The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-31
FLAISIG'S CLEANUP.
A Billiard Table Man Leaves
Many Mourners.
ALL ASSETS TURNED INTO CASH.
Wis Partner and All Of whom He Pur-
chased Fieeced whoiesaIe-His
saloon Venture.

Their desire to see him is represented by
many thousand dollars-just how many
thev have never met to calculate, but
rrobabIv $40. 900 is low estimate. Mean
rbtIe he il said to be fast travelling East
ward. and they are gathering up the frag-
ments that remain.
His name Is Y. w. Flaisig, and he had
been doing business on the Sound as
dealer in billiard tables for about two
wears. Last fall he entered into partner
ship with Peter Bauman, who was IN the
,an,e line of business at LBS Second
efreet. Mr.. Bauman had been selling the
Goods Of the Garden City Billiard Table
Company, of Chicago. for some years, and
Ms manner of doing business had always
been satisfactory to that company, opt
lust previous 10 his connection with
Fiaisig he had gone behind in his pay
ments. A member of the company came
out and adjusted matters in single day.
Shortly afterwards the partnership with
Flsisig was formed, and the Garden City
Company was asked for additional credit
rlaisig's record being doubtful 1t was only
granted on the furnishing OF additional
security. Then the new firm branched
cut and did g good business all through
TIE Sound country.
Mr.. Bauman knew his partner to be
man who was sparing OF the truth, out
otherwise believed him 10 be an honorable
man. As he expressed IL to PosT-lsTEL-
LIaEscER reporter: "Flaisig used TO say:
ANY man can promise great oeai ana
give something, but it takes d. smart
man to promise great deal and give
nothing" Still all went smoothly and
Mr.. Bauman suspected nothing wrong.
Some time in December Flaisig, being
somewhat under the influence of whisky,
made the first move towards leaving the
citv and his creditors. w. A. Rainey, one
of the proprietors of the Cafe Royal billiard
hall. who Is also agent for the Brunswick
BaIke-Collender Company, and Herman
Heller. general agent of that company for
Washington, we're in his store, and
Flaisig offered to sell his stock consist
ing principally of German Simonis cloth,
TO Mr.. Rainey below cost. and TO give
bond for $4,000 that he would not engage
In the business in Washington for ten or
twenty wears. saying that he wanted to get
back to New York. Mr.. Rainey had no
desire to make such bargain, and said so,
and there the matter ended. Subsequently
O similar offer was made to William Kier-
ski, but also declined.
Mr. Flaisig's proceedings did not excite
suspicion until early in May. Mr.. Bau-
man was absent down Sound and Flaisig
seems to have seized the opportunity to
clear out the stock and take his departure.
He wrote TO the Garden City Company,
asking that man come out and settle up
the affairs of the firm, stating that the
assets were abundant to meet all liabilities.
This letter, coming on the same day as an
intimation that affairs were not as they
should be, caused the company to send out
II. Ludwig, one of its members, to investi-
gate.
But before Flaisig wrote this letter he
had taken advantage of Bauman's absence
to turn everything available into cash. He
disposed of the stock, selling or mortgag-
ing it, or shipping it to his own address at
various points he expected to call at on his
way East. John Brill, an employe of the
firm, saw that there was something wrong
and telegraphed to Mr.. Bauman, who
came home by the next boat. He no
sooner put in an appearance than Flaisig
left the city on May is or IL, the very day
he wrote to the Garden City Company,
less checks and drafts.
When Mr.. Bauman and Mr.. Ludwig
came to examine the condition of affairs,
they found that Flaisig had disposed of
everything of value and raised money on
II. He shipped goods to himself at num-
Der of places, borrowed money on them,
sold the securities for cash and borrowed
money on fictitious securities. Since that
time all that has been heard of him was
from drafts on himself, ranging all the
way from $50 to 500, coming from towns
all along his route eastward and aggregat-
ing $3.50 in amount. When last heard from
he was at Helena, from which place he
telegraphed that mail would catch him at
Salt Lake, but that is considered TO be
merely bluff, because he is reported 20
have people watching for him there. He
made drafts on the way East at Tacoma,
Spokane, Helena and Bozeman.
Investigation brought out one after
another OF Flaisig's crooked transactions
The first evidence Mr.. Bauman found
against him was that he had collected 500
from billiard tables from the Grand hotel.
giving $50 discount for cash and pocketing
the money. These tables were two which
he had previously sold to another man.
getting notes for them, and then taking
the tables back. He had also discounted
81, 900 in notes for 81 900 with the Boston
National bank. He frequently did bust
ness as the Seattle Bar Supply Company.
an alias of his own.
But the greatest fight of his genius was
In saloon venture at Kingston in Kitsap
county. About seven weeks ago he bought
n lnt 4 90 g 4
building was finished. He put up a ga
loon and gave the carpenter worthless
check for about $50, leaving him to take
lien on the building to secure himself
Tor the balance. His furniture was bought
for cash from the Standard Furniture
Company. and also paid for with WORTH
less checks. He bought his stock from
Two San Francisco houses and paid for il
IN wind. Then TO cap the climax he
shipped two billiard tables over there, and
as soon as they were in the house he gave
grand opening He took over an excur-
zion from here for which the captain of
the Delta is still waiting for his
check. His next move was to borrow $500
OF the Claussen-Sweeny Brewing Company
10 pay for his license, and after putting
the good money in his pocket, he paid the
license With the usual worthless check.
Then, being about at the end of his rope.
he gave clear bin OF sale of the whole
building, furniture and stock. Evidently
on his way back from Kingston. he met
poor working man named Payton, and I'M
Ger some pretense borrowed $500 from him,
all the money the poor fellow had, giving
him as security demand note, backed np
ey an apparent bill of sale of merchandise
which was already sold and Maid for