The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-11
A LIEN ON THE ROAD.
Puck Hamilton Causes James
Street Line Trouble.
HIS NOTE REMAINS UNPAID.
Pacific Rolling Mills Try to Recover
from Him His ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
MISUNDERSTANDING Departs.

Ihe departure for Minneapolis of c. l..
Hamilton, IT,, better known as "Puck"
Hamilton, has been followed by trouble
for the James Street Construction Com
pany, which is building the James street
cable railway, and which obtained its iron
material through Mr.. Hamilton. A tele-
gram from Portland in yesterdays PosT-
lNTELLIGENcER stated that Mr.. Hamilton
had suddenly departed, that his Office fur
niture in that city had been seized by the
sheriff and that the Pa cine Rolling Mills
proposed to nle liens against all who had
purchased material from him.
Accordingly a lien was 1led yesterday by
w. Lair Hill, representing the Paeifc
Rolling Mills, upon the James street cable
railway for material furnished the James
Street Construction Company to the value
OF 80, 73l.22. The material III question was
furnished through Mr.. Hamilton as agent.
Part Of this material has not been paid for
by the James street company, and pay
ment viii be made into court. The re-
mainder of the claim will be resisted on
the ground that it has been paid, and that
the Pacinc Rolling Mills must look to Mr..
Hamilton for payment.
The principal part of the claim arises
out of shipment of iron worth about
$500. Jacob Furth, cashier of the Puget
Sound National bank, said to PosT-lN-
TELLIeENcER reporter: 1.-The bill OF lading
came to this bank to be delivered to Mr..
Hamilton on payment of half in cash and
giving note at sixty days for the other
half. The bank took bis note and sent it
to the rolling mills. The James street
company paid Mr.. Hamilton half cash
and gave him sixty-day note for the
other half, which he discounted at one of
the local banks, and which the James
street company paid when due. The
rolling mill company claims to have u
right for lien on the road, but the James
street company claims that, as it has paid
for the iron, the rolling mill company
must collect from Mr.. Hamilton.
j. ID. Lowman, one of the officers of the
James street company, said: I'VE gave a
uton, which he discounted at the Mer-
chants National bank. The Pacific Roll
ing Mills telegraphed Mr.. Furth to let him
have the iron on his note. We wanted
Mr.. F'urth to insist on his turning over o1r
note to the rolling mills, but Mr.. Hamil-
ton said: No, the telegram says you are
to accept my note and Mr. Furth let him
have the iron. Mr. Hamilton's note to the
rolling mills is overdue and remains un-
paid. We claim that we paid for the iron
and that the rolling min company must
look TO Mr.. Hamilton for payment"
Eben Smith, attorney for the James
street company, stated that the claim
would be resisted to the utmost.
Judge W. Lair Hill said: 'The Pacific
Rolling Mill nles lien on the James street
road for IS, 73l. % for iron material used in
the building of the road. But this does not
grow out Of any idea that the company IS
embarrassed, hut simply out of a dispute
by the railway company as TO whether the
demand is proper charge against them or
their road, their contention being that the
rolling mills must look to Contractor Ham
ilton personally for the debt"
Mr.. Hamilton, who is the cause of all
this trouble, has been in Seattle about u
year. He is man of less than middle
height with a very chubby face and form,
dark hair and complexion and general
joviality of countenance. His personal
appearance has gained him the Dynamo
of Puck" He Brst appeared in Seattle
as advertising solicitor for the Washington
Magazine, disappeared for time and then
reappeared as agent for the American Con-
struction Company. About two months
ago he opened handsomely furnished
offices at 200 and 20i Butler block, bearing
the sign &c. l.. Hamilton & CO., railway
equipment agents." etc, but still retained
the agency of the American Construction
Company, according to his own statement.
Last Thursdsy he returned from pro-
longed visit to San Francisco and Port
land, and the same evening left for Mime
apolis, saying that he was going to attend
convention of railway equipment agents,
and that he would be absent about ten
days. There is every appearance that he
really went to Minneapolis, for last week
he bought round trip ticket for that city
at the Northern Pacihc Office at Portland
and said he was going to the convention
named. During his few hours stay III Sc
attic he paid several small bills and gave
money to B. J. Boutwell,, the attorney, who
has desk room in his office, to pay others.
Mr.. Boutwell, does not believe that Mr..
Hamilton's departure warrants the pre-
sumption that he is an absconder, and yes
terday telegraphed to him at Minneapolis
telling him of the state of his affair in Sc
rttle and asking for instructions. He re-
ceiyed no answer Mr.. Boutwell, says that
his acquaintance with Mr.. Hamilton only
dates from the time when they began to
occupy the same Office.
Evidence that Mr. Hamilton was i'll
financial straits appeared yesterday, how
ever, in the seizure of his office furniture by
the sheriff on a chattle mortgage, dated Oc-
tober Is. 1890. which was given to Henry
Binnian to secure payment of loan of
S1lo with interest at per cent. n month.
This amount with the addition of $3.50 for
one months interest and SO for attorney s
fee. makes the total claim $1,000. The
sale is 10 take place on December %.
Before his departure Mr.. Hamiltop4 dis
pensed with the services of his clerk, say
that he expected business 10 be dull for the
he