The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-08
4 BOGUS PREACHER.
Rev. j. A. Fredericks q Blk
and m Impostor.
HERE UNDER An ASSUMED NAME.
CsfvsEsaIfss Minisssr Deserted E3is wife
Ate ssx Meals . Day.

Fred A. jenkins, alias Rev. s J. Fred
erick, who has been posing ~ . Univer-
sxiiss minister for the last six weeks, and
working on the csednlisy of the members
OF that eharch in this city. uill BE- seen no
more. having skipped" for parts un.
known after having made himself nm
pleasantly notorious and shaken faith In
human nature in the minds Of many we'll
meaning people The fact that no great
pecuniary losses resulted from any Of his
transactions has led the more conservative
Of those With whom he came In contact to
express the belief that the man il more
crank than knaye, for ne 10 not known to
have taken away any great amount Of
money. though number Of creditors are
Known 70 be lanentiug their over-ccnfi-
dence in his gauxy representations.
Rev. Q. II. Shinn. the Pacific coast Uni-
ve-salist missionary who discovered the
fraud Jenkins Vas perpetrating on the Sc
attic people. says that Jenkins 10 undoubs-
edly insane. having periodical manias.
and the maladx being hereditary. there
being insanity on the fathers side.
Though Jenkins may have been short In
mental balance. he was decidedly long in
those qualities thai made Ananisa nosori-
Gus. His best hold. however, while In
Seattle was at feeding, and though he
openly deprecated overlooking, and lee
tured his housekeeper by repeatedly tell
ing her that these American people al
eat too much, yet this aesthetic gentleman
made it . point to eat six square meals q
day, namely. three meals at his private
establishment, prepared by his house
keeper. and three meals. the choicest to be
had. at the Richelieu. Though decided
gourmand in getting away with six meals
day. in all other respects he was temper
ate. neither drinking nor smoking, and
apparently actively industrious in work
Ing up . congregation for Universalist
church.
Jenkins FIRST appeared in Seattle about
the first Of the year. and after securing the
names Of the ladies connected with the
Universalist association called on them
and represented himself - Q minister
seeking missionary field. The ladies &C
cspted his words. and in their eagerness TO
start . church gave him every possible aid
In their power. He went to work, en-
gagged hall in the Masonic temple, prom
ising 20 pay $40 month for Its use every
Sunday, and held services the first few
weeks in January, working with an
energy that materially INCREASED the at
tendance every Sunday, even 20 securing
the ssrvices Of an efficient choir. Before
entering on his religious work he engaged
a room at the Richeiieu, paying c. Z.
Smith, the proprietor, so In advance for
1t for one month and getting his meals at
tho same place on credit He told Mr..
Smith that his wife would b on In q few
days. Shortly after, however, he excused
the non-arrival of his wife by saying that
she was taken I'll on the road and had to
return to Chicago. He next bought . 1915
piano st Winter & Harpsr's, on which he
paid SIS and had IL sent to his rooms ct
the Richelieu.
About the 18th OF January he purchased
the household furniture at 4is Columbia.
gave his note for The amonnt-&20O, pays
bic February !. assumed the rent Of the
house-$30 q month-and moved in. He
then secured the services Of house
keeper. widow and one child, put her In
charge, had the piaro moved from the
Richelieu, and on the 18th Of January
commenced housekeeping. doing the mar
keting for the housekssper, eating three
them at the Richelieu on tick.
Not satisfied with SEINE OF the furniture
he purchased from Westberg & Chiids, on
Third street, . carpet. three rugs and two
portieres. aggregating nearly $50. for which
he paid 81 on account He next sub-iet
two rooms In his house TO young man
and mis- sister, who paid him SIS in ad-
vance for one month. He was energetic
in his church work. and secured from the
treasurer Of the Ladies' Aid Society all
she had in the treasury. so. which he said
he wanted toward building fund. This
money. IL 10 thought, he used to pay on the
piano.
He made himself prominent among real
estate men by seeking suitable location for
a church. Several dealers spent days
showing him property. and he finally se-
Iected one on Eleventh strest. for which
he agreed to pay $500. Subsequently
he cancelled the agreement, saying the
society had purchased . lot on Ninth
street.
Wednesday Of last week he learned that
Rev. Q. Fl. shinn, who knew him In
Dakota, was coming 20 Seattle. That same
night he told his housekesper that he
would 60 to Tacoma the next morning,
and February he left ostensibly to re-
turn the next day but in fact 70 get away,
for his housekespsr received postal card
from Tacoma reading as follows.
Mrs. T. died this morning. Miss +.
very i'll and / myself almost crssy. I
start this ,. %. for Utica, n. Y. Tell any
one who calls that / WILL be back soon as
possible"
The Miss T. referred 20 in the postal
Is one of the many tictions with which he
amused his housekeeper. namely Miss
Marion Thompson. an alleged young lady
to whom he said he was engaged and who
was coming on to marry him.
Rev. Mr.. shinn came to Seattle yester-
day and told q sad story of lovely wife
and child deserted by Jenkins In Fargo.