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Story
January 27, 1790
The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
A genteel impostor tricks a tailor by ordering clothes and leaving a painting claimed to be worth 80 guineas. An accomplice feigns interest, offering 100 guineas, leading the tailor to buy it for 80 guineas after the impostor vanishes. The painting proves worth only 40 shillings.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
The Medler.
A REMARKABLE IMPOSITION.
A PERSON of genteel appearance coming to a tailor's shop, requested if a suit of clothes could be made in a few days, as he was under the necessity of going to Scotland at the expiration of that period: being answered in the affirmative, he was measured accordingly. Having a painting with him that he said was of such value that a gentleman at Edinburgh had offered 80 guineas for it, he desired to leave the same with the salesman till his clothes were finished, assigning for his reasons, that having discharged his lodgings, he should remain with a slight acquaintance at the other end of the town, till his clothes, &c. were ready for his departure. This being readily acceded to, the picture was hung up by the salesman in a parlour contiguous to the shop. On the next day a gentleman in appearance, but in reality a person procured by the former coming into the shop, and purchasing a trivial article, pretended the utmost astonishment at seeing the painting, enquiring where the salesman got it, whether it was to be sold, &c. &c. On being told it belonged to a gentleman who had been offered 80 guineas; he offered to purchase it for a hundred, counting them out of his purse at the same time; and being told that the gentleman's consent could not be immediately obtained, he proposed calling again for an answer. In the interval the former person that bespoke the clothes, calling for them according to appointment, was informed (the salesman thinking to avail himself of the other's partiality of the picture) that a gentleman accidentally seeing it, had offered 80 guineas for it, adding, that as it would save the trouble of carriage, he would, to prevent the gentleman's hindrance, purchase it for the former, having received from him his address, said to be in a square near Oxford-street, &c. With some reluctance this was at length agreed to. The salesman deducting for the clothes, paid the money; the other decamping, left him in vain to search for the amateur in M--r square, and the picture being shewn to an artist proved to be worth about 40 shillings.
A REMARKABLE IMPOSITION.
A PERSON of genteel appearance coming to a tailor's shop, requested if a suit of clothes could be made in a few days, as he was under the necessity of going to Scotland at the expiration of that period: being answered in the affirmative, he was measured accordingly. Having a painting with him that he said was of such value that a gentleman at Edinburgh had offered 80 guineas for it, he desired to leave the same with the salesman till his clothes were finished, assigning for his reasons, that having discharged his lodgings, he should remain with a slight acquaintance at the other end of the town, till his clothes, &c. were ready for his departure. This being readily acceded to, the picture was hung up by the salesman in a parlour contiguous to the shop. On the next day a gentleman in appearance, but in reality a person procured by the former coming into the shop, and purchasing a trivial article, pretended the utmost astonishment at seeing the painting, enquiring where the salesman got it, whether it was to be sold, &c. &c. On being told it belonged to a gentleman who had been offered 80 guineas; he offered to purchase it for a hundred, counting them out of his purse at the same time; and being told that the gentleman's consent could not be immediately obtained, he proposed calling again for an answer. In the interval the former person that bespoke the clothes, calling for them according to appointment, was informed (the salesman thinking to avail himself of the other's partiality of the picture) that a gentleman accidentally seeing it, had offered 80 guineas for it, adding, that as it would save the trouble of carriage, he would, to prevent the gentleman's hindrance, purchase it for the former, having received from him his address, said to be in a square near Oxford-street, &c. With some reluctance this was at length agreed to. The salesman deducting for the clothes, paid the money; the other decamping, left him in vain to search for the amateur in M--r square, and the picture being shewn to an artist proved to be worth about 40 shillings.
What sub-type of article is it?
Deception Fraud
Crime Story
What themes does it cover?
Deception
Fortune Reversal
What keywords are associated?
Imposition
Deception
Fake Painting
Tailor Swindle
Confidence Trick
What entities or persons were involved?
Person Of Genteel Appearance
Salesman
Gentleman In Appearance
Where did it happen?
Tailor's Shop Near Oxford Street, London
Story Details
Key Persons
Person Of Genteel Appearance
Salesman
Gentleman In Appearance
Location
Tailor's Shop Near Oxford Street, London
Story Details
An impostor orders clothes from a tailor and leaves a painting supposedly worth 80 guineas. An accomplice pretends to offer 100 guineas for it, tricking the tailor into buying it for 80 guineas from the impostor, who then disappears. The painting is revealed to be worth only 40 shillings.