The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-13
LAND SHARK TRICKS.
The Signature of a Lunatic
Forged to a Deed.
ee1 RIGHT AFTER MANY YEARS.
w.se street Line Sued for $4,000
Damages Fraudulent Rail-
road Deal-The Blotter.

Al interesting suit, involving several legal
s.rhacaiities, and revealing considerable
zine was decided yesterday by Judge Hurles-
!, vxs the suit of Mary q. Potvin agaiust f. A.
r.sher ana others TO foreciose a mortgage on
~ land now constituting the township Of Des
rslues. opposite the city OF Tacoma The par
-. interested as well Is the lawyers all reside
!, the latter city, Judge Likins appearing for
n plaiutif ana Hoa Gelusha Parsons Tor the
Hssnasnt townsite company. The main point
MOI hich the decision rested was whether the
sts,u;e of Limitations runs against man con-
aoee ia the insane asylum
On Ap,ii Il. 1859. a tax deed for the land now
~ernrisiug the townsite OF Des Moines was
dives BY the sheriff TO John Murray. The deed
melted that The land had been sold for taxes
ip-l -, ISL, o. three days less than two years
p,erious. Il.smuch as the deed Was granted
within two years after its sale, il Is conceded
fhst the deed was void on its face. The land
vas nfte.wsrd sold by Murray TO r. O. Chezun.
On December &c. 1850. what purported TO be a
seec TO CAezum from John Moore, the original
osrer OF tho land. was filed for record by Chez
nm. The evidence was not disputed that
Moore the apparent erantor. Was then and had
teea for some ten years previous lunatic con-
fined in the insane asylum under guardianship
Caezu.n having the tax deed which was void
ard the deed from Moore. which was forgery,
A. BgasieI, who gave the mortgage for the pur-
chase money which was sought 10 be foreelosed.
Afterwards the former guardian OF Moore.
ference o bEien. died. and Judge Sidney '.
vroonan was appointed guardian, who at once
commenced an action against Chezum and Ill
hs grantees Tor the recovery of the land. Up
% that time neither Blasher nor the officers Of
the land company had had any knowledge tina:
VITA; appeared 10 be a deed from Moore 70
hat u
then or had been insane. Upon discovering that
Moore, the supposed grantor. was still living
and insane, from which of course IL followed
this; Tho deed could not be genuine, and from
the further fact the tax deed TO Murray was
void on its face, the TOWNSHIP company settled
with Nroonlan by paying him 5000 TO quiet the
title. Bair K Loomis. another purchaser OF part
Of the land. also paid sl,oo0 To settle. and
Chezam himself who still retained two acres,
paid % 10 settle
Ia the meantime the TOWNSHIP company sold
Go,000 worth of lots. ind had a great deal of
trouble with the lot buyers. VINO demanded 20
be reseased from the mortgage outstanding.
They tried TO convince the lot owners that this
mortgage was invalid for the Same reasons
which induced themselves to pay 500 10 settle
their title. bu. the lot owness were no. satisfied.
inasmueh as the company took no action 20
have the mortgage iucieiaiiy declared void
The mortgage in question had IA the mean
tme been assigned "a Judge Town, OF Tacoma,
who was then Gbczums attorney. AID who has
IN fact he'd possession of the notes and mort
cages ever since. lie assigned them 20 the
plaintiff. his sister-in Law. who had 10 kaovi-
edge OF what he hal done unit. aiie-wsId IL
termed by him, and has ueTe- hsz ;s0sssssior Of
the papers The defendants alleged :hz, bota
assignments were without consideration. ard
that therefore CheEaIn was So. tbs re-. owner
OF them. Judge Hames. however. bed that ste
assignment being in writing. tks E3s.1i&E oosas1
maintain the action, although AGT11g 10 ae.1s.
interest In the NOES and mortgage
The defendants also ciarlea tas; tie tar
leed being void on its face. the thfse-years'
Statute OF Limitations would no; apply a. against
one insane. lie court held. however, that IL
would apply. Upon these questions being SO
decided, judgment was rendered .or the plain
uG
After ali the foregoing conveyauces a second
deed was put on record. purporting to be made
By John Moore, IT,, aud reeiting In the deed that
he tho heir of the original John Moore
This deed was claimed tn be forgery also, aud
man named McAusiand was tried, convicted
and sentenced to the psnitentiavy Tor the crime
Who committed the first forgery Is not known,
tie notary before whom the aekIowiedg ment
Vas taken having los. all recollection of the oc-
euErences; but IL is presumed that il was some
one whose real name was John Moore, and who
had teen introduced 10 the notary by some
Common friend.