Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1876 — Interesting Correspondence. [ARTICLE]

Interesting Correspondence.

The following is-from the Washington Chronicle of alate“date: Some time since a young gentleman possessed of considerable inventive genius, while- peregrinating through California, lell short of cash, and, being averse to labor, be decided to raise the wind by representing himself to be a nephew of the Secretary of the Navy. With a shrewdness that did credit to his penetration lie selected several marine officers to operate upon. These gallant defenders of the country were only too pleased to lend every assistance in their power to the relative of the distinguished head of the servjce which included them as members. Accordingly they feted him like a prince, loaned him money ufatii he should receive a remittance from the East and paid him every attention in their power. This was kept" up some weeks and Mare Island was a gay and festive place during the stay of the fraudulent nephew. An expose came at lag, as it always must in such cases, no matter how nicely the plans are laid. The nephew skipped, and the marine officers were left to mourn several dollars permanently invested with the fellow who took tlieffi iu, and ail almost incalculable amount of fawning which would never bring a return.

Whether the success of the representative of the Robeson family inspired a similar attempt on the part of another individual to pass himself off as a brother of the Honorable Secretary of the Interior, or whether the atmosphere of the Golden State is peculiarly conducive to speculations of this character, it would be difficult to decide. But a day or two since the Secretary of War received from the commandant of the barracks at Benicia, not far from San Francisco, the following telegram : The Hon. W. W. Belknap, Secretary of War: A brother of the Hon. Secretary Chandler is here on inspection duty, and desires* to have arms furnished him. Shall I provide them ? , Commanding Post. The reception of the message somewhat surprised Secretary Belknap, who could not imagine’ what peculiar kind of inspection the reputed brother of Secretary Chandler could be engaged in which would require arms. He atcordingly communicated at once with the Secretary of the Interior, sending him the following telegram • Hon Zachariah Chandler, SecretAry of the Interior:

A man representing himself to be jour brother is at Benicia Barracks, California, on inspection duty, and desires to be furnished with arms. Shall I order him to be provided ? W. W. Belknap, Secretary of War. It was not many minutes before the following characteristic reply was received at the War Department : JfoHon. W. W. Belknap, Secretary of War: I have"no brother. Arrest tfig scoundrel. In the language of the Chronicle: “ Let no gilt-edged man escape.” Zachariah Chandler, Secretary of the Interior. Upon the reception of this reply the Secretary of War at once telegraphed to California to have the bogus brother arrested, but the bird had flown. Yesterday, however, the police got track of him, an.d at once placed him in durance vile in San Francisco, where he was captured. Intelligence of this w T as at once sent to the Secretary of War, who made haste to communicate the news to his brother Secretary in the following terms: Hon. Zachat-iah Chandler, Secretary ot the Into ior: Capt. Jones, alias Capt. Middlesex, alias Col. Smith, alias Maj. Barclay, alias Lieut. Breeze, alias Lieut. Dodge, alias “ your long lost brother,” has been captured in San Francisco, and safely lodged in jail at that place. Any fraternal or loving message or words of coudolenee you may wish to forward I shall take pleasure in having transmitted and communicated to him. W. W. Belknap, Secretary of War. To which the following brief reply was sent, closing, for the present, the correspondence on the subject: The Hon. W. W. Belknap, Secretary of War: Please have the man of many aliases examined, and if he has an unusually larae strawberry mark on his shoulder have him hung. If he is unmarked, have him hung anyway; for it is better that ninety-nine innocent men should be hung than that one “ gilt-edge” man should escape..

ZACHARIAH CHANDLER.

Secretary of the Interior.

—A strapping big stranger entered a store on Woodward avenue yesterday and leaning too heavily on the show-case broke one of the panes of glass. “That will cost you two dollars,” said the proprietor. “ Haven’t got the money,” replied the stranger. “ Well, you can’t go out of the store until yoh pay for that glass,” said the storekeeper in a determined, voice. “ I’m sorry, but I’m willing to be licked, if that will do you any good," replied the stranger, rapidly getting out of two coats and a vest and showing arms like 1 joints of stove-pipe. “ Oh, I guess it was purely accidental,” said the shop-keeper in an altered voice, as he got behind the counter in a hurry, “ and you needn't mind about waiting around* here any longer. Here’s a car ticket if you are going up the avenue.” — Detroit Free Press.

—A little boy was being instructed in morals by ‘ his grandmother. The old lady told him that all such terms as ” by golly,” “by jingo,” by thunder,” etc., were only minced oaths and but little better than any other profanity. In fact, she said, he could tell a profane oath by the prefix “ by.” All such were oaths. “ Well, then, grandmother,” said the little hopeful, “ there’s a big oath in the newspapers—‘By•telegraph.’” The old lady gave it up and the boy is bewildered on morals.

—lt is feared that the houses entered for the SanlFrancisco four-mile-and-repeat race will die of old age before the trot comes off.