The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-29
FLED FROM WRATH TO COME.
s.DR." J. V. WILSON HAS LEFT SA-
VANNAH FOR PARTS UNKNOWN.


and Major in the Red Cross So
ciety, n Member Of the Cuban
Army and a Surgeon in the Army.
After Some ForbiddinE Exploits at
Key West. lie Came 90 savannah
and Began Practice-Lctter From
That Place Revealed the "DOc-
tors" Past History and fastened
His Departure.
Doctor j. Y. Wilson, as he styled him
self and preferred others to address him,
otter a meteoric career in Savannah, has
left for other fields, where the average
of human Intelligence is not higher and
the public as easily gulled as he has found
il here. There are mourners of high ana
low degree to gr.eve over his departure.
About four months go jhe doctor" de-
scended on Savannah. He was Dane. ne
said, ana was certainly man Of pleasing
personality ard engaging address. lie said
that he had been a surgeon, with the
rank Of major, in the Red Cross Society,
and that in that capacity he had done
deeds of heroic daring almost innumer-
able These personal anecdotes he could
tell well, and It was his custom 20 gather
about him number OF listeners, who a.
ways felt that they had heard absolute
verities, from a man who had seen It all.
None of these listeners was ever disposed
TO carp at the qualify Of the entertain
ment that DR.. Wilson offered.
Some of the tales that he told had ref
erence to his future intentions as well as
10 his past exploits. He said that he still
retained his rank of major in the Red
Cross, and that in this capacity he was
going TO attend the Paris Exposition in
1860. More than this, he was entitled to
six tickets the possession Of which carried
with Il a number of exclusive and remark
able privileges.
According to the pseudo-doc or, the hold
er of one of these tickets would have free
transportation to and from the exposition,
and free board during his stay in Paris.
Unlimited admission to the exposition
grounds was the least Of the PRIVILEGES Of
a ticket-holder, and with the exception of
director or other high official, there was
scarce anyone who was entitled to higher
distinction. He was liberal with his prom
Uses of these tickets. and there are not a
few of his acquaintances here who expect
10 make the trip 20 Paris by this means
Doctor wilson established himself in
Savannah as massage healer, but repre-
scented himself as quite able to treat dis
eases according to the recognized practices
OIL any OF tNG eSLdUilSDel SCHOOLS OF tfltNl-
cine. For the school of practice that he
actually followed, no state license is re-
quired, and he never had one. AS a mat
ter of fact he was said to
be densely ignorant Of even the
most elementary principles Of med
icine. anatomy and surgery and scarce
ly knew the solar pleXus from the cerebel-
lum. This lack of Information, though,
Disconnected him not one whit.
He established himself in fashionable
quarter of the city, where he fitted up at
tractive Offices and soon had a fairly lu-
crative practice. 1t is known that from
one well-known Savannahian he collected
monthly fee of 800, aud that from 9TH
ers he was obtaining scarcely less. He
was doing wei-and anybody ne could in
duce to trust him. one physician
who left the city on vacation, left
his practice in the hands of "Doctor" vii
son, and a number of others called him
into consultation with them. There were
many who thought him rather TOO good
TO be true" but none who had any posi-
tive evidence or any reasonable ground
TO believe he was not all that he said and
seemed.
1t was an almost cloudless sky from
which the stroke of lightning proceeded.
There came from Key West a man who
said that he had known the doctor there,
and that of him he had never been able
10 learn anything that was good lie spoke
about the matter to a Savannah man. who
had had also business dealings with Doc
tor Wilson, and asked him to correspond
with the sheriff of the county in Florida
in which Key West IS situated. 1t was
done.
The Savannah man was not at all d s.
posed TO credit an he had heard about his
whtiom acquaintance, although he had
not been able to repress his suspicious
ard the letter to the sheriff was written
with great care and couched in the mos,
cautious terms. 1t accused Wilson of
nothing ana merely asked for information
as 10 the history of that portion of his
life he had spent in Key West.
When the answer came IL was not from
the sheriff, but from Mr. L. \. Harris
a prominent lawyer in Key West. It be-
gan with the statement. He is the most
consummate villain l have ever met"
Mr.. Harris then went on to say that
Wilson had come TO Key West In the early
part of 1895 telling the same stories thar
ne afterward told in Savannah With his
polished air and his accomplished methods
OF deceit, he soon wormed his way into
the best society of Key West He varied
his usual tale of his past exploits by say
ing that he had just received commits,
sion as surgeon in the army and that he
was expecting at any moment orders that
would carry MIN 70 Cuba. with the army
Of invasion. This was just a the our
break of the Snanlsh-American war.
Among hose he met was a sis ler of Mr.
Harris wife.' whose Heart he managed cas-
lily 10 " and 10 whom he proposed mar
rage. He was accepted and at his urgent
request and even insisterce, an cary date
Tor the ma rage was agree1 on. lie sad
that as he would probably be ordered to
Cuba within a few months. he wan.ed to
be married immediat ~, so tia his new v
made wife might inherit The LARGE estates
ne GAINED 10 have in the North SO per-
emptory was he in his demands and SO
great the .nfatuation of the sirl, that she
consented ana the marriage took place.
When she married Wilson he eirl had
some mo- ey which he so. mans ged to dis
sipate Taen he beg T. rev al himself IN
MS true coiors. He borrow from his
wife's mo her al that he could ana then
from Mr.. Harris all that The after would
erm-t He led a life Of indoi, nee aud rec1-
less eNtaVasanee, VlClimiz q everyone
that he could ana jhen disappeared. with
the exception OF his wife. there was no
one W o gr.-L-N mn--l-l h-a 49,