The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-19
Bold Attempt to Steal Townsite
Of Des MoineS.
o. J. M'cAusLAND THE PENMAN.
Joseph s. Cook, Tacoma Business
Man, Arrested as Accessory.
The Spokane Falls Railway Litigation
lis Negligent City Responsible for
Losses by Fire f-Northern Pacific
Shops to be Built Near Chicago.

AAtomhf July lc.-tOuSlueTdUfS eAClic~
ment was created here today by the arrest
OF 0. ]. McCausland, who came over to
Tacoma from Port Blakeley, on charge
OF forgery of deed TO property valued at
nearly $4,000, consisting OF the original
townsite of Des Moines, in King county.
After the arrest of McCausland he was
lodged in jail, and made full confession,
which resulted in the arrest of Joseph S.
Cook, q prominent business man. and
brother of L. +. Cook, well known ON the
Sound. Cook was brought before Justice
Patrick at 7:30 tonight and held in bonds
OF $1,000 to appear Monday evening on a
charge OF being an accessory before the
fact.
Tue PosT-1NTELLIGENcER correspondent
learned the following facts from Mr.. Grin
Barlow, president of the Des Moines Land
Company, who swore out a warrant for
Cooks arrest. In July. 1880, Des Moines
Land Company purchased from F. O.
Chezum l2i acres of land in King county,
which they subsequently, plated and named
the townsite of Des Moines. On January
s, 1890, q deed was recorded for the same
property, purporting to have been signed
by one John Moore, son of John Moore,
the original owner of the property, who
had quit-ciaimed to Chezum. 1t was
alleged that the younger Moore had never
released his claim to the property, to
which, as the only child of the
elder Moore, he was sole heir.
The elder Moore. it is said. went insane
and was consequently not qualified to make
deed. The deed filed in January last and
alleged to have been signed by John
Moore. ir., conveyed the property to Joseph
S. Cook. This deed was signed and ac-
knowledged in San Diego, CAL, January s.
The witnesses to the same were a notary,
before whom it was acknowledged. and
man named Smith. Joseph Cook, it is
claimed, offered to transfer his rights to
the land company for 5000. about one
thirtieth the present value of the property.
The land company became convinced that
there was fraud somewhere, and sent a
detective to San Diego to look the matter
up. The notary was found, who referred
him to Smith. Smiths statement was that
he had been approached by man who
represented himself as John Moore. Moore
claimed to have hailed from Smiths old
home in the East and was familiar with
all his former neighbors. Smith was
easily convinced and readily accompanied
Moore 10 witness the deed. though an in
nocent party to the transaction.
As soon as Moore. or McCausland, had
the deed properly acknowledged, he imme-
diately telegraphed it TO Tacoma. The ad-
dress to which the message was sent was
given to detective by Smith and McCaus-
land was soon located at Port Blakeley,
where he has been shadowed ever since. 1t
seems that he got wind of his followers and
70 fr nd
cordingly left tor Portland yesterday. He
lodged in jail.
The disclosures and the arrest OF prom
inent citizen in connection with the affair
have caused profound sensation. 1t is
also thought that others will be implicated
in the affair before the matter is thoroughly
up for hearing. The forged deed only ef-
fects the original toynsite of Des Moines
or that part of it plated by the Des Moines
Land Company.
J. S. Cook was seen by the PosT-INTEL-
LIGENcER correspondent tonight. He
says that some time ago he was
approached by McCausland, who is
an oId-timer on Puget sound, and told that
the title to the town of Des Moines had
been obtained by fraud, and that quit
claim deed. purporting to have come from
young Moore in Oregon, by which the land
was obtained, was forgery. McCausland
further stated that young Moore, the legal
heir, was living in San Diego,
and that title from him to
the property would hold good. and if he
(Cook) would furnish the money he would
go to San Diego and obtain the deed from
young Moore. Cook claims that he fur
nished the money to McCausland to go to
San Diego, and instead of getting Moore's
signature, forged the papers.
There is one thing in Cooks favor, and
that is that he addressed letters to Nc
Causland at San Diego as McCausland, and
not Moore, and McCausland having con-
fessed forgery, his word will not have much
weight.