me two detectives 20 Or. HMs house
ho waited Through the evening in vain
'r the temperance OF the visitor. They
ave now, / believe. very Thoroughly ex- ,
mined every quarter where he might b.
lssibiiiiy put uD-the hotels and even the J
dsing-houses-but quite in vain. and az
r so many exposures as the young man q
as made here. IL seems almost incredi- q
e that he should venture another Z
This is all the report / am able 10 :
axe. l can hardly hope that the fellow a
III turn up again In this city. II he p
'es. you may be sure he will not be apt ?
get away. except in custody.
Very truly yours. 9