The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-17
TRIO OF BUNCO MEN.
Clever Capture Of Bogus Public
Land Cruisers.
NOTORIOUS CHARLEY REED INIT.
They Had Worked Their scheme on Sew.
eral Unsuspecting M.n--Also
an Opium swindis.

hcso tAe city OF lhree Swindlers whose
schemes have taken in many poor men,
robbing them OF money which they could
" afford to lose. Two of the precious trio
are safely lodged in jail and the third will
be arrested on sight. and as his haunts are
well known he can hardly escape.
Tue two men arrested are G. G. Sarvis.
aiais Charles RAYMOND, and James Dag
nell. alias James Randall. The third men,
Der OF the firm Is the notorious Charles
Reed. wfose name has been recorded upon
the criminal records at frequent intervals
during his residence Of i've years in the
city.
The arrests were made at rooms L. and 13
In the Abbott house. and with the men
we're taken q lot Of documents which COM
pieteiy explain their scheme and plans for
working.
Either of the two cappers, Reed or Dag
nell. would approach an unsophisticated
couniryman. inquire If he had used his
homestead or presumption rights, and then
60 on to show how big amou of money
eonid be made By taking advantage of one
OF both OF the privileges which Uncle Sam
grants to citizens. After exciting the Gu
pidity of their intended VIC
tim they would propose TO
locate him on government land. asking that
small fee be advanced. and agree 10 pur-
chase the land as soon as the settler proved
up on IL at certain specified figure, us
usily $855-7a. To make their scheme APP
pear quite clear and buslness-iike they
would produce neatly prepared type-writ-
ten receipts and agreements in the follow
ing form;
SEATTLE. Wash.
hece'yed OF NJ. $......, for wn ch
VT ar TO locate hun on l60 acres II timber land
on the fol owIny co.diro1s: We are 10 pay eli
expenses incurred and Is soon n Mr..
gets title 70 the land we will hnd him q pu
chs Tor the and who viii pay hims - Tor
the said iasd. Should we fail to iii anv part of
Oh s asr~em mt within seventy days from da
We will return the money advanced By
deliver the said land 10 parties desi mated By 20
upon the payment to him OF said amount
tSigned)....-.............
That they had secured large amount of
money upon the representations made in
this document is shown by nine of the re-
ceipts filled ont and signed I'm duplicate by
G. C. Sarvis and the would-be settlers. The
names of d. Nj. Hopper, Peter Anderson,
David Davis, Pc er Johnson. Robert Jen-
sen. Patrick Murphy. Stephen Ferry. Ras-
mus Poulsen. and Jens 0tfesen, appear
among the papers secured by the detectives,
the amounts receipted for being SPLITS or
$3.50 in each case. and the price to be paid
for the land being fixed at $S7I. 70 in every
instance.
Undoubtedly many others have been
swindied by the trio. and the detectives
viii be glad to hear from any of the VIC
Tins Of the scheme, to add to the evidence
already secured.
When the unwary stranger had been well
primed with stories of the great success
many had made in taking land, he would
be taken TO the Office of C. c. Sarvis, or
Charles Raymond. as he was called altern.
ately. and introduced to him as the re-
sponsihle man ia the transaction. The
capper would ask careIessly If Mr.. Blank
had come in for the money for his land,
and Ssryis would take from his desk a
number of checks and run over them to
see if there was anything for that name.
Four checks. in proper form. were found
one on the Puget Sound National bank,
payable to Albert Hsshbeck; one on the
Boston National bank. payable to Thomas
Nolan; one in favor of George Riley.
drawn on the Bank of Commerce; one on
the Merchants National bank, payable TO
Henry Robinson. Each was for $s7I.75
and all were signed Charles Raymond"
The exhibition of these seemingly valua-
BILE pieces of paper probably had great ef-
feet on those who had begun to be i'm
pressed with the scheme, AMI they would
hasten TO secure the opportunity TO gain
one made out IN their favor.
OF the many taken in, but one case. that
II n " Sc EnD hau
ed in an explosion. loud protest on the
part of the proposed settler. and finally the
return of the money advanced"
The three ''Iand agents." however, did
NOT depend altogether upon the locating
scheme for bringing in funds. Tney had
perfected another swindle which promised
greater returns. although it was more
difficult OF operation. In large valise in
the room of Sarvis at the hotel were found
four tin cans supposed to be filed with
opium. They were of capacity suffi-
Gent to hold fifteen pounds of the
drug, and ali were covered with paper
labels bearing printed or written Chinese
characters. Three of the cans contained
We, sand. with a small. quantity of opium
in the cap or SPOUT, whiie the fourth was
OF more ingenious construction The
can was flied with sand, but the
cap did not open the can proper. but
was the cover of tube only.
which extended straight down 10 the bot
tom OF the can and was 6Iled with a solu-
ton of opium and molasses. The four
cans would contain not less than $500 worth
of the drug, but less than s. worth had
been used in preparing them for sale.
The IN amer in which the cans were to
be disposed OF does not appear, but there
Is little room for doubt that the trick can
was made for the purpose OF deceiving the
customer, and the other prepared for de-
avery in its place.
OF the three men Dagneil is probably
the one chosen TO dispose of the opium, as
when arrested he had large piece of the
poisonous gum in one OF his pockets and
begged piteousIy TO be allowed to keep il in
his cell
Sarvis is man not more than es, but he
has evidently served long apprenticeship
in evil practices. Dagnell is much older.
OF a foroidding counsenance, with many of
the marks of q confirmed victim of the
opium habit
Reed. the one OF the trio not vet in Gus
tody. at one time had an intelligence and
employ ment Office in the city. and has
been arrested many times for swindling
those who went to him for places for OBJ
tanning money under false pretences, and
on other charges. He is wanted for trial
in Oregon, where q reward is offered for
his apprehension.
The plans of Messrs- Rogers and Willard
for the capture and CONVICTION of the three
rascals we're complete, and have been car.
RED through most successfully, for Reeds