The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-12
A GEORGIA CRACKER
Is What John WlsIerman of Many
Aliases Appears TO Be-.
HIS REMARKABLE RsGoRD GIVEN.
North Carolina Wanted Him nadiy
Hut Georgia Needed Him Worse
ana He WIS Accordingly Sent
Thithcr in Charge Of Sheriff
Who Came for Him.

For awhile. at least, the historic
streets and hospital jail Of Norfolk will
know no more the imposing form and
sad intellectual countenance of John
Wcsierman. alias George Eek, alias
George Cox. alias w. H. Underwood.
alias Lucius Beard and perhaps alias
Bridgers. There may be other names
TO which this remarkable individual has
attached himself. but so far they have
not cropped up.
HIS ARREST.
This man., as Is known. was arrested
several days ago by Detective Hcppcl
on the charge of getting a buggy ana
two horses from an Elkins N c.. man.
under false pretenses. Mr.. Harris. of
Surry county. N. c.. who came here to
look after the interests OF this firm.
went back to the Tar Heel State. but
returned Thursday with papers from the
Chrrituck county authorities giving him
power of constable upon which he de-
sired to take the prisoner to North
Carolina. The latter was willing to go,
but was not turned over to Mr.. Harris,
who has returned to his native State
ANOTHER CLAIMANT.
1t was we'll that the prisoner was
arrived claiming the man. This party
was from Georgia and consisted of
Sheriff ~. NJ. Gribble. of Habershaw
county. and Mr.. j. II. House. OF House
" Spencer. In the same county. MIR.
House identified Cox" as John Wester-
man and the two gentlemen stated the
prisoners record about as follows:
A RECORD BREAKER.
He first appeared at Blueridge, Ca,
on October Tth, under the name of w
A. Fox, where he hired two horses and
buggy. He took them to Hall county,
Ga, where he snapped them 10 Jere-
miah Hawkins for one good saddle horse
q n tV,o och Il.
Vile. where. on October 27th, he hired
two fine ponies and q good buggy from
Mr.. Houses firm, valued at $780, West
erman skipped to Walhalla. S. c., Ivhere
he again traded, but kept the buggy He
then went to Greenville. S. c.. then to
Spartanburg and OH to Gastonia where
he traded the Walhalla mare for another
horse. His next stop was at Charlotte.
y. c., and at Davidson College N c.,
In Mecklenburg county. he traded IIaw-
kins' horse TO ]. NJ. Potts and then went
to Statesvllle, where he sold the Caste
MIA horse. Elkin and Leakesville were
the next towns visited. where he traded
two horses and MIR. Houses buggy TO
IVY Co. for 500 worth of tobacco and
80 cents In cash. The Foxy" Wester-
man shipped the tobacco 10 Petersburg
to j. .. Brown, who was none other
than himself. where lie sold 1t. He then
went to Waverly, Va. where he stole a
horse and buggy from Doyle & Co,
which he brought to Norfolk. Chief
Dorn!n has information that the pris-
oner defrauded an old man In North
Carolina, besides other victims yet to
hear from.
TAKEN TO GEORGIA.
The Sheriff had reQuisltion papers for
Westerman, but they were incomplete,
lacking Governor O'Ferrall's signature.
The prisoner. however. consented 10 go
with him and the slick fellow was man
acled In the afternoon and taken over the
Norfolk and Carolina railroad to Clarks-
vile. Ga. for trial.
AND STILL THEY COME.
There appear to be still others who
have been victmized by this rascal as
the following telegram. which reached
here yesterday from Kinston, y. c.. VIII
show:
MIR. G. w. Harper. of this place. lost
a pair of horses last April, stolen he
thinks. by the same man, but going by
"a different name. The man called him
self Bridgers, and claimed he was selling
cotton baSG.ng 10 farmers. He was
about so years old. with long gray-red
beard. and was about six feet high"
Wcsterman answers the above de-
scGipt!on very easily. though perhaps
he Is not quite SO DID, being only about
10 years of age.