The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-04
A CLEVER SWINDLER,
Many People Duped
By a Fake Oc-
ulist.
AN OFFICER is ON HIS TRIAL.
A Few of the Victims in
Several Towns Near
Clinton.
AN OFFICER is ON HIS TRIAL.

Clinton, Sept. 8. = Constable Will
liam J. Walsh was in town
last night. hard on the trail of
bold swindler. Constable Walsh
wants to find Edward Haynes, who
registered at the Columbia Hotel, Lee
ominster, Wednesday, worked shir-
ley. Lunenburg and North Leominster
on Thursday and came to Clinton Fri
day.
Haynes posed as a specialist in dis
eases of the eye. He had his wife
with him, tall handsome, well-dress-
ed woman, with light hair.
Only Mr.. Walsh knows the story of
the mans operations in this part of
the state. He has, conducted all the in
vestigation that has been made
Thursday morning, Haynes hired a
Goddard buggy at Pierce's livery sta
BILE in Leominster With the woman,
who posed as his wife, he drove to Shir-
ley. He began operations in the centre
of Shirley village. He entered the
home of Mrs. c. NJ. Cowdrey. Mrs.
Cowdrey was ironing. She heard a
mans voice say sharply, Look at me!'
She looked to see a well dressed dapper
man, who had a well-kept, black or
brown mustache, and a sharp, MASTER
ly way of speaking.
Sit down in that CHAIR he ordered
There's something the matter with
your eyes!" Mrs. Cowdrey is 70 years
old. There was something the matter
with her eyes. She did as she was bid
The fellow worked over her for a mo-
ment, and informed her that her vision
would shortly be restored, and asked
for $25. Mrs. Covdrey said she hadn't
Hvnt1 -,
pocketbook under the pillow of the bed. ="
Mrs. Cowdrey meel1ly brought out the
pocketbook and the novel oculist emp
tied 1t of SLIGO it contained, and went
away.
Constable Walsh says that the story
about this part of the swindler's OPP
erationS printed in a Worcester news
paper, which said the fellow demanded
$1,000 bill, is a fairy tale. Mrs. Cow
drey never had as much money in the
house at one time. The fellow asked
for $50.
The above facts We're all that Con-
stable Walsh had to work on when he
started Friday morning. Since then
ne has learned Of several other opera
tions.
The fellow next went to the house of
Mrs. Mary Arnold, who had for a guest
Mrs. B. S. Binney, her daughter. He
told Mrs. Binney that her brothers.
Frank and Joseph, of Marlboro. told
MIN to examine her eyes. Mrs Binney
consented to the examination. The
fellow put something into her ewes that
caused her unusual pain. He then
showed her two small specks which he
said he had removed, and demanded
$40. The woman refused to give up the
money, and drove him from the house
he represented that he was attached
70 the Massachusetts eye and ear in
Urinary.
His next appearance was at the home
OF Mrs. Edward Vining. who lives on
cavalry hill. To Mrs Vining he said.
our husband is buyer for Spaulding
Bros Market street, Lynn. He sent
me 10 examine your eyes. The state
ment about the husband was true. Mrs.
epaulding was treated as the other ma
tents had been. The fellow said his
Zee was $500. Mrs. Vining brought him
Slo DILL He took the bill and said
ne meant $3.50 for each eye Mrs. Vim
ing brought him SIS more. He returned
" ehange. He told Mrs. Vining he
was attached to Burbank hospital in
Mrs. John Reed of Lunenburg was his
next victim. To her he repeated the
Burbank hospital fiction. Mr. Reed
came nome in time to brighten the fell
low off. He went to the home of John
smith without success. He went to
the nome OF Edward Pierce North
Leomlnster, and sold him a pair of
worthless glasses for S.
rms concluded his work for the dav
When he returned to I.eominster he
must have had at least $40 in his pos
session, but he managed to defraud the
livery stableman of half the price of
the team
1t took Constable Walsh sometime to
get on 10 the fellows trail. Yesterday
however he learned that a man and
woman answering the description of
the lake oculist Were seen boarding a
car for Clinton.
UP 70 this evening he has not dis
covered them here He has received
information. however, that such a per-
son has been trying to operate in Ber-
lin -
everywhere that the fellow went he
LETT suffering behind him. His opera
flons on the eyes of his victims consist
an putting some foreign substance into
the eye which he removes. The ewes
OF the victims trouble them The fellow
apparently faniiliarizes himself with
Inc ground he visits. In no case did he
call upon person Of normal eyesight.
and only once did he miss finding the
men away from home
Chief Bates was Informed that the
sWindler was headed for Clinton. He
does not think he put in much time
here, else he would have been caught.
chief Bates thinks the newspapers
should exert themselves to warn the
county against the man. The money
he EFFORTS is but small matter com
pared with the damage he NAV do
somebody's eyes.