The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-12-22
John Fairfield Of Seattle, Fugi-
tive From Justice.
HAD SOME QUEER EXPERIENCES
He Fled FIR, m Bosi on Six Years ago
and Became a Prominent Lawyer
in wese rn Washington.

become prominent there as a lawyer
under the name of John Fairfield. Dore
was arraigned in the superior court to-
day and charged with forgery commit
ted here nearly six years ago.
Yes, have had some queer expert
ences,' he said in response to question
put to him by the reporter, land some
pretty tough ones, too. You know 1
was arrested in February, 1882 and on
the evening of the same day left the
city
Il don't care at this time to go into
the details Of the matter of the charge
against me, except to say there was no
criminal intent in my heart. The fact
OF the matter was that 1 got into the
habit of gambling on State street, and
my story is simply the story of hun
dreds of others in that respect I felt
that l did not even have a fighting
chance, so l got out
John Fairfield was the name by which
| was known from the time left Bos-
ton until was arrested. I had some re-
lations by that name, and l adopted it
without giving the matter a second
thought.
MY first stopping place was Miles
City, Mont, where | remained from
March until December, 1889. practiced
law there and also ran a newspaper.
MOVED TO SEATTLE.
Miles City was but small place,
however, and in December l went to
Seattle, which was just then recover
ing from the great fire which had de-
stroyed the city. l ought to say that
the fire made it, The people were doing
business in tents and living in them
when l reached there, but the manner
in which they developed astonished me.
Il was still John Fairfield. Under that
name | began the practice of law.
was not required to pass any examina-
ton for the bar. said that had been
lawyer, and was admitted on being in
troduced by another lawyer. l have
been going steadily ahead ever since.
had probably as good a law practice
as ever there was in that state In adj
dition to that, became interested in
politics, and have had some very fiat
tering offers to run for political posi-
lions. These | felt bound to decline.
however, for the reason that was con-
stantly fearing that the sword would
drop, and did not want to be in po-
sition which might cause others to
suffer through me.
cases pending now in which 1 have been
engaged as counsel. One of my clients
may have been hung since left for all
/ know.
About Charles r. Hammond? Oh,
yes; know it has been said that l was
going to write book about him and
his notorious house on Cleveland street,
London, where some of the British no
bility used to indulge in their orgies, but
there is nothing to it, I probably know
more about that matter than any other
man except Hammond, but have no in
tention Of writing any book about it,
My connection with Hammond was
simply that of counsel when he was ar
rested on the charge of grand larceny
His case was finally dropped and his
history came to light through the eff
forts Of a couple of newspaper men
who knew it, and who had been unsuc-
cessful in trying to have him give the
story of the occurrences in his place in
London.
My arrest was somewhat of a sur
prise to me. of course, but could have
skipped out of town had 1 so desired. |
| was taken out on a writ of habeas
corpus, and when l W mt to get bail 1
had for company FIVE hack loads of law
yers and business men Of the place who |
were willing to help me.
The officers will tell you Of the re-
ception which 1 had at the depot as | |
was leaving the place, and if am ever |
free again I propose to go back there. |
1 have made a number of warm friends |
there, and l have found it one of the |
best places in the world for a young |
man.
II want to say that the officers have |
been most kind to me. On the way back |
they have used me as a companion |
rather than as a prisoner, and 1 GER |
tainly feel bound to respect their con- |
fldence for that reason If no other ex- |
listed. could have obtained bail today, |
but the court was not in session on ac- |
count of the election, and 1 had to come /
down to the Jail.
Il have been holding a sort of re-
ception here all day, and any number |
of my old friends have expressed a
Willingness to become my bondsmen." |
HIS STANDING THERE.
The officers declare that the standing
of Mr. Dore in Seattle is not to be ques-
toned. An evidence of it they found in
a plot to take their prisoner from them
on the train, and they say that those
concerned in IL were not of the tough
element, but respectable business men
who did not want to see Dore leave the
city.
Dore has been quite prominent in DEM
ocratic political circles since he left Bos-
ton although he has not held any office.
lie has been in correspondence with
his wife all the time, and has also writ
ten to several other friends in Boston.