Hartford’s latest sensation is the sudden departure from town of Mr. George D. Lawson, a well-known newspaper man, to avoid arrest for bigamy. Lawson is well known to the journalistic fraternity of Boston, having been connected with the Advertiser four or five years ago. He appeared in this city in January, 1871, and during his residence here was connected with two of the city dailies. He was a fellow of unprecedented cheek, and in a short time had made himself known to nearly everybody in town. Being a Canadian, he was very active in forming a brigade of the order of Alfredians here, and was elected Grand Commander, or something of that sort, of the body. He was hand and glove with the Caledonians, for whom he was orator at the celebration of the Scott centenary. He became connected with the Knights of Pythias, and nobody knows how many other organizations. He had not been in town long before he had ingratiated himself with a respectable family with whom he boarded, and after paying his addresses to their daughter for several months married her. A few days ago a letter was received from Buffalo, saying Lawson had a wife and two children in that city. The attention of the grand jurors was called to the case, and Lawson would have been arrested had he not suddenly left town, to the sorrow of his new-made wife and numerous creditors.

By his own story, Lawson had lead a roving and adventurous life. He was the son of a prominent citizen of Port Dover, Ontario, who has represented his district several times in the Ontario Parliament. He was educated at the University of Toronto, where he took his degree in 1857, and soon after left home, and, after engaging in several occupations, became a confirmed Bohemian.

He was employed on various Canadian and western papers until the breaking out of the war, when he went to California and resided there several years, being at one time city editor of the Alta California. In 1867 he went to China, as he claims, as private secretary to J. Ross Browne, and, quarreling with that gentleman, was turned off to find his way back to America, with a small amount of money in his pocket. By native wit and what money he had, he managed to secure his passage on various vessels to England, and thence sailed for Boston, where he arrived with twenty eight cents in his pocket, after his journey of 25,000 miles, more or less.

His career in Boston is not entirely unknown to many of your readers. He left your city under unpleasant circumstances, and, after some rough life on the plains and brief engagements on newspapers in Cheyenne, Omaha, Detroit, Indianapolis, Buffalo and Pittsburg, and some reporting for Brick Pomeroy in New York, turned up in Hartford. His sojourn here was unusually long for one of his roving disposition. Lawson was a man of more than average parts, and as the moralists say, had he turned his talents to good account would have made his mark in the profession. His last newspaper work was a series of articles for the Post on the Portland strike. He was accused by one of the State papers of having received $500 from the owners of the quarries for coloring his articles to their advantage, and, although he denied the charge, did not entirely free himself from suspicion. (“Connecticut,” 2)

Many in Buffalo will remember a flashy young man who made himself conspicuous some time since in the position of local editor of one of the daily papers of the city—a man who had an abundance of superficial talent, but even more cheek, and in a still greater degree a facility in contracting and not discharging pecuniary obligations. Before printing the following story about him, written by the Hartford correspondent of the Boston Globe, we will say that inquiries were sent here concerning his matrimonial antecedents, the answer to which, had it reached Hartford in time, would have secured his arrest. (“A Bohemian Bigamist,” 2)