The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-31
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST BAIRD.
Two Afadavits Charging Him With Sus-
picious Conduct

Indignation over the shooting of George W.
Poor at Wooley. Sunday evening, was felt as
keenly yesterday as any day since the shooting.
Baird comes in for 8 great deal of blame, and
many people freely say that the shooting was a
cold -blooded murder. Holden also receives GEN.
clare the belief that Poor was assisting in the
smuggling.
Yesterday afternoon two men went to United
States Commissioner Emerys Office and swore to
statements very damaging to Baird's character.
The first statement was made by his brother-in-
law, w. Z. Oliver, who resides at 2,0l0 West
street, and is q bricklayer by trade. His ttate-
ment is as follows:
William Z. Oliver, being duly sworn, testified:
have been acquainted with J. C. Baird since
1880. In 1885, think, he was ordered out of
Pine Greek district, Wasco county, Or Had to
leave in twelve hours. 1t was for stealing cattle
on his door. He left and went to Arlington, in
the same county-the same county then. He had
young brother OF mine staying with him at
then. He Baird compelled my brother to help
kill beef cattle belonging to other people He
buried the hides and heads to get rid of the
brands and ear marks. In 1888 or 1859 he was
prosecuted for stealing barbed wire at Arlington.
but he got out through the influence OF
money. The wire was found in his barn
covered up with hay. His brother, who
had money and influence, got him out. About
the middle of last August | had sloop up at
Blaine with another man. The sloop was at
Westminster, l was at Blaine laying brick.
Jim Baird, deputy marshal, came to me and
took me down to the wharf and introduced me
to Inspector James Buchanan They both OF
them wanted to hire me to smuggle opium for
them, using my sloop. They offered me $3.50
on the pound on what / smuggled into Blaine.
Baird offered me $50 TO start with to buy
opium. did not accept the money. When l
left Westminster was to notify them by tele-
graph-Baird and Buchsnsn-about the time l
would arrive in sight OF Blaine. They would
then watch where landed and would take the
with them, but did not refuse About
two weeks after ! ran into Blaine
on the sloop Harriet, on the British
watching me- That night drifted into Ameri-
can waters. Baird and Buchanan came on board
and searched the boat, first asking If had
brought their stuff / said no. but they could
search the boat, which they did They found
no contraband goods aboard They then threat
ened to seize the boat, and ! told them / had
been driven there by the weather and that the
law allowed me twenty-four hours 10 get back
to British waters. They said the law allowed
me no time at all in American waters and Bu-
chanan said he would seize her anyway, and
ordered him off the boat. They went off and
have not seen them since TO speak 10 them. l
can furnish witnesses to all this. They are E.
L. Oliver, Colusa Cal, and G. W. Oliver. Crescent
City, Del Norte county, Cal; A. j. Davis, in
White river country, King county. George
Kerns, now in Australia was with me ON the
sloop, and Davis was my partner in the boat aud
Oliver are my brothers and they can substanti-
ate the horse and cattle stealing.
w. E. OLIVER.
The second statement also regularly sworn TO,
was from Fred Dingsl, . bartender OF Blaine. 1t
is as follows:
A transaction happened between myself and
Baird and Buchanan some time in September,
think Baird took horse and buggy and went
to Westminster and bought some opium-he
said sixteen pounds, and brought il within
of a mile of the 81 Leonard hotel N
the British side: left IL there three days in the
woods: took me down and showed me the opium
one evening about s or o'clock and wanted
me to go aud get another party to bring the
opium over. was TO receive so and to settle
with the other party, who was not supposed TO
know who owned the opium. I secured a man
known by the name of Frenchy, laborer in
Blaine, ana made arrangements with him TO
bring IL over. was 10 be about 100 yards ahead
OF him when he was bringing it over. Frenchy
got another party named Hardy, but he backed
out, and Baird and went over two days after.
Baird showed me the opium, and several days
aiterward we got the opium and brought IL
over. II was sgreed between Baird and I, and
Baird and Buchanan, that neither or Frenchy
were TO be arrested on the charge, nor that
Hardy was to be convicted. 1 had made ar
rRngements with BairG that he and Buchanan
were 10 be al q certain point on this side OF the
line 10 intercept the opium. They were there
and passed them first, being about fifty yards
came up Baird and Buchanan jumped out with
their revolvers and arrested them and seized the
opium. They took French To the jail and then
let him 90, but locked the other man up.
few minutes later they met Frenehy down
in a saloon and treated him. The next day they
met me and gave me SIS. few days later
Baird paid me the balance Baird told me his
object was to secure q position a. inspector OF
customs. and the only way he could do so was
by making q seizure and showing hrs ability,
aud Buchanan was 10 assist him. The opium
was pat aboard the steamer Sehome 70 be sent
% the custom house at Port Townsend, but was
stolen on the way. IL was given in charge OF
the purser. and Baird said il was stolen or lost
The papers had an account of tne affair st the
time Hardy was taken % Port Townsend, tried
and released, as no Opium was found 70 convict