Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-09-08
BOUTON-STEWART
A Lawyer Forced to Make
Terms.
She Has Him Summoned to the
Police Station, where the Set
tlement was Made.

W. W. Stewart, Police Court pfacti-
toner, had one of his peculiar methods
OF conducting business brought to light
yesterday. When Katie Bouton was ar
rested short time ago, Stewart visited
her at the City Prison and persuaded her
to let him have her case. The charge
against her was drunkenness, for which
the Judge gave her term in the County
Jail. Thinking she would have to spend
some time in prison she turned all her
papers over to Stewart, and gave him
her power of attorney. Mrs. Bouton is
from Boston, where she is we'll con-
nected. She has some property there
which is in the hands of her guardian,
who, she says, is President of the Com
mon Council of that city. She also
draws pension from the Government,
her husband having served in the army.
Stewart, she states, was informed of
these things by her and was instructed
to get her pension papers and transact
her business while she remained in Jail,
for which service he was to receive $50,
which was not to be payable until the
papers were secured. He wrote two let
ters in regard to the matter, and re-
ceived $40 as part payment. He did
nothing further. however, towards secur-
ing the papers, but Gid receive $50.
which had been sent to Mrs. Bouton by
her guardian, and which amount he said
nothing to her about. Stewart visited
her at the jail and told her that he was
going away for two months, and she
then demanded the power of at
torney which he held, but he
said he would turn it over, together
with her other papers which he had to
MIR. Barham, who was formerly his part
ner. He did not do this nor did he re-
main away from the city for more than .
week. Mrs. Bouton had in the mean
while been discharged on her promising
to leave the city, and Captain Darcy
took her to Mrs. Nicholson, who lives
at 259 Upper Main street, and told her to
remain there until she could make ar
rangements to leave town. She had no
money, and telegraphed to her guardian
to forward the amount due her. In re-
ply to her message came the statement
that $50 had been sent her. She started
out to look for Stewart, who has no Of
flee, and finally found him and asked for
her money, but he put her off with ex-
cuses. She insisted upon having it, and
he made an appointment to meet her at
the County Jail ON Friday even
ing, which he did not keep.
The woman then made up her
mind that he was trying to defraud her
OF the money, and she made complaint
to Chief Glass yesterday morning, and
Stewart was sent for. Some trouble was
experienced in finding him, but he was
finally located in Mr.. Barham's office, In
the Phillips Block. At the station Mrs.
Bouton demanded her money and papers.
Stewart said he had instructions not to
pay her the entire amount at once, but
he was told that he must come up with
all of it or appear before the court and
show why he withheld it. Throughout
the entire argument Mrs. Bouton scored
him numerically for his treatment of
her, and he took it all without re-
plying. Finally District Attorney
Phibbs took hand in the mat
ter, and informed Stewart that he
must give up the money or answer to q
charge of embezzlement, and he imme-
diately handed the Chief $23 and made
an agreement to pay the balance within
short time. This is not the first time
that Stewart has been in trouble. A
short time ago cigar dealer in this city
is said to have engaged him to settle q
case in San Diego county, and furnished
him money for expenses. Stewart started
ostensibly for San Diego, but never
reached there, and the cigar man
lost his case. Again, he got into some
trouble few weeks ago on which
account he thought it best to leave the
city. He sold his Office furniture, and
his friends subscribed an amount suffi-
cient to take him to Tacoma and pay his
expenses for several weeks. He left the
city and as he states was robbed of all
his money in San Francisco. At any
rate he was back in town within week
after his departure.