KING CARIBOO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 318, 26 December 1862, Page 6

KING CARIBOO.

(From the Victoria (VI) Colonist.') About the Ist of April, there arrived in this town (Victoria, IV), from Toronto, Canada West,.in company with a number of Canadians, a gentlemanly-looking mid<lle-aged man, named Obediah L. Adams, whose ex-

travagant habits on the passage out won him the sobriquet from his fellow-voyagers of "King, Cariboo." The "King" 'flourished here a short time, passing himself off as a wealthy. Southerner seeking investment for his capital,!and finally left for Cariboo in company with kwp or three Canadians. About .one week after he had started for the diggings an elderly gentleman with snow white hair and whiskers* richly but plainly attired, and having the appearance of a retired merchant, also arrived here, and Svaited on our chief of police, and stated the object of his visit, which was nothing more nor less than to arrest the '• King' for the commission, eight months ago, i of forgeries and frauds in New York city, amounting in the aggregate to a sum of: over forty thousand dollars. Every facility was afforded the stranger (who proved to be the celebrated New York detective officer Merritt) by our police, and officer Taylor was deputed to accompany him to British Columbia in the capacity of an assistant, in case the arrest pt the "King" was effected. The officers proceeeded as far north as Lillooet, when, their funds giving out, they were compelled to return ; but learned enough oh the,trip to satisfy Mr Merritt that,he was on the fight track, although several days behind the rascal,! Mr Merritt took passage on the next steamer for California;, . whe; c he borrpwed sufficient '.-'money, to procure a, Cariboo miner's "outfit and two horses. He also ob-

tamed a requisition from the Governor of California fprthe apprehension of the v King," and took passage on the Pacific ,dri; her last trip for this port. In the \ *'.King' vAdams had visited 'his extensive » domains, taken a lock at the diggings—pronounced them a: f'.humbug" (of course) and'r^ttirned to;'this;i town ; nine "■ days :agd—:tHqraughiy v disgpsted;. with Britisli Golumbia, afid expressing his intention: |tb leave immediately foe He had no sooner set foot ashore, than he was

v spotted''jby'pur officers/ and; a! close watch: was had jon^, ins ,eve^^qyemeiit tthtir. the s'Paeiife;* >jvit^ here ;A consultation 'was held between. Mr Meiritt, Serjeant Blake; and- officer and it was; finally that, >as- Adams" had really takenTpaissage on the pacific far San Fraijclsco,i to save double and the papers slbould- not be served,until^the steamer arrived; at the bay? ; \M"• Jenjo'clock on Friday; nighty*therefore, '■ the detective: having dvfir>t -seen^hiS' TinsuspMti^^vicHm-safe aboard: the* •steanife^ - • embJarked. liims|el£ a^/the'.yeseel: ;ba^pd;:|f "lTOn>!ttie-^ar^4th|' s tbe^^Kipg' f'lie* was Btandjng;6ide;by,i^,fm£ti, Merritt, Engaged in aa animated conversation

regarding 'tlie cap,abiHtjes Jrahd f'x6^ui'ces '$ British Columbia, Unfortunate .-mona^h'T 'he little susneetedthat the plain business-looking man by his side was one of the most celebrated detectives in the United States, who had followed him like a " shadow" for eight -months past, and who, on the arrival of the steamer at d§an "Fiancisco, will/rtake- him intOi custody. TKe'fniuds'which if is 'aaid* Adams perpetrated were committed over eight months ago. De-' serting his "family he fled -with his ill-gotten' gains to Toronto, and arriving there in early winter, representing himself as the son of a wealthy Southern planter, who had been driven from his home on account of his adherence to the cause of the South. The '•King' lived in great st3le, and threw his money around with a perfect looseness ; gain d an enire to good society—drove the fastest horses, five abreast, to the finest sleigh in town, and was the Canadian lon of the season. In February last the Cariboo fever visited Canada, and Adams, probablo deeming a change of air advisable, joined a party, and .arrriyed here''-without detection. ] Merrit, however, who had been on his track for months, reached Toronto several days after Adams had left for this place, and ascertaining his destination, took the following:: steamer for this port. The result of the officer's eight months of trial and anxiety is all that could be desired. Tie has secured the prize which-tie so long sought, and will, no doubt, receive a reward commensurate with the important services which he has rendered not only to justice but to society. The surprise of the ''.King of Carriboo," on his arrival at San Franeu-eo, to find himself in the clutches of the minions of the law, may be imagined. -Never; was a rogue more clevelry trapped.