The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-01
Peculiar Business Methods of
Z. VI. Williams.
THEY LAND HIM IN PRISON
He Bought Railroad Tickets With
Worthless Paper and Then Traded
on the Tickets.

T Is gram larceny. ana g brought iE the
obtaining OF q ticket 10 Chicago, which
the defendant procured, according 70
Wilder's allegations, by means Of q draft
on New York drawn By Williams upon
person y no had not authorized the same.
The offense was committed on Soyern-
/ Der ?. though the complaint was not sworn
on: by Wilder till last Saturday. January
g. Il is said tina. Williams had been
guilty OF . number of fraudulent sransac-
tions. end vas wanted" here badly. Of
ficer Sandstrorn. about noon OF Saturday,
notified Mr.. Wilder that he was in town.
The complaint was at once sworn 20. and
the warrant issued but not served. On
Monday a. go the defendant took the
train for Fajrhayen. On Monday afternoon
his wife was seen on the street. She was
followed and seen 20 go TO the Transfer
Company's office and 10 the Western
Union office to send telegram. The tele-
gram she sent was addressed to her hus-
band at Fairhaven and told him to meet
her on the steamer City Of Seattle. which
left here at 9 p. III. on that day. Detective
Cave went on board, aud when the boat
landed at Wna.com Williams was there
with a cab for his wife. He came aboard,
and the detective quietly bagged him. He
was brought right back, arriving yester-
dav afternoon. He was at once taken 10
the city jail.
During the past three months the banks
Of this city have returned to their corre-
spondents n number OF worthless drafts
drawn by Williams He was formerly in
business here. He came to this city about
four years ago and alter working a short
-.
Of shipping salmon on ice 10 Chicago in
partnership with q Mr.. Snyder. under the
firm name Of the Williams Fish Packing
Company. Their place Of business was at
the foot of Marion street on the Corn
mercial wharf. About year ago be quit
this business and for five months had
charge Of SutcIiife Baxter d Co 3 store at
Quiilayute. Returning here he did moth
ing for time and finally vas taken sick
and went 10 Providence hospital. Early
in November. he went to the Seattle
National bank and exhibited telegram
which read:
NEW YORK, Nov. -. Am hard pressed tor
money myHelf. but you can draw on me ior 80.
c. Z. -MiTH.
With this as evidence Of his authority
to draw he tried TO have the bank cash a
draft On Mr. Smith for the amount desg-
mated As he was not known 10 the bank
officials they declined TO cash the draft
without an endorser. Just as he was GO
ing out OF the bank Mr.. George +. KYLE OF
Auacortes, met him. Mr.. Kyle had be-
come acquainted with him couple Of
years before, but had not seen him for
some time. So when he met Williams he
went up and shock hands with him, at
the same time renarking on his paieness
aud thinness Williams explained that he
was IN the hospital and was just recover
ing. He added that he was hard up for
cash just at that time, and had sent a
telegram to his uncle in New York
! asking for a loan of 500. and
had received the answer given above. He
exhibited the telegram 20 Mr.. Kyle, anu
said that he owed $50 at the hospital and
hated 10 leave without sGuaring up with
the sisters. He won Mr.. kyie's sympathy
and finally asked Kyle TO indorse for him,
which he DID, the telegram seeming all
right enough. In due course of time the
draft came back protested, and Mr.. Kyle
had 10 take it up. lie had seen Williams
on the street a few days before taking up
the draft. and started out to find him to
get an explanation. He learned that Will
Jams had eft ting city the day previous,
and that he had got married on the day he
had the draft cashed. He also learned
| that he had paid the sisters what he owed
them, but it was 80 instead OF $50
On November Williams went to Frank
| J. Wilder a. already mentioned. He had
! had some dealings with Mr. Wilder and
that gentleman felt some degree Of con-
| iidence in him. So when the latter
| showed the ticket dealer telegram pur-
| porting 40 tie from his brother-in-law.
| &c. +. Smith," and authorizing him to
| draw on HIM up to $50. he sold him the
| Union Pacific ticket TO Chicago, valued at
| $50, and took Williams draft in that
| amount in payment The draft came back
| protested on November p. Wilder went
| in search of Williams. The next dav the
| latter came TO his office, said he was not
| surprised at the return of the draft and
| showed another telegram, ostensbly from
! smith. saying that he had moved to 50 Uni
versity place. Mr.. Wilder then took draft
/ on Smith for S6i.43, the difference Of 81 43
| being costs OF protest on the first draft.
| Mr.. Wilder ascertained later that
| Williams had sold the ticket to another
| broker for So Williams then transferred
| his patronage to the Northern Pacific
| road. He obtained from Mr.. Nadeau two
| HF>t-Cidss IOuHi Trip iltAels 10 New YORK
! and lack. lie got as far as Chicago on
| the tickets. where they were taken up on a
| dispatch from Mr.. Nadeau. who had
| learned of the worihessness Of Williams
! draft.
Williams was in The swim now as 4 full
! ticdced confidence man, and his nerve was
| stimulated by success. By representing
! ihat ne was still in the canning business
- manager OF the Northwest Salmon
/ Canning Company, with headquarters at
! seattle. amt that he had shipped several
| ears OF product over the Merchants
/ Dispatch line. he got a draft cashed
| al the office of that company
! and also got tickets to New
| York. Tie turned up again later in Chi
caso and toy the same representations
obtained tickets 10 Seattle and return via
san Francisco. Everything was coming
! his way. and while en- route be stopped off
| a; I.e4dvilIe and cashed draft Tor 500 On
| the Commercial National bank of this city.
| At San Francisco he sod the tickets for
/ $50. He Was arrested. hut released when
/ t was tOund that nothing could be done
| SIth HIM. lie victim .zed other people in
| Ca,itornia and skipped back to Wash
/ lustou. few days ago he was
| tving high among the sena-
I tor makers at the state capital.
! About week ago ne got To the end Of his
I EO,te in H.Vmr.Ia and ATTEMPTED IN r,ay. hi ia