The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-05
HIS FINAL DOWNFALL
Junius Rochester Ends His Gam
bling Career in Jail
COMES TO GRIEF IN PORTLAND.
Former Agitatsr and Democratic Leader
Obtains Mesey by Fraud-His
Career In Seattle.

agitator, then as probate judge and lead
ing Democratic politician. and more lately
a. q lawyer who was sacrificing his talents
TO his vices, lies in Jail at Portland on 8
charge Of obtaining money under false
prsfensss. The story of his downfall is
told in the following special dispatch from
that city:
PORTLAND, Oct 4-Ex-Judge Junius
Rochester. weli-kno.n attorney and
politician of Seattle, 10 detained At the
city jail, pending the adjustment OF
charge of obtaining money under false
pretenses. Judge Rochester has not been
technically arrested. ana IL seems probable
that matters will be 50 arranged with sew
eral Portland parties whom he has VIC
timized that he will be released tomorrow
and allowed TO return to Seattle.
Judge Rochester arrived in Portland
from Puget sound Thursday night of last
week, and plunged at once into a reckless
course Of gambling at faro. He had ILL
luck. and Friday he drew a draft for 500
on Seattle bank, and prevailed upon
Portland friend to indorse il for him. The
money was paid, and soon squandered at
the faro table. The playing at faro con-
tinued during Saturday. Sunday and
Monday, and the lawyer at intervals pre-
vailed upon several other persons 10 in
dorse either drafts or checks for various
amounts. In this way he secured 500
more.
All this money, except q very few dol
lars. the infatuated lawyer invested in red,
white and blue chips, with very unsatis-
factory results.
La the usual course of exchanges be-
tween Portland and Seattle banks. it de-
ve,oped that Mr.. Rochester had no funds
in the Seattle institution on which the
checks and drafts were drawn. and. in
deed, none in any bank. The first 500
endorser was called upon by the Portland
bank 20 make the sum good. He at once
instituted inquiries and ascertained
the truth. and then he informed
the police. No information was filed
nor other specific charge made, but the
police at once began to hunt for the erratic
lawyer, and Monday they found him at
faro table, rapidly spending the few dollars
he had left. He was taken to the police
station, but not placed in cell. The
upper ward was assigned for his use, and
his relatives and friends were notified. 1t
was hoped that the entire matter might
be adjusted without publicity, but inquiry
disclosed so long course of similar trans
actions. though on a lesser scale, and such
an Indifferent state of mind on the part Of
the Judge as TO his misdeeds. that the
effort was given up and the affair made
public tonight.
Percy W. Rochester, of Seattle. a brother
of the miaguided lawyer, arrived In Port
land last night and sought out the various
indorsers of the judges checks and drafts.
1t was found that only one had taken any
sort of action. Mr.. Rochester immedi-
ately began to make arrangements to in
demnify the indorsers. and it was an
nounced tonight that the negotiations had
been practically completed.
BEGAN AS AN AGIrAToR
Junius Rochester first sprang into
prominence in Seattle during the anti
Chinese agitation which swept over the
Puget sound country during the spring of
1856. and being an INSCRIPTIONS man of
good education and ability as an orator,
he took advantage of the opportunity thus
afforded to become troublesome agitator.
and 1t was to large extent due to the
utterances of Rochester and his kind
that bloodshed finally resulted from
that agitation. He took an ac-
tive part in the so-called anti
Chinese congress, and even after the
proclamations issued by Grover Cleve-
land, president of the United States, and
Watson G. Squire, then governor of WASH
ington. he lost no opportunity to incite
the agitators. Soon after martial law was
declared and Gen. John Gibbon, brlgadier
general of the United States army, had
assumed charge of the city, he caused to
be posted the following notice In public
places about the city:
"The president of the United States ha.
issued proclamation commanding all
disturbers of the peace IN the city of Seat
tie to dispense by q O'Clock on the 10th
inst All evii-disposed persons are there
fore warned 70 obey the legal command of
the president At the peril of their lives
AL true and loyal Americans will array
themselves on the side OF law and order
all others are warned that they will incur
the penalty of lawbreakers."
ARRESTED FOR ISCTrIys RIOT.
Rochester paid no attention to this and
other warnings, and the next day Gen.
Gibboa issued an order for his arrest lie
was arrested and locked up in the KING
county Jail. until the trouble had sub
sided, period of about ten DAYS. Some
time after this Rochester undertook 10
run bluff by commencing a suit for
damages against Gen. Gibbon and Gov.
Squire, but the suit dashed in the pan and
nothing came of IL.
Following on the heels OF this Chinese
agitation the agitators formed them
selves into what they called the Peopie's
patty and among Other things elected
James Rochester probate Judge. On en-
"a. Il
a church mouse. He held 10 one term
and retired rich man.
Rochester, being a gambler who gam.
b!es for the very lust Of gambling. could
not long retain the property he had ac-
quired and he has been regarded for a
number OF years as an easy game for faro
bank proprietors. When ail public games
have been closed in this city Rochester h as
been known To induce gamblers to 20 into
room aud deal faro tar his sole edlfica-
ton. He at one tine had quite an extern
sive lsw practice. hus his fondness for
gambling has greatly damaged MS prsc-
ties. For some time be has been in the
habit 81 passing checks on banks where he
had no account or credit.
Hrs rRAIL MsEErn wrrH PAPER
Rochester. Ike the leader in the cid
game Of hare and hoanas, has KEEP. his
lraii marked BY paper scattered in his
righL The first inttmatlon o, his last
crooked pTacsiees Was received al the
Scandinavian American bank last Non.
day. y hen cheek Tor $40 came in throux.
the Fidelity Trust Company, Of Ia
eona. and the Merchants National
hank. Of this cisy. A little later
a draft for sieo Issued at Pert
land came Through the RAnk Of
british Columbia These we're followed