The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-19
JEEYl N REAL LIE
Such Was James ColquhOBn
Of Glasgow, Scotland.
MIGHTY PIOUS AT HOME
But a Rakehell Abroad and a
: Great Thief Always.
MIGHTY PIOUS AT HOME

lS4SGSoASA u 0idsccWs mas oouoteu the ne
titious character of stevenson's Jeykn and
Hyde-instead Of leading double life he
has had four complete identities; one Puri-
tanical. three inIquItious
The frauds he perpetrated Of more than
a millions dollars. are equalled only In
their extraordiary character by his many
sided life and manner In which he squand-
\ cred the money
Not only has his own considerable for
tune been utterly destroyed. but every
penny that was intrusted to him has dis
appeared. He used his last s5 note 10
back a horse race.
Colquhoun owed the emInence he reach
ed OF his exemplary life. He had a cler
insight in Scotch character.
he was born in Glasgow fifty-nine years
I ago. The Scotch educational system Of
fers opportunities to the son OF a porr
workingman and ColqhAoun made he most
Of it. He qualified rs a lawyer He rap
idly became one OF the most trusted MEM
bers OF his profession.
His piety was apparently profound No
man was more Jealous OF the church than
he. His whole life was apparently an open
book. He was a deacon in the free church
He was always on the platform in phiian-
thropic and Temperance gatherings. He
was the representative OF theh city Corpor-
alton In the University court. Only fort
night ago he appeared before the parlia-
mentary committee on the hGlasgow bill.
Al a 4ak, Err. ~
candor and ability.
He was not personally populsr-he WIS
too cold, too austere. in appearance he
was the shrewd. clever solid. sanctimon-
ious Scotehman. with short. thIckset ig-
ure. a rather heavy face. with keen gray
eyes His was a selfsatisfied. confident air.
that Of a man who had battled with the
world and won and was afraid OF no man.
How long he had been robbing the people
who trusted him is not known. but his
stealings must have extended over many
years. They are confined entirely 20 those
who trusted him. The city funds are in
tact. He could not have taken any money
from the treasury without detection.
His methods were simple enough He
used the money given to him as his own.
interest on each account out OF the money
he stole from others.
Widows are the greatest losers by Col
quhouns dishonesty. Those who doubt
ed all others trusted him. OF late years
Colquhoun made way with the money as
fast as It was given into his possession.
He Immediately left Glasgow and went
usually for the continent, where there Is
gaming. usually ostend. the nearest point,
or Monte Carlo IL he had time enough.
Directly he left Glasgow CoIauhoun be-
came a different man. He plunged into
all manner OF excuses. One existence was
the strongest possible protest against the
other. He not only gambled on the green
cloth but bet heavily upon the races.
He maintained no fewer than four es-
Establishments. In Glasgow his wife and
70 mily lived in the simple, yet comfortable
style OF a man Of his position and supp9s-
ed character. In London ne maintained a
handsome young actress. lie had a mis-
tress IN Marlborough and another In LIv- |
erpool. Each lived in luxury upon money |
furnished by him. Each knew him under |
a different name and ne corresp1nded with |
them regularly.
When la lss: Glasgow one Of the three /
London young woman. an actrsss. was
his 9tvo:i.e companion. .
Some idea Of the recklessness OF this
elderly, pious. respected hypocrite can be
gained through the fact. shown by his
that during the eight weeks
spent at Monte Carlo last winter Coiqu-
hOun squaniered S341cO0
He bet money on horse races continually. |
During Ascot week alone he lost tljO.Oo5 70
the bOokmakers. He seemed always 70
have money enough for these bets. but n
was only when he gained possession OF
sum that ne hurried to the
big gambling resorts. II appears 20 have
been his rule TO stay at ostend or Monte
Carlo until his money was exhausted. The
he would return TO Glasgow and become
the serene, respectable. exemplary man.
greeting the people whom he was swindi-
Ing with HIS usual cold urbanity. sticking
Tor mathematical honesty IN his dealings.
showing a deep enioymeT In his ehurch
work
The shock 20 public confidence n now 60
serious mat legal firms have felt con
.
falling upon them 10 inspect the deeds
ind bonds and other papers 81 the keeo- ,
nE OF the solicitor IN order TO establish ,
heir gsnuiusness.
The hrsa knowledze OF The Downfall q
,0lquboua came when he was placed In "a / !
insane asylum. I, was claimed that as
mind was gone This was simply a ruEs
4 his owa By whic5 he hoped ~ Nigh; b.
measure escape the consequences Ct bis
wholesale thefts II failed beca1se the
syiun phys3cizus rsfUEed o keep him
here. saying tina; ~ was perfecsly sane
Co.qrhoBn did not check his career Juz-
q he was az ne md % hLs rope. Ths' iast J
/. % czsh be coat5 Jay his hanss q n
pens I'm backing hosse for she Can
7saEeshlre race. u t. a Tema.kss5l ;-ib-
- 70 the cieyerness % he man that Ensa I
= uaa first arrested for stealing Gozss- !
hing ike g.. 80 his eoiisagus trjss % says !,
i'm. 2,
The directors Of the Ciaseow bash 6
ere sen;rreed 70 ten years umpFisosn.eE: 3
"a its e1secss4 iAat CosgahS1n vii re-
i've The same pUahhsnen-.
Rev. J. II YiaKiiaK. pastor q ire Be-
,ra Street Methodist church II Csrasef- "
Ind. Nd. says ~It sH0FdS ne nscb pIez-
sye % rscomnesd Ca4-aasrszia's Gle
aoIsra ara Dsarshosa Rsns5y. have 1.
ed !, and knog osbsrs vhs have eoss - !.