The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-20
LORD" RoBS YANKEES.
Beresford rs the Promoter of q
KIondike scheme.

! ford, alias Sidney Lascelles, alias Sir Har-
y Vane. R. N alias Lord Courtenay. has
| again proved his right to be called the
prince Of swindlers. This time under the
name Of F. S. Lancaster. New England
has been the clever rogue's latest scene
Of operation. and once more he has disap-
| peared, leaving in his wake a trail Of bad
| debts but fewer broken hearts than has
characterized his previous escapades.
His career has been sketched in the pub
| lie prints from time 10 time, but his move
| ments since his release from the Georgia
| penitentiary and mis- subsequent marriage
| TO an estimabie young woman at Fitz-
| gerald, Ga, are now for the first time
| placed on record They form another
| chapter in the life story of as fascinating
| scamp as ever imposed upon the limo
| cence of women and the confidence of men.
| When he disappeared from Georgia with
| his young bride, having been divorced by
| his former wife, who was Miss Lillienthal
| OF New York, 1t was thought that he had
| gone to Alaska. This was last June. Re
| cent developments, however, prove the
| contrary.
After his release from the convict gang
| his career in Georgia was brief but event.
| ful. Going to Fitzgerald, he posed as
| victim of circumstances, and, with the
/ s7-AAt''AotL~G VI SCJ4 DTtGQlu8 ana charm Oh
manner which have always characterized
his movements succeeded in getting an
| entree to the best society of the place
| Inc pretty 19-year-old daughter of Alex
| ander Pelky, one of the towns wealthiest
men, fell head over heels in love with
the smooth tongued adventurer. She has
| $4,000 In her own right, but this she can
not touch until she becomes of age. Beres-
| ford, or Lascelles as he was called in
| Fitzgerald, made desperate love to the girl
| ana ingratiated himself into the good
| graces of her father. He married the one
| and borrowed 5000 from the other.
| The money was lost in speculation, and
a second $500 loan was requested. This
/ was refused, and he left Fitzgerald. There
were two warrants for his arrest, one
| charging him with embeZzlement and the
| other with obtaining goods under false
| pretences. 1t was believed that he left
| town with a fair amount of ready cash
| in his possession.
The scene now shifts to Springfield,
Mass, and as they say on the playbills,
| two months elapse. One day during the
| latter part of August young man with
| southern accent entered a restaurant
| and seated himself at one of the tables.
| He did not notice the gentleman sitting
opposite him until their eyes suddenly
| met
'Helloi Lascelles," exclaimed the young
1
I thought you were in Alaska"
| Pardon me. l think you have made a
| mistake replied the other coolly
Nonsense. 1 met you down at Fitz-
| gerald, Ga. Don you remember
By way of reply a card was presented
| to the southerner bearing the inscription,
| IF. s. Lancaster Nos TIC and III State
Mutual building, Worcester, Mass" The
| young man, however, refused to be bluff
| ed, and Lascelles finally admitted his iden-
| tity. His acquaintance had no object in
i exposing him, and only told of the cir
cumstance after Lascelles had shaken the
| dust of Worcester from his feet.
| LascelleS or Lancaster, as he should now
be called, inasmuch as that is his latest
| alias, went to Worcester about Aug. l as
general agent for the Merchants and Man
| ufacturers' Life Insurance Company of
| Westheld, an assessment concern recent
| ly organized. He was accompanied by his
wife, and they took rooms at the Bay
| State house, the best hotel in the city.
( They also engaged a pew at All Saints
l Episcopal church, one of the most fash
| ionable churches. Here Lancaster made
the acquaintance of the cashier of one
of the city banks, with which he imme-
diately opened a small account.
Having taken rooms in the State Mutual
building he furnished them on credit and
advertised for man with small amount
of capital as partner. In consequence of
this a young man named Francis is just
| $3.50 out of pocket.
With his ready wit Lancaster made
friends easily and told wonderful tales
of his experiences in India. The women,
as has invariably been the rule, were COM
pletely fascinated by him. He seemed
very fond of his wife, and gave 1t out
that she was the daughter of very
wealthy resident of Hartford.
After opening his account at the Wor-
cester Bank he paid his small bills in
checks, but let his large ones run. He
took a house in Cedar street. in a fash
ionable neighborhood, signing q three
years lease. This helped his credit and
he bought variety of things for himself
and wife.
The insurance business was not good
and Lancaster realized that some des-
perate means were necessary to avoid a
crash. 1t was then that he decided upon
a grand coup and attempted to raise
money on the prospectus of an embryonic
Klondilxe mining company.
This document was remarkable in Its
character and read as follows: The
Worcester-Yukon Mining. Development
and Investment Company. Capital, $3.50,
900, in $1,000 shares; s. per share, non-as-
sessable.
ION March the LIST, 1898, this company
intends to send from Seattle its own
steamer with fifty men, under the direc-
ton of competent mining engineers.
The party will be composed entirely of
New England men, and each and every
one of them must be a stakeholder in the
company. Their expenses will be paid by
the company from the time they leave
Worcester until they return Two-thirds
of the net earnings will go to the COM
pany, and one-third will be allotted for the
members of the expedition.
1.-THE hardships, work and difficulties
win be borne by the expedition and its
organizers, whose only chance for reward
lies in the complete success of the com.
pany.
LAS all the money subscribed cannot be
used at once shares will be sold on the
following terms: 50 on application and 81
monthly thereafter until paid up. All funds
of the company will be deposited with the
Citizens National Bank of Worcester.
Reports of progress and shipments of
gold will be made monthly from the mines
direct to Worcester, and dividends will be
paid to the stockholders as each shipment
is received Application for stock can be
made in person or by letter to the office
of the company, Nos ZIG and III State Mu-
tual building, Worcester Mass. All orders
for stock must be accompanied by certi-