The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-01

at one time there was serious talk
IL In Minneapolis Of raising an army
to go to Fort Garry now Winni-
peg--and rescue by force Of arms Loren
Fletcher and three other Minneapolitans
who were confined in the dungeon of the
fort for more than two months. Yet
thlrty-two years ago the entire city was
in fever of excitement over the brutal
treatment accorded it's citizens in the
Canadian settlement, and General Grant,
then president Of the United States, and
Hamilton Fish, secretary OF state, were
deeply concerned as to the outcome of
the affair. 49, - -
The recent death Of Chief Justice
Balm in Manitoba recalls this remark
able piece of hitherto unwritten his
tory. The late judge was merely a link
in a chain Of events that. had it's be-
and ended at Fort Garry, and the in
generation Of the four Minneapolitans
was only an incident in the life of one
Of the most remarkable criminals Of
modern times-the man who tricked Jay
Gould in the zenith of his financial ca
reer and who caused the relations be-
tween the governments of the two great
branches of the nglish-speaking race
to become strained.
There are few Of the younger genera
tion who ever heard Of the Right Hon
orable Lord Gordon, yet the man who
wrongfully made use of that title was,
for cool, unadulterated nerve and cum
most remarkable swindler the world has
ever seen-the very king Of confidence
men. III
In the late sixties slight, artistic:
cratic looking man stepped from a car
rage into the jewelry shop Of Messrs.
Marshall & Sons, the most fashionable
i Il
There was evident taste in his selection
of various articles of jewelry, and he in
structed that his purchases be sent to
fashionable hotel, with the bill, which
amounted to over 800 pounds sterling
Whatever hesitation the firm might
removed by the card Of the distin
guished-looking purchaser, which reat
NLord Glencairn,' and by letter Of
introduction from one of the best
known clergymen in the Scottish CAPT
tai, an intimate friend Of the Mar
shalls. Lord Glencairn's appearance il
the shop in the company Of this eler
" allayed any doubts of the Messrs
Marshall regarding payment for his ex
tensive purchases. e... ..... -. -.
Lord Glencairn soon became a promi
nent patron of the Marshalls. One da
he mentioned incidentally that he pos
sessed a rare Dresden dish, bearing
portrait of the mother Of the grea
Napoleon 1t had reached the know
edge of the ex- emperor of France, h
related, that he was possessed of thi
Invaluable gem, and the emperor ha
sent the request that he might be f.
vored with a sight of it. Lord Gle1
cairn said he had sent special mes
senger to the Tuileries, with instrut
lions not to let it out of his hand
The emperor offered him 100000 ste
ling, but he would not part with it. II
volunteered to let Messrs. Marshall
Sons have this article to show in the:
window. and two days afterwar
brought it into the shop himsel
addressed to .'The Rt. Honble II. Gle1
cairn, Royal hotel, Edinburgh. .
A few months later there came
the Marshalls a letter from the wei
known diamond merchant, L. Kellar
SO Hatton Gardens, London, stain
that Lord Glencairn had made son
extensive purchases on credit and ha
mentioned that his dealings with Il
Marshalls had covered ga period
years. This was false; the Marshal
had known him for only three month
their bill had not been paid, and
taking stock they had missed sever
articles of jewelry to which Glencail
had had access, as he had become
habitue Of their establishment. Thorn
Smith, trusted member of the fir
Immediately proceeded to Londo
wnere he ascertained that Lord Gle
cairn had been introduced to Kell