The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-05-22
An OLD MANS STORY.


near HlenstuYR. Who came 70 she
coast IN isls, and has spent moss OF
the intervening yeass SINGS In the terri
tory. had very peculiar ezpesience
In ibis city yesterday. In the morn
ing c. II. Crockett. Who resides near
Lake Union, teIephoued 70 Sheriff
Cochrane to come out and arrest .
crazy man. The sheriff found Mr..
Thorpe in Crockett r house and had NO
trouble in srrssting him. In the
prisoners pockets Was found 9l316.0
PoeT-IsTKLLfsEScKR reporter he made
substantially the following
sKssArroxAI srarKxEsf.
"Aboat month ago my wife who
had been my beloved companion for
about forty three years, died at our
ranch near EIlensburxh- have three |
sons and three daughters. A long
time ago made viii leaving all OF
the property &c my wife in case Of my
death ana she executed . similar in |
strument bequeathing to me her inter- /
est in the estate In case she should
drop OIL. I have three sons and three |
daughters. all married They are
generally pretty good children, but /
Baiiess has been kinder black sheep. !
He Is the son Of my wife and know
she vas . good woman, but think
all the meanness In US both must a
got into him. George O'Hara, sort OF
low down fellow, got into the family
BY marrying one Of my darters-
Since nay wife's death these two have
been pcstcrin' the life out Of me-
was naturally broke up badly about
my wife's dying, but before she was
fairly cold George and Bailess began
hotherin' me about the property.
They wanted me 10 make the most Of
| Il over 70 them and would not do Il,
for I've got 60 be Just and look out for
the rest u the children ~ we'll Ms q
little for myself. They found they
could mot set me 70 consent and then
put up
4 nIsERAbLR JOE 4
On me, and II they did not drive me
crazy Il Is no fault OF theirs. They
made mp . story that had outraged Z
hatf-brced girl fourteen years OF age,
and continually threatened 10 have me
arrested II did not make over 10 them
two-thiras Of the property. They
bounded me 80 that could not stand
Il any longer. Although knew IL was
not true did not know what they
might do, and could not stand such
scandal at my time OF life, even
though ] could prove that II was false.
NY son-in-law. 4. Stout, Of Yale, Brit
ish Columbia, was at my house last
week and got 80 worried about the
| trouble that when he started for home
last Saturday decided 10 10 along
and stay in British Columbia awhile
where lcould have some peace, and get
AWAY TRoN THE BOYS.
G. A. Splawn, another son-in-law
who lives twelve miles this side Of
Ellenshurgh. came along 20 attend
to some business over here.
We reached Seattle Sunday noon.
Bailess and O'Hara had been taking q
trip over this way and | unerstand
were on the point of starting back
home when they heard that we were
In town and they at once began at me.
did not see them hut they sent mes
sagcs 10 me through Mr.. Splawn. They
reiterated their threats that they would
haye me arrested for rape and bounded
me so that ] was more anxious than
ever 10 get away from them. Early
yesterday morning thought OF man
named Long, whom l had heard lived
near Lake Union, who owed me some
money and l started out u find him.
! kept thinking about the disgrace and
scandal that the boys would bring on
me II they fulfilled their threats and
when | came TO q house that in my
| judgment looked as though Ii might
be occupied by an honest man,
knocked AT the door and il was opened
by man whem I have since learned
was Crockett. told him what trouble
| was In aud appealed to his humanity
| 10 help me. | had about $i700 In my
pocket and told him that would pay
good price 10 be taken to Vic
toria in boat and struck bargain
with him for $500. which ! paid him.
After we started down town 10 charter
boat Crockett told me to step into
the bush and remain until he secured
| the boat and returned for me. /
waited In the bush for long time and
then went back 10 Crockett's house.
Before got there saw Crockett and
one OF his children. but by the time I
got into the house they had run some
where and the house was empty. /
went 10 q ncighbor's and asked II they
had seen Crockett, and they said no.
don't know why any one should
think | was crazy. shortly after l
was arrested. submitted at once, al
though could not understand what
II was for, and u was the first time ]
ever had hand GUS on these old
wrists"
what were you doing with the re-
yolver that Mr.. Crochet says you had
in your hand when he saw You the
second time, and when they all ran
from the house Z" asked the reporter.
II don't like 10 say anything about
that now, for il cannot matter much,
but suppose IL will all have To come
out. When Crockett did not return. |
feared all kinds Of things and thought
he might have gone down to find Bal
less aud o'Hars. and concluded II
they came 90 arrest me, and make
public the scandal they had threat
enesi. would put that revolver here
tpointing TO his fofehead) and
PrlL ruE TRIGGER.
"But I did not harbor that thought
long. hut decided 10 see this thing
through and show this persecution
up"
Mr.. Thorpe hal long talk with
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Piles
and sheriff Ccchrane later, and he
told his touching story 80 nationally
that he was discharged from custody
ana the large sum ot money tuat hau
been taken frosn him was returned to
his custody. His statement il very
connected. a. shown by his assertion
that he had about $i7aG when he
started oat, while over $3.50 was found
ON him when arrested. which would
leave balance of $40 which he claims
to have paid Crockett
Immediately after his release. Mr..
Thorpe swore cut 4 warrant for Crock
ests arrest. The latter Was found
without difficulty, aud had brief ex-
animation In Justice So,ierterg's court
last evening. He furnished $50 bail
for his appearance at 2 o'clock this
morning. Mr. Crockett was formerly
an express driver. hut for sometime
past has been dealing in cattle. Tie
hears a good reputation and tells quite
A psrsERsSr STORY
From Mr.. Thorpe's. He said ~ re
porter. Just as was dressing ibis
morning there was knock AT the
door. osened il and found an old
man there whom have since irarrest
was Mr.. Thorpe He said you seem
10 lie a Younger mau than l y ! said
/ probably was. and he then told me
the story Of his persecution by has an
and son-in-law aud when he finished
PttIxp 4 REvOlvEK