The morning call., 1894-06-09
MORE FORGERIES.
49,.
Fraudulent Deeds Signed
by SWindIers.
: CYRUS WALKER LOTS SOLD.
!: GigarrDealers and Portland
H.. Man Robbed.
MANY MEN AND MORE NAMES.
!. Work of Gang Which Operated in
This City From February s
=. to April 10.
CYRUS WALKER LOTS SOLD.
lANY MEN AND MORE NAMES.

-: \ gang of forgers and swindlers has
:heen operating in this city since last Feb
.tuary As a result Cyrus Walker,
Washington capitalist and the manager of
Pope i TalbOts Puget Sound lumber
mills. finds that his property at Ocean
View has passed, as far as the records
show, into the hands of one John r. vii
:Eams and others, while S. Schwartz and
David Gross learn that they have given
:their cigar-stOre at 915 Market street, as
we'll as a small amount OF cash, for city lots
which never belonged to the seller. How
many more sufferers there are Is not
known, but already g deed has reached the
: Recorders office from Portland. Or, when
purports 10 convey property in this city
from John r. Williams 10 81. NJ Wagner.
Williams, who is also known as Egbert
.or'Carr, appears TO have been the leader CT
the gang. With him were associated
Robert Il. Fletcher. who formerly kept
Teaf-estate Office at 9l3J2 Market street,
and man known as WhItcomb or Ross.
There is also q man who signs himself
A. W. OH Brown. Fletcher and " hit
comb have a previous police court record
for sWIudling.
TIE operaI ons of the swindlers began
On February s, when the name of Cyrus
Walker was forged to a deed, conveying
nine lots J25x12W in block a of the City
Land Association Tract TO John X. VIII
~liams This deed was ackno wledged be-
fore Notary Lee D. Craig, and bears the
-3ame of A. W. Olf Brown as a witness.
..lhe deed bears evidence that the last part
IF the word Off has been erased and
Brown written over il in another shade OF
lax The consideration named IN the deeG
was $40
.. The deed was not recorded until April
10 ,- nth a {
:tve0 lois to s. Schwartz and David Gross.
: They had arranged 10 make other sales,
lut the prOsp eCtIye purchasers were saved
by Gross who became suspicious, and ac-
reused Fletcher and his mates of swindhng
him. In spite OF EletcheF's assurances that
everything was right, Gross reported the
.IaatteT t. the police. They advised him 10
get an attorney aud come again the next
day. That night the COnsDiTatOrs diSap-
peared and have not been heard from since
except through the fraudulent deed from
. Portland. This deed was sent the Re
cOrder May q by NJ. Il. Tower, manager
of the Portland Protective Association,
and is still held by him, as the proper fee
did not accompany it. This fact has been
communicated 20 the Portland association,
but no answer has been received.
=. In the mean time Mr. Talbot. of Pope &
*|Talbot. saw a notice in the papers Of
1.-THE sale of the properly by Cyrus Walker.
Walker was communicated with, and
: promptly pronounced the deed forgery.
The matter was placed in the hands Of
= Attorney William Il. Jordan, who yesteT-
. DAY began a suit TO quiet title. Detective
Bs FUN is looking the matter I'D for the
DO Ice, but so fax has no trace of the
. sWi&aIers. He is satisfied that they are
out ef the State.
MIR. Talbot said Yesterday that they
must have known Of the comings and 60
ings Of Air. Walker, as the deed was exc
cuted lust after be returned from Colorado
Springs.
= MIR. Walker" he said, spends but very
sIittle time in San Francisco, and III order
10 avoid suspicion they made the DEED Out
when 10 was hers. lie has had the prop
: erEy for years. and has often spoken to me
. of selling it; but L felt certain that he
would not dispose OF it without my know
= ing It, The lots are % by 100 feet Instead
Of % by I20 as given in the deed
Neither Of the n0Jaries who acknOwl-
edged the two fraudulent deeds IS quite
certain who the parties were that wit
messed the signature. Lee d. Craig feels
:. quite sore over Che matter, and offered to
- give 500 for the apprehension OF the f0rgeT.
Il am not quite sure" he SAID, who
- Witnessed the signature. but l think
. know who il was. 1t was not signed
4. ". OIf Brown in any office. Olif is
the first part of the last name, but the
Brown was added afLerward."
The deed to Gross was witnessed by Il.
Ross. Tho seems 10 be as hard to find as
Brown. Gross says that Fletcher was the
only enc Of the crowd be knew. The lat.
ter had for some time kept Teal-estate
= office nextto Schwartz & Gross cigar-store
~ aid not have much confidence in him, -
SAID Gross. but when L looked up the
title to the lots and found it correct
thought it was all right. did not expect
downright forgery. or course l shall
make no objections to Walker securing
quiet title TO the lots"
a man named John r. Williams lived
. until few weeks ago at TOO Cough street
He and his family left town and are sup
uosed TO be IN KalIeiO.