The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-19
UNCLE BEN" SMITH.
DIR. Graham Fully Identified by
a Policeman.
HIS FORMER COURT AFFAIR.
Arrested for Cruelty wrongfng . Half
Wftsed Woman-His Medical Edu-
cation and Diplomas.

DR.. George Fl. Graham. who was arrested
thursday night upon . charge of crimi-
naliy assaulting one of his patients, Mrs.
Eva Schambron, called ut the auditors
ONCE yesterday and complied with the new
law by registering his name and address
as regular practising physician of the
city.
1t has come TO light that DR.. Graham at
one nne-two wears ago-hgured in the
courts as Uncle Ben Smith, in a case
tnat compelled him 10 leave the city and
aoopf an assumed name. The case at the
uIne was well aired In the papers.
lie story Of the mans life IN Seattle is
wildly recalled By Policeman John San
strom, who was on the force at the time the
case came up. DR.. Graham was then ben
Smith,
The first time met Ben Smith," said
Officer Stanssrom last evening, twas in
March. two wears ago. / was up st the
Armory and dance was going on. Some
one introduced me 10 him and he took me
around and introduced me TO about three
dozen girls. He was great ladies' man
he knew every woman in the hall.
Several days afterward he spoke TO ME
on the street. If you will talk TO Captain
Kent and get me a Job on the force, l will
will make it worth your while he said. I
said had no influence. and then he ap-
piled for job TO Chief Butterfeld; but he
didn't get on the force.
A month or so after this lady called
at police headquarters and said that
young woman, who was supplemented.
was kept In room in lodging-house on
Front street. near Wall. by q man who
xra Id at D. a.
the girl was compelled to submit TO all
kinds Of cruelty. Captain Ed Kinley
went out TO the house, but Uncle Ben
was not there, so he hid in the house and
waited for him to return. That night
Smith had hired two riding horses, and
was going TO take girl, who lives in
North Seattle. out riding. When he ar
rived at his girls home she was not quite
ready, so he left the horses standing in
front of the gate and made sneak down
to the other house, several blocks away,
10 see how his other girl, whom he had
locked up, was getting on, intending TO be
back in few minutes. but he never took
the girl out for the expected ride, for he
was arrested by Captain kinley and was
locked up on charge of vagrancy. He
could not furnish bonds.
The young woman whom Smith had
locked up at his lodgings was Mrs. Ida C.
July, about 25 years old. She had been
divorced from her husband, who had
served term in jail for beating her, She
was daft and did not have good sense.
The next afternoon at o'clock Smith was
taken out of Jail and before Justice John
F. Miller for a hearing. He looked very
seedy.
The woman told her story She had
been introduced to Smith some months
previous, and upon his protesting to love
her. she consented TO live with him. They
lived together as man and wife: but he in
structed her TO call him Uncle Ben and
he was TO call her his niece She was re-
ligious and so was heater a fashion.
She said that he was hard up and needed
money. He wanted her TO lead a life of
shame and bring him in money. She
wouldn't do it, and then he said:
You must. for the Bible says SOP
Then he read 10 her about Solomon and
his many wives, and how they went out
and made money for him: and IS the
woman couldn't read, he revised several of
the sentences TO suit the occasion.
"It was charged on the trial that one
Sunday, after having convinced her that
since the Bible had said so ii must be
right, he sent her 10 q woodcutters' camp
on Lake Union and forced her to live
there with the men for awhile. That was
on Sunday, and while the woman was out
TO the woodcutters' camp Uncle Ben was
in North Seattle Sunday-school making
a great speech 10 the children about the
way they should grow up to become good
men.
When the woman had given her testi-
mony Justice Miller didn't go much on
Uncle Ben. The case was continued up-
til the next day, and Smiths bonds were
liked at 500.
Cant you make il less, judge?' he
asked. Il don't ike staying in the
sweater"
'"WelI, If you can't raise 500 you'll have
TO go back TO the sweat-box,' said the
justice, and they locked him up for an
other night. He had half dozen witness
ses subpenaed. but none could be found.
He was flned SIS. II sold a small barn 10
a man named Curtis, and Curtis took the
money and paid his fine Then Uncle
Ben left town.
From here he went 20 Tacoma and
married. / next saw him last July in
Puyallup. There he built and paid for a
fine house and several lots. l saw him
several times, but he avoided me- He went
by the name of Mr.. Graham, but I knew
it was Uncle Ben, just the same He
claimed TO be an architect there, not a
doctor.
Three months ago saw him in Seattle.
He wore silk hat and = long-tail coat
He would never recognize me and never
tried to renew his acquaintance. l heard
that he claimed 10 be doctor Then his
arrest Thursday capped the climax"
Mrs Ida c. July was granted a divorce
from her husband, Nicholas July by Judge
c. H. Hanfori, on the grounds Of cruel and
inhuman treatment, August 10, 1sS9. She
went 10 work IS 8 servant Immediately
after the decree and in the meantime her
divorced husband was serving six months
in county jail for assaul;ing her. 1t was
about this time that Smith made the
woman's acquaintance.
After the trial was over and Smith had
left town, Captains kinley and Kent found
Mrs.. July place 70 work and since then
she has only appeared 70 the public bur
once. and then il was in = similar case
Whatever Dr.. Grahan's past record may