Freemasons Chronicle 4th October 1884 - An Imposter

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER,

Will you kindly find room in your next issue for the following, for the information of the Craft.

There is a person going about seeking assistance from the London Lodges. It is now eighteen months since I first met this individual, at the Temperance in the East Lodge of Instruction, No.898. He then stated he was a member and P.M. of a New York Lodge, and was an architect and surveyor, carrying on a very extensive business, with his brother, in New York, and had come to England to consult the best Physician he could for his eyes, "being nearly blind".

Unfortunately, he was shipwrecked off the Lizard, and was picked up, and landed at Falmouth, where he was in hospital some time, after which the Lodge held there relieved him to the extent of £2 and paid his railway fare to Penzance. On arriving at Penzance the Lodge there gave him a similar amount, and the amount of his fare to London, but as he had not received a remittance of £200 from his brother, he wanted some help until this arrived. I need scarcely say relief was extended to him by the members of 898.

I did not hear of this man again until the 24th September last, when he appeared at the regular meeting of Temperance in the East Lodge, and applied for relief as a late Sergeant of the First Royal Regiment, invalided home from Egypt, "through Blindness". This Regiment having again been sent to the front, he could not bring his case before the Board of Benevolence, but by some means or other he had obtained a printed note heading belonging to the Lodge named (316), thanking him for forwarding his G.L. Certificate, and stating the Lodge would as soon as possible bring his case on.

The Temperance in the East Lodge voted him one guinea, but previous to this being handed him one of our P.M.'s discovered that he was the same party we had seen at the Lodge of Instruction, as stated above, and drew my attention to the fact, when I, on finding this statement correct, immediately ordered him outside the door.

I have since sent the paper left by this impostor to the Grand Secretary, who informs me that he can trace no such person in Lodge No.316; moreover, so far from the Regiment he names being in Egypt, it has not been, neither is it going to be, sent to Egypt.

Well, Sir, this scoundrel having been relieved by several Lodges with sums amounting to a guinea at a time, I think it quite time he should be exposed, and the Craft informed, as widely as possible , of such nefarious proceedings. I could relate several other incidents connected with this individual but should be occupying too much of your valuable space.

Thanking yon in anticipation, I remain, yours fraternally,

F. W. PULSPORD W.M. No.898

(Reproduced from The Freemasons Chronicle 4th October 1884, page 219)