The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-06
COCHRANE IN JAIL.
Arrested on the Charge Of Using
Mails to Defraud.
UNABLE TO OBTAIN BAIL.
Publisher of s.west Shore" and "Sorth-
western Evangelist Reaches the
End of His Rope.

IVgIFaEE :
Traes House, alias the Northeastern Evangelist,
alias the Seattle Advertising Agency, was ar
rested on q charge OF using the mails 10 de .raud
United States Commissioner Kiefer bound nam
over N the sum OF 200 70 appear for hearing
on Monday, and since Coohrane WIS unable to
furnish bail he was committed 10 the county
jail
on November 10, "a and %, and December
and the Posr-isTELLrGEscER published ac-
counts of Coehrane's various operations under
his dl ffereut aliases. In general way II Can De
said that he has advertised IN a mum Der oi East
ern papers, among them the New YORK Voice
the Young Lutheran and the NEBRASKA Farmer,
offering prizes OF building lots in Seattle aud
$3.50, $50, 500, and also smaller sums IN cash Tor
those who first guessed correctly some easy
Bible conundrums. Those sending answers
were also requested to inclose a little money
% or 50 cents as The case might be--ior a SIX
months subscription to the West Shore Magazine
or else the Northeastern Evangelist. The former
said TO be published by the shy-
der-Cochrane Publishing House and the latter
paper, which has no existence, by The Seattle
Tract House Cochrane received hundreds of
answers to these advertisements, and IN reply
sent to some OF his victims circular letters say
ing that they had won the lot--the first prize
but before deed could be forwarded 81 70 must
lie RENTED in order to pay tho expenses OF
transfer. On November % Ccehrane bought at
ish--twenty-four miles away By the shortest
Toad-and called it ''Iake View Heights addi-
ton TO the city of Seattle. he plated zen acres
into forty-fye lots and WAS ostensbly disnosing
of them as the "prizea' under the conditions
detailed above Cochrane further offered under
the name OF the Washington Railroad and I'M
provement Company 10 sell Seattle lots at "a
each.
During the course of mis- achemng he tried TO
get Fremont Cole, and later J. Hill Case, TO act
IS president of the Washington Railroad and
Improvement Company, bat upon investigation
they forbade the use of their names. He also
obtained credit By using the name OF John II.
hcGraw as treasurer OF the Snyder-Cochrane
Publishing House, bat Mr.. McGraw, as soon as
lie found out what Ccchrane was doing,
promptly notified the plotter to stop that line of
action. Mr.. McGraw. however, has suffered
considerable annoyance by having some OF the
answers 10 the letters OF Cochrane sent to him
rs treasurer of the publishing house.
The postal authorities have been collecting
violence against Coehrane for some time, and
on Friday night, on the strength of what they
had received from the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and
other sources, they decided TO make arrest in
the morning.
Inspectors II. C. Thrall and K. K. Munro had
conference with Mr.. McGraw and PC Sullivan,
the deputy United states district attorney, and
a result Mr.. McCiraw swore out the following
James Kieler:
John Ii. McGraw, being first duly sworn on
his oath says: That one A. ID. Cochrane has
been guilty of having devised a scheme and arti-
flee to delraud by means OF the postotfee es-
adjustment OF the United States, committed as
follows
That the said Cochrane did on the 1st day of
November, 1891, wrongfully, unlawiully,
feloniousiy aud Iraudulentiy devise a scheme
and artihce, being that ne, Cocnrane won Id adj
yertise in different newspapers OF the United
states, including the Voice published in the
city OF New York, state OF New York, that he,
Cochrane, would in all cases when any person
wonid send correct answer to the question,
where in the Holy Bible does it tell what
give Seattle building lot, meaning and intend
ing thereby lot suitable for building purposes
In the city OF Seattle, state OF Washington;
which advertisement he caused to be published
in the said Voice newspaper, requesting IN such
advertisement that all communications be adj
dressed TO him under the name of West Shore
Company, Pioneer place, Seattle, King county,
Wash.
That under and in pursuance of said scheme
and artlhce TO deiraud as Aforesaid, he, the said
Cochrane did the 18th day OF November
and postoffiee of the United States. at Seattle,
Wash, Tor the purpose OF being sent and de
livered by the postotlice establishment OF the
United states, certain letter besrng date No
yember, 1891, addressed TO +. W. Hooper, Little
shasta, Cal. which said letter was signed The
snyderCoehtane Publishing House, by A. D.
ter the said Cochrane represented that
he, Coehrane, had secured the services OF a
hrst-class attorney TO have the title OF a lot
transferred to the said person addressed: that
the said Hooper had answered the advertise.
ment made by him aforesaid correctly: that
the expense of making out the necessary papers
to convey title would be s4.75, and that upon
receipt OF said amount the conveyance would
be made OF building lot aforesaid; ali of
which representations. statements and language
used IN such letter were false and fraudulent,
which the said Coehrane at the time that he
deposited the same in the postoitice and letter
box aforesaid well knew
And such representations in said letter were
made aud said letter was deposited as aforesaid
for the purpose of dejraudiug the said HOOPER
he, the ssli Coehraue, IN truth and in fact. at
the said time he advertised as aforesaid, and
the said time when he deposited or caused to
be deposited such letters aforesaid did
not have any building lot in the city of Seattle,
state OF Washington, nor did he have the
agency or control OF any such lot which he
could convey 10 said Hooper or any person
contrary 10 the statute in such case maie and
provided, and against the peace aud dignity OF
the United states.
The letter referred to in the comp la Mt was re-
tnrned to Postmaster Davies from Little shasta
with postal note for the treasurer of the com
pany. Mr. Davies had referred the mstter 10
Mr.. McGraw.
The warrant issued upon the complaint was
given to Deputy United states Marsha. H. a
Bigelow, who went 10 the postoffce 10 serve IT,
Cochrsne had already appeared early in the
morning 10 get his letters. He came again at
about lo;io and cashed money orders for 50
Then he applied to Postmaster Griffith Davies
for blank to enter at the postolice new
paper, the Northwestern ErIace,isa At that
iunctnre the arrest was made Cochrane took
the matter very cody aud asked Tor an imrne-
date hearing, but since witnesses could not be
procured TIE hearing WAS set at H. IN on
Monday, and Commissioner Kieier fixed the
bail at S2,oU0
Inspector ThTau accompanied him in his
vain search for hondsmcn ON sill sides he met
with very cold reception, ana finally st about
So'olocG in the afternoon was committed. lie
then had 81 on h,s person. Later he retained
James Hamilton Lewis as counsel
While the hunt for bail was going on he told
Mr.. Thrsll that he bad not read the law but
h. supposed he was within il, for he had read
advertisements which offered solid Uoid
watches for Va thing which Was impossible 10
Io GA business principles Cochraus turtbAr
confessed thai Paul Snyder, put down IN the
R'esf SAors letterhead a. editor humorous b..
partmeut. was in Montreal, was never in So
Attle. ana had never been interested in the com
aaGy--ln short. Snyder was sort OF ben mama
Tor C0CAva1S. NJ. Thrai suggested that the
'hrsy-cIass attorney" could ae4end Coebrans.
but the latter admitted taat tais attorney was
!. J. Fowler, "a resi- estate man who held the
0lnSe al notary public. Cochrane also de-
s.sred 10 M. TbTa!i that he had not left margin
enough 70 pay running expenses aud fulfill
al hlS promises; bur be would return money
a. sill those no we're dissatisfied. some had
sent IN complaints. but no money had yet been
returned 81 them.
CoChFEne saws that ne hiss vile end babe
Eho are living Ia small implanted shack he
bought Tor g. IL q standing in lot near the
lake Onion csr line.
After Cochrsne was IN Jail Inspector Thral!
Heat 10 tie prisoners ofice 81 Occidental block
ana dismissed the two women who had acted