The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-08-30

Is SoiVeO- Inc young man says ne mas
come TO New York TO turn over a new
jesf. He registers under another name.
He VIII tell the story of his adven-
lures in a book, and as a prelimins ~
act of confession he gives the New York
Herald the leading episodes in his as
founding career. He is without doubt the
most consummate all round sharper and
trickster in the world.
1t is a remarkable narrative and con-
Germs his life from the time he became
O clerk in his fathers store, in little
frontier town. until he Travelled over Eu-
! rope with an Austrian Countess, duping
tradesmen and squandering fortunes in
q series Of luxurious revels. Speaking
five languages; occasionally going to jail.
getting out again; returning to America
and marrying several women-heiresses
and widows-and keeping an establish
ment with an adventures; obtaining large
sums Of money under the name of ]. c
Drayton; again to be arrested, but al
ways escaped, he seemingly led a sort of
charmed life.
In his confession he says that he be-
gan by studying law enough to escape
technical violations, also reading up the
international statutes and carefully PLAN
ming his financial adventures to escape
severe punishment.
The newspapers of America and Eu-
rope have tened with accounts of his
operations. Through an error lot OF
his photographs We're forwarded from
Budapest to the real J. Coleman Dray-
ton, at the Langham Hotel London.
These Mr. Drayton gave to Robert Pin
kerton. with instructions to hunt the
smposter down and bring him to justice.
He says, by the way that five thousand
of these photographs were made and dis
tributed among the police of America and
Europe His description and record are
on file with police headquarters in every
important city in the world. 1t was a
great scene in Chicago when the imposter
was confronted by the real Mr.. Drayton
in the Auditorium Hotel. Mr.. Pinkerton
had telegrapheG the New York banker
70 hurry on TO meet the man. But the
spurious Drayton was nowise nonplussed.
. With lady on his arm he greeted Mr..
Drayton and assured him he had a right
TO the name y. c. Drayton."
Despite all this, the counterfeit Mr..
Drayton now comes forward and con-
fesses. He hopes ii will be a warning
70 fast young men and women against
dishonesty. gambling, dissipation and I'M
scrupulous women. There is something
back OF my life" said the young man
last evening. some influence that never
could explain. Some strange psychology
cal power controls me What it is SCI
ali OIL. l,ot
have done a thousand strange things
against my better iudgment-against my
will I must have been a fool. for there
~ no escape for man who does wrong.
It is only a question OF time when Mem
esis Will overtake him.
II nave found in every instance, that
the women on whom I squandered thou
sands. whether as companions or my
welded wives, have accepted me in q
spirit Of adventure / ultimately discov-
ered that supposed respectable women
had secretly gone more or less astray.
and had thought to dupe me, only to
find themselves united to man of false
names. and obtaining money dishonesty.
Somewhere in my ancestry there must
have been dark blood Some one must
temperament of evil Ny mother was
q fine woman. a Pole. full of nobility and
honorable sentiments My father was
good man. industrious and square deal
fng.
THE key to my evil success. II 1t may
he called such. has been my personality
and lavishness with money. attracting
gamblers who sought TO use me as
decoy. In nearly every western town /
knew the prominent men. When they
came 10 New York II was easy 10 use
them to me financial advantage. and at
The same time TO hold my own against
the gamblers who wanted them to spend
money in their establishments.
How easy 1t seems when the game
is properly worked I managed it in this
way: I tell the proprietor Of big Fifth
avenue restaurant that wish to give a
little dinner 10 few friends AS he
does not know me l place 500 with him
TO my credit. This is repeated at one
or two large hotels. theatres and other
places. The dinner over, I sign the
check and tell the waiter 10 charge IL.
] send my friends TO the theatre with
q box at their disposal ! take them 10
q jewelrv store for scarf pins or some
pretty tokens and let them hear me say
please charge il TO my account
g This gives me standing among the
western men have lot Of them at my
fingers ends. and il becomes easy to
take them around to Canheld's and other
big gambling establishments. for which
the gamblers pay me handsomely. or
course. I gamble myself and lose money
with the rest, otherwise I would De
worth a fortune today"
Such are q few introductory touches
regarding. the methods Of the spurious
J Coleman Drsyton ESQ.
My real name IS Harry SiIberberg. NY
father. William Silberberg. was Jewish
rabbi man Of great Sits. with genius
for public speaking. He came here from
Warsaw. Poland. a young man OF TWEEN
ty-six years. and married beautiful AMI
young Polish Girl in Milwaukee He had
a synagogue in Memphis. Tenn but later
drifted into business and became a mer-
chant In the civil war he turned block
ade runner and made a fortune. When
peace was declared he went TO CHICAGO
and was associated with Francis Peabody
IN real estate until a turn OF fortune left
him bankrupt In $50 he opened a store
at Atlanta. Ga. having credit with II.
r. Clafin & co. Again he failed. n
Atlanta I was born. the youngest Of
nine children-six now dead NV oldest
sister is the richest woman in a town
OF Arkansas. cwnere our family has re-
mained since my fathers Death
The young man relates how his father