Look out for ‘Mr. Smith’

Luray museum

October 23, 1890 — About three months ago a man giving his name as Charles F. Smith, and claiming to hail from Roanoke, made his appearance in the Stony Man neighborhood, this county, where he married a daughter of Samuel Sours, and “settled down” to his trade, that of shoemaker.

He soon got in debt to everybody who would trust him, in amounts from 50 cents to $50, in all aggregating about $200.

Last Sunday night he pulled out, leaving his wife, but taking everything else with which he could get away.

The people in that neighborhood are outraged at this conduct, but are glad to have gotten rid of him even upon the costly terms that he made with them.

He is about 42 years of age, is a big talker, cleanly shaven, though wore a heavy mustache when he came to Stony Man, has pierced ears and a tattooed arm. 

~ From the public archives of the Page News and Courier

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