The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-06-20
WHERE Is KYE?
A Railroad Manipulation Quietly
Disappears.

According to dispatches from Martinez
one of the most eagerly sought men in that
community is William kye, former brake
man, but one who has been lately posing as
an agent for a transcontinental line.
The magic name lie used in his operation
was no other than that of " Vanderbilt"
whom he was supposed to represent
For some days large number Of work.
ingmen. a hotel proprietor, several firms
and one or two other interested parties have
been looking for Kye, and as nothing can
be found OF his whereabouts the SUPPOSE
tion is that the alleged Vanderbilt repre-
sentative has skipped, and that the money
he obtained from those he interested in his
project is gone where the w0Odbine twlneth.
A history of kye's operations is somewhat
interesting, and III carrying them on ne nad
the assistance OF the columns oil the enron
cle and several other newspapers. There
are also said to be creditors of the absent
railroad manipulation. For over year the
ex- brakeman has been nosing around Com
ira Costa County In very mysterious man
ner, and his movements became the subject
of much speculation. The mystery OF his
dOings excited the greatest curiosity. ana IL
began to be whispered that he was IN the
employ of a transcOntinental railroad COM
pany and was looking for route through
the county.
BaChED III NANDI-iADllfI'
Kye encouraged this BELIEF and finally
openly stated 10 those he wanted to use in
his scheme that lie had the backing of the
NandeTbiltS and was working IN their IN
tereSts lie had a route surveyed and
busted himself among the local county
officers III securing franchises and rights OF
way. He organized the Contra Costa and
Eastern Terminal Company and applied for
a franchise for 'wharves at Bulls Head
three miles east of Martinez. This subject
is now under consideration by the County
Boald of Supervisors.
in the mean while kye secured tine ser
vices of Ii. H. Wheeler as engineer, aud on
May 9th set him to work with a party Of
| laborerS at Concord, town seven miles
! from Martinez. These camped in three
rough buildings which had been erected, but
boarded in a hotel in Concord. kye is said
also to have received on credit large guam
tity of picks, shovels and hardware from
Hawey Bros Hardware Company, on
/ Market street. Among other firms from
| whom he is supposed TO have obtained
| goods are the following: Engineering In
struments from Roach u Co; stationery,
| Dewing & Co., and Payot, Upham q Co. ;
hardware, Baker q Hamilton, and W. w.
! Montague; tents, Neville q Co. These are
| all said to have given credit on the repre-
sentation that kye was the agent of the
| Nanderbilts.
WANTED THEIR WAGES
Inc men whom hye nau employed soon
| began 10 ask for pay, but he put them OF
| with excuses. None of these men nor the
| hotel proprietor who boarded them have
| received any money, and the disappearance
| of kye simultaneously with the coming to
maturity of his principal debts has in
| duced the belief that he will not soon turn
up again. In consequence the men who
/ placed their faith in his WORD are very
! anxious to have the matter of his supposed
! flight definitely settled.
! According to dispatches lie has not been
| seen in Martinez for some days. The result
| of an investigation in Oakland, where he
| resided, revealed the fact that he has not
been seen there since Tuesday last A
| number OF people we're seen, and from their
statements it was apparent that not much
| confidence was repOsed in kye'S schemes.
as he was well known to have been brake
! man for years on local trains, and it was
not understood how he could suddenly
| jump from that position to the exalted one
Of representing the greatest railroad mag
/ nate in the world.
Several parties directed CALL reporter
| to a house on Pine street where Kye was
said 10 have had lodgings, but the landlady
| vigorously denied that any such man had
ever stopped there.
To-day is the time fixed for the meeting
between Kye and the County Board of Su-
| pervisors for settlement of the question of
| his franchise, and, If he does not turn up.
| little doubt will remain as to what has be-
! come Of the trauScOntinental representa-
| tive.