The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-09-13
COMING TO LIGHT.
Little Ways of g Special
Agent" Smith.
How He Worked His Bold Game and
Deluded Firms, Clerks and
EXpressmen.

The mystery of Smith. the Special
Agent OF the United States Treasury" is
exploded. Smith was the talk of confd-
ing business men yesterday, and his bold
methods were the subject of general COM
ment.
ut was a good thing that THE CALL
exposed the man when it did," was the
expression of one business man. "Smith
was just laying a foundation, and with a
little more credit he might have fooled
every one in town."
AS it was. lie Count Bros. and II. S.
Croker, together with the three clerks en-
gagged by Smith. seem to have been the
heaviest losers. Smith went to the two
firms and ingratiated himself with the
statesmen. To ore, a popular member Of
the Olympic Club. he represented that he
wanted 10 be renstated in that club, of
which he was formerly a member. For
the other he offered place as clerk to
young Wright. a friend. at S4 day.
Once SOLID with the statesmen he ordered
goods right and left, being particular to
get articles without marks, sucn as large
sheets of cardboards.
What in the world do you want so
much cardboard fOr?" asked one sales
man.
Ous ohIbblcS< NiHllllt u6NSE III
a loss. That's nothing. | shall want
10000 sheets before l get through. as all
my schedules come from Washington on
himsies 21x27 inches, and l have to paste
them on cardboard in order to handle
them"
These firms have since found much of
their cardboard and other goods in the
possession of other people, who claim that
they bought them from Smith. 1t seems
that he had large acquaintance with small
printing firms and peddled out his sup
plies evenly among them at generous
rates, giving out that he was an agent of
Carter, Rice Il Co. of Boston, a firm which
is known in the trade only to deal in job
lots. Hence no suspicion OF anything
wrong was aroused
Among the firms to whom stationary has
already been traced are: Pernau Bros. 81
Pitts Co., 53S California street; kuss &
Henicke. 80 kearny street, and another
house on Sacramento street.
Smith engaged an expressman on the
corner OF Turk street End Golden Gate ave-
nue. to do his hauling and yesterday the
man called at his office for his pay. Smith.
however, did not appear, and this 'beat"
OF his. amounting TO -four bits" is consid-
cred artlstIcally consistent with the line he
marked out for himself.
1t is DOW plain that Smith gave up the
game on Friday. after the visit OF the real
treasury agent TO make inquiries. The fol-
lowing morning Parker. his confdentlal
clerk" received letter from him stating
that he had been suddenly called out of
town and would not be back uutil Tues
day. He strangely enough inclosed the
key of his room and of his mail box,
although Parker had a passkey. Just as
he closed the letter his heart smOte him for
the imposition he had been playing upon
Parker and he scribbed at the foot of the
sheet. Don't be hard on me. Joe. what
ever comes up"
lie Count Bros. yesterday took possess
sion of all the stationery left in the
special agents" offices. The Sterling
Furniture Company will also remove its
furniture and the clerks are seeking Other
positions. One of them gave up situa-
ton where he was making SIS month to
obtain the Government one at 81 a day,
which never came.