The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-16
REVIVALIST IN JAIL.
An Aged Preacher Arrested for
Swindling.
He,RTo AN IMAGINARY FORTUNE.
Rev. James Smith REEVES San Fran
cisco Churches, Takes wife, fakes
aFortune and Skips-

Rev James A. Smith, temperance evangei-
fst. OF England, VINO has been travelling IN
America for the PISS. three years, and who
sbo;.ld have delivered lecture tonight 81
olympic hail. II n the couaty jail nPon q
charge of forgery he was srreste3 last even
;.,g vhi,e AZ bis derotions in the city mission,
IN the Seattle National Bank building, and was
tsker, Immediately 10 ths county jsil, where lie
was locked mp
Smith who is an cid man. very large, but lot
prer,ossessing. has been doing evcDgelsnc
work in California for some time past lie lett
Fan Francisco lsst Friday week ago, and the
following Monday the saa Francisco Ex1E7'nc-
devoted almost q column to sn nceoCn. of MS
slleeed evil coings TIE Ezarainsy says ne made
his first apr ea-azca in san Francisco last Christ
mas, fugratiatet himself with the clergy
By showing letters OF introduction from
spu,geon aud other vellknown divines. and
lectured on temperance and its revivsis, his
favorite subject being Thirty Years Behind ire
Footiights" From san Francisco lie weat 10
Oakland and Alameda held rcviyals and
welcomed everywhere. lie Is fs- from well
educated and speaks with z cockney accent,
but is familiar with tue Bible. talks easily of
spurgson and Taimsge, and IS a ready spesker.
About three months ago he began 10 search
for wife. Rev. DIR. Case and Rev q. C. Weller
advised him 10 get permanent income FIRST A
few weeks later he showed letters puTportlng TO
show his right to moderate fortune depending
on an English Law suit Then he became en-
afnored of Miss Hattie Lawrence, Rev bE.
Rhodes house maid. proposed marriage and was
accepted. The woman, who was about > years
old. was dazzied 10y his visions of wealth and
married him two months ago at the PRESBYTERIAN
church in South San Francisco About the same
time he said Re had received kilograms from
England announcing that he hsd won the law
suit and would soon receive $4,000. He said
BIS father had been a rich ship builder in Liver
pool and had bequesthed his property 10 the
Csfholie church. but bis children had just sue
cee6ed IN breaking the viii. He showed & let
ter from Archbishop CorriEan, OF New York,
confirming this statement The Examiner con
finaes.
on the strength Of these credentials he was
allowed uabmlei credit. and while on his
honeymoon went 10 santa Cruz and purchased
"a elegant 80. put up st the best hotels and
lived ike a lord for two months Al Wr!ghts,
near san Jose. re purchased Il ranch for $500
20 be paid for in a few weeks, aud contracted
other heavy bills
I.sst Monday he returned to san Francisco.
engaged an elegant suite OF rooms for himself
aud wife and also another suite for the Ehclish
lawyer. who smith said. was 20 arrive last
Thursday with the money.
thursday came aud Immediately after break
fast smith went oat slone. he hiss never been
eceD since, aud as the lawyea- did rot arrive IN
Information that Smith has probably gone to
Portland
The SO which seems to be the cause Of hi. ar
res; 10 alleged TO have been borrowed by Smith
from hard-working young man named James.
whose family are az Santa Cruz smith, it is
said. promised TO repay on his return to san
Francisco
on Thursday sheriff woolery received the fol-
lowing dispatch from A. J. Jennings, sheriff at
santa Cruz, Cal:
Arrest Rev. J. smith he is an Engiishman,
about IS years old, AID wears glasses He has
chronic asthma. Charge, felony.
No such man could be found in town and yes.
terday the following dispatch reached Sheriff
woolery from sheriff Jennings:
The Portland sheriff reported Smith in Sc
a'ile. Did you catch him. We have exiradi-
ton psrers prepared. II Is an extraordinary
case. Answer.
AZ soon as Smith was arrested sheriff woolcry
notified sheriff Jennings of the fact aud by this
time deputy must be on the way 10 this city to
return the prisoner To California.
The warrant for smiths arrest was sworn out
BY Secretary James. OF the santa Cruz y NJ e
A. charging him with forging his name 70
check for ss1.
The gray haired evangelist arrived in Seattle
Tuesday night and Wednesday morning made
the acquaintance Of Rev. Clark Davis. Ar
rangemeBts were made Tor him 10 deliver a lect-
ufe on temperance tonight al Olympic hail. and
notice Was sen, 10 the newspapers saying:
tie was educated and took orders for q
Tor seventeen years an evangelist, Admission
free.
When seen st the county jail last night Smith
was very much csestfailen and said:
know the reporter who wrote that piece in
The Eyasatae-. He tells story that is made OF
whole Cloth. did not desert my wife Anout
that affair at Santa Cruz. Maybe | did wrong
~ taxing that So. bat no court in
TIE iaad Tiii convict me. | intended
TO 60 70 ticioris. bar the smallpox kent me
away. II had reached there Mr.. James could
never have hsd me Brought back. never in the
word, Tor the English, nay coun;-ymcu. won.d
have Interested Tor me / must confess how
ever, have sianed. | haye all my life been .
vain booster. 4 man in Santa cruz Offered
ne some land for s7,D00 told him
wonld take II, although a. the time hadn't a
cent l merely sad | would take the land TO
make IaE talk sound bss. That Il all there il TO
fne story Since | havent 81 dollar 10 nv
nsiae snd since | have learned ty hard
eaPeFieuce THAI ! must look elsewhere than
10 The churches when | seek charity, suppuse
noas val aid roe ani ] wji have 10 return 10
ssDia NFuA VIII he acquitted, but will he
'Afown on The slreets~Au old man without a
ooiiAr- nothing lett bat wrecked reputa,. on
aud nay public life will he 81 All end