The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-04
MONIES TITLES.
Faok Denied Guardianship of
Moore's Estate.
e TOWNSHIP FORGERY CASE.
s.xsey A. vrooman Will Probably BE
Given Charge, Under 100000
Bonds-Court Notes.

4 q. Noipes townsite, was denied in the
,rubsse court last evening by Judge Rich
q osborn, after sharply contested hear
q. OF two days. The trial
s.ousht out some sensational
80 ia relation to the title to property
rnrsded 10 be worth over Sl25,00O. This
voperty consists OF 40 acres of the town
- Of Des Moines. claimed by the Des
upiues City Land and Improvement
4fampany and its grantees, and thirty
axbt acres of the same tract claimed by
Bsrou Loomis. The court, in giving the
d1isjor, declared in strong terms the be-
III that this property belonged to the es-
,te OF John Moore, and that the adverse
,lsims had originated In fraud. The court
band IS facts that John Moore is still
hsane; that his guardian, Terrence
8YBrien, died several years ago; that he
u valuable estate in King county. The
sourt regretted very much the necessity of
missing TO appoint the petitioner. but felt
pupeIIed to do so in view of the connec-
I ton Of his brother. Joseph s. Coog, with
,ze recent sensational forgery of the deed
IL the townsite. Although he had
I hen exonerafed in the preliminary
ksring on the charge OF being accessory
4 kiofe the fact yet he and his brother, the
. putioner, had attempted to acquire color
d n:le to the property, and his appoint
neat to the guardianship would be re-
nrded as another step by the Cooks to
uhssin possession of the property. The
part believed that the petitioner was up
j nxbf and honest in lis motives, but
| is appointment would have a very bad
ulof. Judge Osborn said further that he
uunld appoint somebody to the guardian
bio of the estate, and would en-
desvor to find a man who would do
bis utmost to restore to the estate of John
Moore the property which he believed be-
Ionged to 1t. He said that he had in mind
Sidney A. Vrooman as such man, and If
he would accept the responsibility he
would appoint him. The question of the
amount Of bond to be required was dis
cussed. and the court expressed the inten-
ion to FIX 1t at 100000. Judge Gaiusha
Parsons, who represented the Des Moines
improvement company, said that he would
give 100000 for the property tomorrow.
and that it is worth $500
There are many mysterious links in the
chain Of title to the property belonging to
John Moore at the time of his commitment
TO insane asylum, IN March, 1879. There
Is, in the record of probate court, an order
Of bis commitment, and of the appoint
ment of Terence 0'Brien as his guardian,
and an inventory of his estate, consisting
Of his homestead of 15S acres patented to
him BY the government. There is no
record CT any decree transferring the
property. Moore's only heir was q son
John Moore, ir.
The land was sold for taxes in 1881 to one
John Murray. In 1858 Murray quit
claimed his title to Fountain o. Chezum
Chtzum rested his claim in this tax title
for several years. In 1889 there was filed
for record by Chezum a mysterious quit
claim deed, acknowledged in Lewis county
before NJ. 7. Curry, and signed John
Moore, an unmarried man." relinquishing
bis claim in favor of Chezum for 500. John
Moore, the original owner, was
then in an insane asylum. and
Is be had no title. There is nothing in
the instrument to show whether the sigma
ture was by John More junior or senior. A
little over year ago Chezum sold 120 acres
Of the land to the Des Moines Improve
nent Company. Last January there was
bed for record quit-ciaim deed to Joseph
/ Cook from John Moore, the heir of John
Moore sr., acknowle dyed In San Diego
ibis was the celebrated Des Moines town.
lie forgery, TO which o. ]. McCausl and
BEADED guilty.
o. w. Barlow, secretary OF the Des
Monies Land and Improvement Company,
lsstified that they had placed much reli-
nee upon the quit-claim deed of John
Moore. They had supposed the deed to be
}! the son. He read that part of the testi-
nony Of Chezum at the trial of the forgery
case at Tacoma last July. relating to this
e1it-claim deed. Chezum stated that it
vas obtained for him by g. w. Bell for $500.
The John Moore. who signed the deed. was
man 81 years of age, claiming to be a son
Of the owner of the townsite. He was at
chezums place for several days, but did
not sign the deed there. He sent Bell TO
Lewis county afterwards. and he there OBJ
iained the quit-claim. Barlow testified that
bis company had sold off about two-thirds
Of The 10 acres of the Moore homestead,
mostly upon one-third cash payment.
They have received in cash So. sos, and
have as much or more vet due on the sales
made. They paid sl0.500 for the land.
sinee their title had been clouded by the
forged deed their sales had entirely ceased,
and many were refusing 10 make their de-
TERED payments.
Terence 0'Brien was called to the wit
ness stand. and testified that his father was
appointed guardian OF john Moore. His
VIE died in the hospital before mis- com
mitaen'. and he had but one son whose
sLeteabout are unknown.
Mrs. Mary Harm. vino knew John Moone
snee 1856. testified that she was then
iising in S,eilacom. He was then
soldier in the fort. He had two chill
afen, one dying at Steilacoom. The other,
soan Moore, went away from home long
@ore his fathers commitment. She had
'os seen him since twenty-five years ago,
sna had heard nothing of him since.
VERDICT FOR THE PLAINTIFFS.
The argument in the case OF II. L. Gull
ahe q Go. vs.. the Seattle Dry Dock and
emp Baiiding Company was heard in
Judge Stratton's department yesterday
s.o'encoh, ana the case submitted 10 the
i1y. A verdict was returned in accord
shee with the prayer OF the plaintiff. The
saa was Tor the collection of bill of Sis
~ q patent teredo preventative sold 10
NC defendant company.
TIRE CRIMINAL DEPARTMENT..
sealed verdict of conviction was re-
rive, : by Judge Humes in the case of
Laefy Glencole and Harry Hall. the pair
0-year-old boys who were tried yester-
gay Tor grand larceny.
= Jury Was impanelled 10 try James +.
A,ses and Joseph Oakley. on charge OF
.esoery. A motion for a separate trial
s@ granted, and the court proceeded to
" James Riley. The accused was charged
r' "a taxing So from the pocket OF one
sse'sia, IN the layatory of the Minneapolis
- 49, s15S