Fergus County argus., 1903-08-26

OF DRAYTON
One Of the cIeverest and Most Sue.
eessful swindlers in the World
Tells Life's Story.
FIGURED IN MONTANA POLITICS
One Of the Men Who Helped Clark
and Once Editor Of the Great
Falls Tribune.

Many people in Montana, especial.
ly those who have been mixed up with
society and politics, will have some
recollection of the young man who
figured extensively in these parts
three years ago as J. C, Drayton. He
came into the state from Colorado
and announced himself as a great po-
litical general and adviser. He dress.
ed well. lived well and gambled like
a prince. 1t was very nearly three
years ago that he went away. Moth.
ing has been heard from him since
then until the arrival of the New
York Herald of Sunday last. There,
covering two pages of the magazine
section. is a story entitled, The Full
Confession of the Cleverest Sharper
and Swindler in the World. Astonish-
ing Career of the Man Who Travelled
as ]. c. Drayton. Told to the Herald
by Himself" It's an interesting
story:
In the first place he now calls him
self Harry Silberberg, and says he Is
the son of William Silberberg, a Jew.
ish Rabbi, and that his mother was a
Polish woman. At various times dur.
ing his somewhat checkered career
he has been known as Jack Whitney
and goodness only knows what else.
by that name he is best
known in Montana-says his father
drifted from the church into business,
made a fortune as blockade runner
lost 1t, made another as an Indian
contractor, and got another start, dy.
ing possessed of chain of mercantile
establishments extending through
Kansas. Arkansas and Missouri. He
was only Is at the time of his faith
er's death, but with his brother. then
81, he undertook to manage the bust
ness. He began to gamble and asso
ciated with women who lived on their
beauty and their wits. His brother
looked into the situation and found
him $S7 900 short. He went to Cali
fornia and secured work as an adver
tising solicitor. Had he stuck to that
he says he would be wealthy today
Instead, as the fact Of his selling his
confession to newspaper shows, he
must be pretty hard up.
His Mexican Experience.
Silberberg. says he got an idea II
Chihuahua. Mexico. from a telegraph
operator. The latter told him for
tunes were transmitted by wire every
week.
Il consulted the operator and ar
ranged a deal says the man of many
names. He agreed to help me out
for one-half the proceeds. Then
called on the McManus brothers OF
the Commercial bank OF Chihuahua
and said | had money on deposit In
st. Louis and wanted to get il. wa'
informed | would have to have il tel
egraphed through the Boatman's
bank. That concern was their ag
ent. and they had a code by which
their money was sent. II took the op
orator a few minutes to write fic
titious dispatch and put on all the of
fetal earmarks of genuine message
1t purported to be from the Boatman's
bank in st. Louis. saying that | had
$4,000 deposited there. On showing
this dispatch ! received that amount
from the Chihuahua bank. | gave the
operator $25,000 Mexican dollars net
and. like a fool, he instantly locked
up his office at midday and took tC
the wilderness, when he had fully five
days time to get away before the st
Louis bank could be heard from. He
should have closed his office later al
night. took the train that evening
for FL Paso.
"McManus. however, happening tC
have a telegram to send, and finding
the office closed. concluded some
thing was wrong. After waiting five
hours he notified the police and order
ed my arrest. was overhauled or
the train half way to El Paso and TAX
en- back
Well the story reached his moth
er in Fort Smith. Ark. She repaid the
bank the little her son had been able
to dispose of and the $4,000 taken
by the operator, who never was
caught. Drayton was sentenced tc
three years in prison. later was parol
ed on account of his youth, and be
came secretary to the governor OF
Chihuahua. Being fully pardoned, he
went to New York.
After telling of his numerous escap
ades In New York. Venice and Other
large cities in different parts OF the
world, he speaks as follows of his
Montana career:
In Montana.
Arriving in America, Drayton went
TO Texas, where he married again
Then comes the part of his career
which interests Montana. He says:
IL was now about 80 years old and
1t was time to reform. | re
allied that | was on the wrong track
So | went to Denver and resumed
special advertising and 'write-ups.' IL
the interest of the proprietor Of
Denver journal | began exposes oi
certain mining frauds which nettet
large sums OF money. Some weeks
my share amounted to 5000 and more
After my European experience Twas
able to entertain handsomely and ge
into Rocky mountain society-somC
social peaks higher than others.
II was still Drayton, but passed as
a cousin and not the real j. Coleman
Drayton. A political campaign wa'
on. and made public speeches, hay
ing inherited gifts from my father fo
oratory. My address at Colorado
Springs caused Governor Thomas e
appoint me commissioner to rais'
funds for a special mining exhibit a
the Paris exposition. | was success
full in getting handsome subscriptions
but none reached Paris.
During my tour through the min