The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-25
HE USED HIS CREDIT.
Fish Buyer Berghoff Charged
With Clever Fraud.
HE PROMPTLY PUTS UP BAIL.
Arrested for False Pretenses. and Said
to Have Secured SIS 900 by
Fraud. He vanishes.

One of the most sensational arrests that
has taken place IN this city for a long
time, followed by a most graceful shak-
ing of OF the hands Of the law, in a per-
fectly legal manner. occurred last even
ing Part OF the drama took place on
Second street, near James. and the re-
mainder at the county jail. but few peo-
pie had any idea of what was transpir
ing. This man, who 50 successfully kept
out of the county Jail. was no other than
Julius Berghoff. the fish buyer. who has
been representing Charles L. Mattlage,
a large frrn OF New York city. The war
rant alleges that he obtained 81 800 under
false pretenses, but the sum is said TO be
fully $1,000.
Day before yesterday rather short.
heavy. thick-set man. with iron gray
mustache, arrived In the city. and took
rooms at one of the leading hotels, his
name appearing as Edward A Radigan,
New York. Yesterday afternoon this Mr.
Radigan evidently made some discovery.
for he Immediately sought out Attorney
j. 3. Howe and after consultation they
went to the prosecuting attorneys ONCE.
but as Mr.. HASTE was at the preliminary
examination of the Kindling boys in Jus
tice McEiwain's court, IL was after
O'Clock before he could be seen.
The result of the talk with him was
that a complaint was issued at the request
of Mr. Radigan charging Julius Rerghof
with obtaining $3.50 from Charles l..
Mattlage. of New York, by false pre-
lenses. Justice of the Peace McElwain
issued the warrant about $50 o'clock and
it was placed In the hands of Deputy
Sheriff r. J. Morgan. Mr.. Radigan
seemed very anxious TO have the arrest
made az once. as he was apparently
afraid that Berghoff might not be in the
city this morning.
Radigan, accompanied by the justice of
the peace and Morgan. walked down Sec
ond street TO the corner Of James, when
suddenly Radigan walk UP to the man
and said: why. Berghoff. how are
you?' Berghoff did not seem to be very
well. but replied by asking Radigan when
he arrived in the city. Radigan gave the
date of coming. and then called up Nor
gan, who served the warrant. The pris-
oner had now recovered his self-posses
sion in a great degree. and accompanied
the officer.
At the county tail Berghoff aseertained
that Justice of the Peace McElwain had
set his cash bail al $1,000 Such trif1ing
sum did not seem to worry the prisoner
in the least lie simply went down into
his trousers pocket and drew out s240 in
gold. Then he produced a large roll of
bills Of large denominations and counted
out the remainder OF the $1,000 Having
concluded his business Mr.. Berghoff
walked away, much to Mr. Radigan's
dismay.
The latter. now thoroughly alarmed lest
he should lose all track Of the man who
as practically his prisoner a few
minutes before, rushed down to the police
station and sought Chief Rogers add He
also tslephoned in post haste to Attorney
Howe to see if anything could be done to
keep Berghoff from leaving the city.
Mr.. Howe evidently did rot give much
comforting assurance. for Mr.. Radigan
egain turned TO the chief with the result
that Detective Wells was detailed to as
sist Mr.. Radigan in his search for Berg
hoff. Chief Rogers absolutely refused u
arrest Berghoff unless a warrant was
placed in his hands
When a Post-Intelligencer reporter call
ed at the Butler hotel last evening to find
out II Mr.. Berghoff was there he was in
formed that that gentleman paid his bill
about o'clock and had gone away.
Mr.. Howe said he was not at liberty to
talk about the case and referred
the reporter to Prosecuting At
torney HASTE. When the latter
was seen at his home he said that as
he understood the case Berghoff was
charged with taking 81 500 under false pre-
fences. but in reality had gotten away
with $4,000 or $2o, 600 He said that Berg
city to purchase fish for Mattlage, a
wealthy fish dealer OF New York city, and
according TO the documents placed before
him had beer given a letter Of credit to
the Puget Sound National bank OF Seat
tie from a New York banking firm for
SO. 600 Berghoff was TO purchase fish for
the New York firm and after shipment
Get Ia draw on the letter OF credit at the
rate OF cents pound for salmon and
cents a pound for sturgeon, the amount
of fish named in the bill of iading from
the railroad regulating the amount of
money TO he drawn.
According 10 the documents in my pos
session. continued Mr.. HASTE. Berg
hoff shipped iSS casks of fish over the
Great Northern few weeks ago but
drew on the bank for lo5. 900 pounds AS 7
have figured ii out. he really sent $500
pounds or about half what ne claimed to
have forwarded. A understand il, he
got over 5000 from the bank on that
deal alone"
lis that the only case against him."
II understand the whole 5000 has been
taken up
Attorneys s. II. Piles and John f. Hum
phries. who have been retained By Berg
hoff. said 10 a Post-Intelligencer reporter
az ll:So O'Clock last night that their client
ould not leave the city TO avoid trial
and that as matter OF fact the whole
trouble was nothing more than a dispute
over contract. They claim that Berg
hon is the largest fish dealer in the
world. when asked IL their client could
be interviewed they replied in a duet:
We have told him not to talk to any one
and you can't see him tonight"