The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-04
ALL MANKIND HIS PREY
LATEST ESCAPADES OF THE NOTORI-
Gus "LORD BERESFORD."
After His Release from Georgia Pris-
ON He Turns Up in New England
with Another Swindle.
New York Herald.

SOuAlSIdy, tlcS dSd1iA pAONSO AtSHl W NC
called the prince of swindlers, this time un-
der the name of f. S. Lancaster. New Eng
land has been the clever rogue's latest
scene of operation, and once more he has
disappeared leaving in his wake trail of
bad debts, but fewer broken hearts than
has characterized his previous escapades.
His career has been sketched in the public
prints from time to time, but his move
ments since his release from the Georgia
penitentiary and his subsequent marriage to
an estimable young woman at Fitzgerald,
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 on the innocence 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, it thought that ne had
gone to Alaska. This was last June. Re-
cent developments, however, prove the con-
trary. After his release from the convict
gang his career in Georgia was brief, but
eventful. Going to Fitzgerald. he posed as
a victim of circumstances, and, with the
semblance of good breeding and charm or
manner which have always characterized
his movements, succeeded in getting an
entro6 to the pest SONlSly VI lAiC PioSO'
The pretty nineteen-year-old daughter of
Alexander Pelky, one of the towns wealth
lest men. fell head over heels in love with
the smooth-tongued adventurer she mas
$50, 900 in her own right, but this she can
not touch until she becomes of age. Beres-
ford. or Lascelles, as he was called in Fitz-
gerald. made desperate love to the girl and
ineratiated himself into the good graceS OF
her father. He married the one ana DOT
rowed IS 900 from the other.
The money was lost in speculatlons, ana
second IS 900 loan was requested. rms was
refused and he left Fitzgerald. There were
two warrants for his arrest, one cnareins
him with embezzlement and the other with
obtaining goods under false pretenses II
was believed that he left the town WIN d
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 c La,t5r
part of August young man with oou. .l5
ern accent entered the restaurahI any i1
seated himself at one of the tables He dld
not notice the gentleman Suing oppoSi'e
him until their eyes suddenly met.
Hello! Lascelies," exclaimed the young
Southerner. What are you doing here!
thought you were in Alaska.
"Pardon me, / think you have made
mistake" replied the other, cool!y.
Nonsense met you down at Fitzgerald
Ga Don't you remember?
the Southerner, bearing the inscription, r;
S. Lancaster, Nos ZIG and az state Mu dt,ne
noan However refused to be bluffed and
Iascelles finally admitted his identity. his
acquaintance had no OBJECT IN expoSlns a Hl
Lascelles had shaken the dust OF worcester
from his feet.
I,ascelles or Lancaster, as he should now
be called inasmuch that is his latest
alias went to Worcester about Aug. as
general agent for the Merchants and Man.
IfacturerS' Life Insurance Company OF
Westfield an assessment concern recently
organized. He was ACCOMPANYING by ms
wife and they took rooms at the bay S SnatS
House, the best hotel in the city; iney
also engaged a pew at All Saints Eplsco-
nal Church. one of the most fashionable
Churches Here Lancaster m ade the &C.
ouaintance of the cashier of one of the city
banks, with which he Immediately opened
small account CO.. ,r..,
buildings he furnished them on credit and
advertised for a man with small amount
of capital as partner In consequences so 90
this young man named rrahcis 10 JuS' %-oo
out of pocket.
With his ready wit Lancaster made
friends easily, and told wond a o rales al
has invariably been the rule, were COM
pletey fascinated by him. he seemed very
fond of his wife, and gave 1t out tnat she
was the daughter of a very wealthy resi-
dent of Hartford.
After opening his account at the Worces-
ter bank he paid his small bills in cheeks,
but let his large ones run. He took house
in Cedar street. in a fashionable neighbor-
hood signing a three years lease. rms
helned his credit. and he bought a variety
of articles for himself and wife.
The insurance business was not good. and
Lancaster realized that some desperate
means were necessary to avoid a crash. 1t
was then that he decided upon grand coup
and attempted to raise money on the pros
pectus of an embryonic klondike mining
company .
This document was remarkable in it's
character and read as follows 1.-THE Wor-
cester-Yukon Mining, Development and In
vestment Company. Capital. $250,0OO; in
so, 900 shares; s. per share, worcestershire,
ION March the 1St, 1898. this company IN
tends to send from Seattle its own steamer
with fifty men, under the direction of COM
petent mining engineers.
"Tke party will be composed entirely of
New England men, and each and every one
of them must be stockholders in the COM
pany Their expenses will be paid by the
Company from the time they leave Worces-
ter until they return Two-thirds Of the net
earnings will go to the company, and one
third will be allotted for the members OF
'The hardships, work and difficulties will
be borne by the expedition, and ITS organ
izers, whose only chance for reward lies In
the complete success of the company.
"As all the money subscribed cannot be
used at once shares will be sold on the fol
monthly thereafter until paid up. All funds
of the company will be deposited with the
Citizens National Bank, OF worcester: 90
gold will be made monthly from the mines
direct to Worcester. and dividends VIII De
paid to the stockholders as each shipment
is received. Applications for stock can be
made in person or by letter to the office of
the company Nos. TIC and III State Mutual
building, Worsecter. Mass. All orders for
stock must be accompanied by certlned
check, express, money or postofice ORDER.
Lancaster used every effort to persuade
some Worcester capitalist of repute to head
the subscription list, but they all fought shy
Of it. He found the hard headed Yankees
less susceptible to his powers of persuasion
than the people of the South. He had been
borrowing small sums of money from his
acquaintances but even they were becom-
ing suspicious. He had reached the end of
his rope, and the only thing left for him
was to leave town and seek pastures new.
From Boston Lancaster was traced to
Buffalo, where he and his travelling COM
panion registered as c. II. Davis and wife,
of New York. 1t is believed that he went
from Buffalo to Canada. and that possibly
he has gone to England Much sympathy
is felt in Worcester for the young wife who
is as completely under the spell of the mans
influence as though he exerted hypnotic
power over her. She will come into her
property in about a year and until then this
remarkable rogue may be expected to prey
upon his fellow men wherever he finds them.
Where will he turn up next, and under what
name?