The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-07
BEN GASTON'S CAREER.
He Has Been Running immigration
Schemes for Years.

Incidentally He Has Been in Jail for
Swindling Several Times-How He
Fooled an Atlanta Attorney-Expe
riences in New York.
The Rev. B. F. Castor. who. according
to our dispatches, was wounded on the
head by a party of his colored dupes in
Hancock county, on Monday night, is a
pretty well known character all over the
country. The New York sun, which has
been keeping tab on him, says: "The Rev.
Ben iamn CASTOR has been known for
number Of years in connection with va
riOus liberiau colonization schemes. not
only in Georgia, which was the principal
field of his operations, but also in this
city where he was arrested last Noyem-
Der on charge of having swiudled an
Atlanta colored lawyer out of $50 under
preteusc Of conveying to him the agency
of a foreign steamship company
with which Castor professed to
be be connected. 1t is said that Gas
ton was sent to Liberia lust after the
war by the American Colonization Soci-
ETY., Washington organization, which
had been formed upon the PRONUNCIATION
OF the emancipation proclamation, for the
purpose OF lettering the condition of the
freed slaves of the south. After settling
in Liberia he studied theology and be-
came a Baptist clergyman He then Wis
tied this country and interested himself
IN the work of depOrtiug the people of his
race TO what was then regarded as the
promised land by most of the ignorant
plantation hands, among whom the col
Ouizers worked. He is said to have con
Quoted several parties to Liberia on the
brig Monrovia, which for a number of
years made regular voyages to the Afri-
can coast
Castor appeared here again last No
vember and opened negotiations with
several steamship agents for the convey
auce of parties OF colonists which he
SAID he was authorized by the Libe-
ran government TO organize and take
care Of Ia his interviews with the
agents he created an impression that
none OF them has forgotten. He was
man of commanding presence. feet
inches tall and inclined TO sttutness He
| had long gray hair and a beard, and
dressed in smooth black broaucloth. His
trock coat was long, and he wore "a silk
| nat with a wide, benevolent brm. In
speech he was very glib, and could talk
enJertalnlugly on most subjects His
manner was persuasive
IN themidst ofhis negotiations on Nov
~ he was arrested. He was taken to the
IOm0s. charged with fraud When ar
ral4ned he said he was commissioner.
Envoy extraordinary and minister pleni-
potcntary 20 this country from President
Cheesemau of the republic Of Liberia. He
protested against his arrest, as an out
rage
81 claim the right of exemption from
arrest he said In my person / repre-
sent the sovereignty OF the republic Of
Liberia. My chief mission here is To en-
courage colored people OF the south to 20
To Liberia. J was authorized TO raise s1s .
COO 20 send 200 OF my race there and made
q contract with Eccles, Dempster 81 Co.
of Liverpool 90 carry the party acros,
from Savannah After spending several
mouths in the south / found ! could raise
only $1,000 by subscription and had 10
cut down the number OF my party then
made "a contract to carry thirty persons 10
southampton on the American line
steamer Paris. The party is in readiness.