Graham guardian., 1898-03-04
The prince Of ImpOStors,
INV win NJ. Upton III Land Of sunshinel

thuu sNoPPSu " .S - 1;
40 front door of the New Me&ico !, y
and in the company y
f u. S. deputy marshal walked s.
apidly up the steps and into me |
49, .,rlntendent's office Thirty u
ninutes later, with shorn head and G
haven face, his keen blue eye
nervously taking in every detail OF
nus new surroundings, clad IN the
icnominious garb of telon' ne
nassed through the steel'oarreo
Mortal of the dollhouse. Inc
heavy doors changed behind MN
as his step echoed on the stone
floor; the curtain was rung cow down
on the last act of a criminal dram"
extending over quarter ola cen,
tuary. and James Addison heaVl'
had become convict 964.
This was no common criminal
lTne law has seldom encountered 50
formidable foe. Brainy, perslS-
| tent and of tireless patience, ne
dealt in fraud not on the ordinary
nlan but by millions; and it is well
within the record to call hun th'
nrince of claimants--and OF sWiho'
iers. Even great forgerles ars
usually limited to the utterinS oi
few checks or the fabrication OF
$ will or deed. But the giganti'
e plan of this Napoleonlc gentle
man involved not only the acquire
! ment of title in twelve and nal
!, million acres by forgery; he ais
: invented the property, the roya
oedulas, the wills, the probate pro
o ceedings, and long line OF noo'
,e ancestry. He brought INTO eSl'
/ tence a grantee and descendant
fol three generations; carried tne'
10 with all novelists skill throug
m the viclssitudes of life across u
" changes of a century and hal
and came near securing the soiem
,o confirmation, by government Oh
principality that never existed
oy The alleged neirs of persons w
re- never lived.
In all the annals of crime the
m. is no parallel. This monstro
= edifice of forgery, perjury and 81
formation was the work OF one mi
al No plan was ever more lngenlo
at ly devised; none ever carried
en- with greater patience, indust
skill and etfrontery.
Reavis did not deal IN sm
ii0 things. His dreams were OF !
lions; and his invention and his
g of scrupulousness were in proportl
y, II, seemed to have been spur
q ofl rather than daunted, by the kn
ledge that, If his claim succeed
Q VI thousands of settlers would be
spoiled of their homes; that II
One merable land. titles would be cl'
rt Of cd Tor years, that the developn
;o,or of Territory would be retal
for a generation; and that the
ernment would be robbed OF
ooil' empire.
1t was his life work. Crud'
! 10 the beginning, his conception
not only greater but more pc
with time and circumstances.
r OF bluffs but whetted his appetite.
ting keen mind learned from e
cap,- well founded criticism, and turn
to the advantage of his plan.
labor was too great for this
markable man, no detail 700
''Fes' sirnificent. He enlisted attor
eiore of national reputation; famous
,orms apciers lent hun the sinews OF
the archives of Spain and Nj
uooa were polluted to authenticate
sO'e claim, and the records OF
thfee Church were perverted to glN
It but respectability.
; out. Profound in his kdowleds
.orees men as in his invention OF N
s;cri. batting his hook with the lu
easy wealth, and catching fs
one would have expected; fat
upon his enormous expecta
es an haunting in the face of the
STAN tocracy of Mexico and Madrid
herd. with as many and as distingu
and perhaps more willing, v
T evil in this country-the arch-p
-, carried 1t off with a consis
. '"' high hand for years.
row. And lhen-the endl The
Gerful fabrication of his mos
, mar ingenuity went down bcfol
ccause lorceful simplicity Of truth
~ the the forgeries, all ths couv
witnesses, all the startling 81
the prime conspirator, cou
save BIN; and from haIr-regoI
really dor he came swiftly and ine'
10 lose to the stripes and cell Of a c
ae gets Bern in Henry county, Mi
% ,Laro Reavis served for time in I!
fcderate army, entering at q
aSo' " Of eighteen. Subsequently
about year in Brazil. He
ed to the United States abou
, Wall and became the conductor
Al mil gtrcetoag in the city of st.
.ono ~ Arerward he was mer
tierk, aud travelling salesma
III o"0 humber Of commercial
erely q Having saved his earnings
d. vested them in real cstat
) 9 O o o o y q g @ o 9 g Sc g
n