Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-17
A SCHEMING LAWYR/
Alonzo Oliphant Heard from at
Spokane Falls. -,sau
is WELL-KNOWN IN THIS CITY.
His Record While Here q Decidedly "Pe-
cooliar" One-His Adventures in
Spokane Falls Recently Chroni-
cled by the Spokesman.

Citizens of Fort Worth probably remem-
Der the brief. but brilliant, career in this city
of Alonzo NJ. Oliphant as published in The
GAZETTE about year ago. For the first
| time since he skipped bond of $3.50 here,
he has been heard from, this time from
Spokane Falls, where it appears he is still
pursuing the devious course that character
lied his sojourn of few months in Fort
Worth. Oiphant came to this city from
Keller, and applied to one of the lawyers
here for admission to his Office for the pur-
pose of reading law. He was an awkward,
unassuming country fellow, with shamb-
ling gait and serious aspect, and was rather
an object of sympathy than otherwise. He
was given the use of a table in the Office,
the privilege of the library and the benefit
Of the lawyers counsel and advice. He
proved close and active student, and at
the end of short time applied for an ex-
animation for admission to the bar. He
passed an excellent examination, and at
once proceeded to the practice of his pro-
fession. His very first venture, however,
showed that he was naturally de-
PRAYED, and that crookedness was
second nature with him. He
secured some work,,in,,th the way of uncollected
judgments from an old gentleman named
Page living few miles from Fort Worth.
One of these judgments was against a man
by the name of Gilmore in this city. In
some manner Oliphant found out while
making inquiries about Gilmore that his boy
had been guilty Of breaking the glass on
telegraph poles. Accordingly he went to
Gilmore, representing himself to be de-
tective of the Western Union Telegraph
company, at the same time telling him that
his business was to either arrest the boy or
make a settlement. The latter he offered
to do for a consideration equal to Is per
cent of the fine, which was $500. The old
gentleman was naturally glad to pay $40
when the possibility of losing $500 stared
him in the face, and he handed over the
amount to Oliphant who pocketed it. His
scheme finally leaked out and he was
arrested for obtaining money under false
pretenses. He found no trouble
in finding friends who believed in
his innocence and signed his bond for $780,
That night 'she folded his tent like the
Arab and stole away from Fort Worth.
He left wife here, who returned to Keller
until money could be raised to send her
home to Ohio.
The following from the Spokane Falls
Spokesman throws additional light on
ELEPHANTS character and his career in
Spokane:
Six or eight months ago there was adj
mitted to the bar of this city on a certificate
from Texas, young man who signed his
name as Alonzo NJ. Oliphant. His practice
was not very extensive but it may be said
to have been encouraging, and he began to
make some acquaintanceS. and if rumor
speaks true, some confiding friends. Several
days ago he disappeared leaving only few
sorrowing creditors to mourn his loss. His
extensive law library embraced thirteen
sheep-bound volumes, six of which he
bought without paying for them, it is
claimed, from a confiding agent
As books are heavy to move, he concl uded
to leave town without his library, and con-
sequently sold them, including the six I'M
paid-for tones, to South Howard street
secondhand dealer
The agent of the publishing house came
to Spokane the other day to collect what
was due him, and after some investigation,
discovered the facts as given above.
Since his departure, however, letter
from his brother, E. B. Oliphant, who, it is
said, is an employe of the state library, ad-
dressed to him, has been received in Spo-
kane.
1t is dated Olympia, and is written on the
letter-head of prominent Olympian law
yer. 1t is addressed to Alonzo, and is eX-
tremely interesting.
1t alludes to the prospects of Bellingham
Bay and to South Bend, and, continuing,
says: 81 tell you the best way. Go out
into Idaho, say Post Falls. There are peo-
plel there who know me, but you need not,
and that will be all right Tor wherever the
nearest county seat may be-. Then come to
Seattle and get the business changed right
First get Edwin A Qonzo) Oliphant, then in
Seattle we will get the A changed to B.
will join you in Seattle and nobody can
be any the wiser; now that is the perfect
scheme 1t will cost me something, but /
will stand that and it will be big feather
in my cap"
The letter then alludes Indefinitely to
''the Texas racket" and concludes with
this sage advice: Lets be careful how we
run over crooked work, SO we can tell the
world to kiss our foot'
1t is evident that the scheme is to have
Alonzo admitted to the Idaho bar as Edwin
A, then on an Idaho certificate to change
to Edwin B., his brothers. name, atSeattle.
Probably the Olympian librarian will hang
out his single as an attorney -at-law in the
Queen City under bis brothers. certificate.
What the future plans of these legal
brothers will be only time can disclose, but
it will undoubtedly be interesting. One of
the charges against Alonzo is that while in
this city he received a note to collect on
restaurant keeper. This he exchanged for
SIS in meal tickets and lived on hem, or
what they would buy, until he ce2iuded tel
shake the dust Of thir6ure fropGs feet