END OF NOTORIOUS SWINDLER.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1917, Page 7

END OF NOTORIOUS SWINDLER.

THE "'REV. A. B. WORXIiIXGTON.'"

A recent Jv T ew YoyJ? cable §taU<i that Samuel Crawford, kuown as the Rev. Arthur Worttiiiigtoii, who formerly figured as a rsligious leader in 'New Zealanl, and in forgery eases in Melbourne, had died suddenly in gaol. The subject of the foregoing cable message was known in New Zealand aa the Kev. Arthur B. Worthington, but during his career he also went under the names of Eugene Samuel Bouvier Walton, Major Eugene Bouvier, Eugene Bouvier, E. R. Bannerton, Mons. Bennateau, Major Horace Oakley Wood, Arthur Wood, W. D: Wood, Arlington Buckingham Wadsworth, Dr. A. B. Worthington. His real name was Samuel Oakley Crawford. He was born in Saugerties, New York, in 1547, and was consequently 70 years of age. He had previously served two terms of imprisonment, one "of three years, at Albany, New York, in 1870, for robbing a man, and one of seven years imposed upon him in Melbourne in 1902 for swindling a young and pretty widow, of Cimi'berwell, of close on £llOO. He was at the time of his death Borving a term of imprisonment on a charge of Salse pretences concerning the Presbyterian Church at Poughkeepsie, New York. Worthington had a most extraordinary career. A splendidly-built' man with a striking and woll-cut face and a head of silvery grey hair, he attracted attention wherever he went. Being an excellent conversationalist and affable yet commanding in his manner, he made friends quickly, and very quietly he sized them for what they were financially worth to him.

According to the American police records, he enlisted in the Ndrthem Army in lS6i', and fought in the Civil War. Aftfr peace he studied law, arid was admitted to the Bar in New York. He practised his profession for only a short period. Becoming connected with a banking institution, he learnt in a year what he could of finance, and then commenced to move about the different States. Always on the look out for propositions likely to bring grist to his mill, Worthington played the part of a lawyer, or banker, political orator, real estate operator, spiritualist, litterateur, mining speculator and organiser, and confidence man generally. He swindled hundreds of people, and, strange to s ay, managed to evade arrest in all but one case in the United States.

In 18fiS Worthington contracted his first marriage in New York. It was not long More he. deserted his wife and child. He moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he was arrested and sentenced for robbery. After his release he Went to Chicago, where he married the daughter of a clairvoyant. He left her, and a few months later, in Ohio, took part in another matrimonial alliance. He once' more slipped, away, and was next heard of in Peoria, where ho became a law clerk and worked in connection with the Y.M.C.A. Matters becoming too warm, he slipped to San Francisco. Here he was about to be married when word was received that he was a bigamist. He escaped, and reaching Salt Lake City joined the Mormons. He preached in the famous temple, and so gulled many of Brigham Ysung's followers that lie v;as about to depart with £IOOO belonging to them. He contracted more marriages, and after fleecing his victims levanted.

doing to Texas in IS7S, he was told to leave the 'State or he would lie lynched. He turned up at Detroit, formed a dramatic company, and married one of the members, to leave her lamenting. Turning up in Toronto, Canada, he married again, and returning to the United States went to live In Wisconsin, where lie practised as a lawyer, and was building up a good practice when it was discovered that he had committed forgery. He hurriedly left the town and his wife. He next tricked a wealthy widow at Boston of a large sum. He did not marry her. She handed him her cheque after he had promised to make her his I wife.

Worthington was next heard of in New York, where he ehanged his meth- ] ods of trickery. He founded a sect, Which he called the Students of Truth. His teachings were <m the same lines as those laid down by the Christian Scientists. He soon had a regular following, aud the organisation flourished. But Worthington became mixed up with the wife of one of the men who had first assisted him to form the body, and one day he and she disappeared. Later ho sailed for New Zealand and went to Christehureh. This was in 1&90. He and a woman with him established another organisation :known as the Students of Truth, and Everything went well. He induced his followers to provide the money to build a temple, which stands in Christchurcli to-day. He tricked all he could. Quarrelling with the woman, he found himself in a tight corner owing to her exposure of him. She was subsequently found drowned in a waterhole. He left ChrUjtclmrch and sailed for Sydney. He ■went to Melbourne, and then to Hebart. On his return to Ohrtetchurch he obtained more money !i>y means of false pretences, and again sailed for Sydney. For some peculiar re-ason the people he had swindled in Ohristchurch decided not to have him arrested, and lie got away. Paesing through Sydney, Worthington arrived in Melbourne, and for some-years previous in I*K>l, he deluded hundreds. •He was making money fast, and spoke of building a temple. Someone, who had.-, heard of his exploits in C'hrititchurch made accusations against him, but with tears rolling down his cheeks he tola his followers that he was another Saul of Tarsus, and would never sin again. He did sin though. He swindled every woman and man lie could. When arrested in 'Sydney Worthington treated the matter indifferently. On being released from the Melbourne Gaol in 1907 he went to America.