The record-union., 1891-08-17
GhLT'S LATEST VISITOR.
He Cut a Very Wide Swath for a
Few Days.
A Bold Impostor and Clever Rascal
Passes Himself Off as a Rail-
road Builder.

"One of the cleverest rascals that has
ever undertaken to work Gait visited our
town four or five days last week." says
the Gazette of Saturday. HE first intro
duced himself at the Commercial Hotel,
giving his name as p. c. Storey, and stat
ing that he was a civil engineer in the
employ of the Southern Pacific Com
pany; that his company had sent him to
Gait for the purpose Of making ready to
survey the preliminary lines for pro-
posed extension about to be built west of
Gait; that Mr.. Hood, Chief Engineer fer
the company, and corps OF engineers
and field-men would be in town in day
or two, and that he was simply here to
make all necessary arrangements and put
things in readiness for the men who were
to arrive later.
He ihad withsshim letters carefully
written on official letter-heads Of the
company, purporting to have emanated
from Chief Engineer Hoods Office, and
signed w. H. Hood, Chief Engineer
He had with him a whole stack of such
letters modestly written and well calcu-
lated to deceive the public. Some of these
letters were simply instructions coming
from Hood directing Storey TO report for
duty at Gait and informing him that his
instruments had been shipped to Sacra-
mento. Other letters We're intended for
hotel landlords and were in the nature of
orders from the railroad company to pro-
cure lodging and board for fifteen or
twenty men to arrive here next day
"He made himself quite familiar at the
local railroad Office and was very con-
tldentlai with the agent. He drank freely
while here and treated promiscuOusly. He
was hale fellow well met and generous
to a fault. He had very little, if any,
funds with him when he arrived. lie
had, however, slzillfully drawn check
on Wells, Fargo d Co.'s Bank, San Fran
cisco, made payable to himself or bearer
for $3.50, and signed, wv. II. Hood, Chief
Engineer This he gave to Wells, Fargo
* Co. agent here TO send to San Fran
cisco for collection, at the same time ask
ing Mr.. Mclaughlin, who is also agent
for the railroad company here, for little
advance on the check. Here is where the
The agent, who was afraid that he was
simply i 'Spotter,' called his attention
to the inflexible rule of the company,
warning agents not to receive paper I'M
der any consideration for negotiation.
He was not to be stood off in this man
ner, however, and got around the agent
by simply stating that he was going to
nent Gait citizens were going along to
inspect the route, and knowing that the
trip would necessarily incur some little
expenses, he would like to have a small
advance, say $50, on the collection. He
received the advance asked for Saturday
morning, and with the proprietor of a
local livery stable drove to New Hope,
and aroused the people of that burg to
the highest pitch OF excitement over
the announcement that they Jyara to have
a railroad at their very doors.
ION his return Saturday evening to
Gait from his trip through the country,
he procured a second rig at another liV-
cry stable and drove to Lodi, where he
made Rome howl. OF course the livery
men We're told that the railroad company
would foot all bills. etc. He interviewed
the local newspaper office and furnished
the editor with material for first-class
fake railroad yarn. He was equipped
with the usual letters Of instruction from
his superiors in office and had no hest
fancy in making his mission known to
the editor of this paper.
''He is pretty shrewd worker, under
stands what he is talking about thor
oughly, and is one Of the most deceptive
and ingenious lmposters that we have
ever heard of. He is about feet 7 or S
inches in hight, weighs some $50 pounds
fiOrid complexion, dark sandy mustache.
and wears about two weeks beard. He
had on light suit, black hat and dark
shirt.
Sunday night he retired at his hotel
about 10 o'clock, but next morning the
gentleman came up missing. He did not
60 to bed, but simply went to his bed
room, where he remained until an OPP
pOrtunity was afforded TO sneak out OF
the house and get away, which he did
and has not since been seen or heard Off