The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-17
A THIEF CONFESSES.
William Jameson Hired by Rich
Men to Steal Records.
ARRIVAL OF THE PHRA-NANG.
Shooting ARRAY in . Spokane Dive
Masonic Grand Lodge Election-A
Spokane Residence Burned.

sational charge of stealing documents
from the general land Office at Washing
ton City for the purpose of securing title
TO nearly 200 acres of land worth approx
mately $3.50, 900 in section 7, in the south
ern part of this city, has been revived
again by the arrest at Victoria of
William Jameson, the man who es-
capped the authorities last winter
when James T. Elder and Andrew ].
Littlejohn, Of this city, were arrested and
placed under s., 900 bonds each. Littlejohn
is prominent Tacoma real estate man and
banker. The original announcement
created furore here, but while the United
States authorities held that they had q
clear case against the parties, Mr.. Little
john stoutly protested his innocence.
Some time ago it was announced here that
the case had been mol pressed by the gov
eminent.
However, Marshal Brown was in Vic
toria yesterday with e1tradition papers
for Jameson. He had been looking for
him for q long time, and when he met
him there and told him that he had the
necessary papers for his arrest, Jameson
said he would not put him to any trouble.
He was willing TO accompany the marshal,
At the marshal's office this afternoon
jameson appeared a w-etched, broken
down man, both mentally and physically.
He SAID Mr.. Littlejohn had promised to
pay him $1,000 for abstracting the papers
from the general land Office, but he re-
fused to say whom he employed to do the
actual work of stealing the records. He
also refused to say who helped along the
scheme to counterfeit the records in New
York city. He also implicated Elder, but
refused to go INTO particulars. The records
desired were those vesting title in the
property to a homestead.
United States Marshal Brown left by the
Northern Pacific overland train this after
noon for Washington City.
Littlelohn is now at Olympia. Before
leaving, Jameson said
Imade an offer to Littlejohn TO take all the
binIne and to go to the penitentiary if he would
agree to take care of my wife and children. tus
he would not do it. Now, / have suffered
enough. have destroyed myself mentally and
Physically in this business. and now l want
some OF the Others to suffer some / don't think
there Is much doubt that the REIMBURSEMENT
was forged. Tho handwriting OF Elder is a
nervous and shaky one, while that of the re-
Hnquishment is steady. The register and re-
ceivers receipt, which was also distracted. was
made in ls6S, when Elder first filed on the
lands He don't know how the government
came to have it. 1t does not belong to the gov
eminent
jameson fed from Olympia to British
Columbia two weeks before the story came
out. He left his family unprovided for
He went to Departure bay and secured work
at his profession, surveying on a townsite.
He had not worked long before he was
stricken with paralysis, brought on, he
claims. by the worry and nervous strain
caused by this trouble. His left side was
paralyzed, his memory impaired and his
mouth twisted to one side. He was taken
to the Victoria hospital. He gradually re-
covered until now he can walk slowly and
hatingly and speak in stammering
fashion. The REIMBURSEMENT referred to
by jameson is one which eouded the title
when Littiejohn was arranging to secure
the land from Elder Elder says it was a
forgery. To get rid of this REIMBURSEMENT
it is alleged Littlejohn concocted the
scheme to steal the records after he had
bought the property of Elder.
VICTORIA, ID. c., June l6.-[Special l.
William Jameson, OF Tacoma. was ar
rested here last evening by United States
Marshal T. Il. Brown on the charge of
stealing documents from the land registry
office at Washington City. Jameson
waived extradition proceedings and
viii be taken back at once. The
story is that some Tacoma land
spectators recently sold large tract of
land and concocted a scheme 10 swindle
the buyers out OF property by abstracting
the records from the Office so as to have
ground for success. Marshal Brown says
with this important witness secured, no
time will be lost in bringing the ring of
spectators who Were behind the scheme
TO justice.