The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-07

this city. Several months ago he appeared
in that place. and established tbs New
York Kitchen on Washington street. De-
tween Second and Third, forming a cor
poration OF which the restaurant man and
his wife owned ninety-n1ne shares and
their attorney one share From the ouIse.
they secured a fattsring patronage. the
receipts ranging from $50 10 sfoe day.
About a month ago II was found that the
concern could not meet certain pressing
obligations. and Gotta announced that II
he could find a partner who would ad-
vance enough 20 pay the debts. everything
would go Wei. \ man named James
Parks. who had money 10 invest, heard Of
the opportunity 10 embark IN business. and
bought half the stock in the company, the
consideration being several thousand dol
lars.
With last Monday come the day for coll
lection OF bills, but Mr.. Park arrived a.
the kitchen 10 find that Gotta and wife
had disappeared, leaving a letter 10 the
effect that they would return in few
days 1t is believed that they left on the
night train for this city. and possibly
made close connection at Tacoma or this
city with steamer for British Columbia.
His friends in Portland believe he will yet
return and square accounts, but. as the
Oregonian says. Others don't"
For some time in this city Gotta was
steward for L. c. Riggs, founder OF the
original New York Kitchen. on Second
street, between Marion and Madison
Riggs conducted an eating house that
soon attracted the trade of the city. He
always had a speciality; now ii was straw
berry shortcake, and again it was a %
cent turkey dinner. with celery and other
etceteras.
During the years when Riggs managed
the establishment on Second street he was
always on the lookout for partner with
Pigs 90 he NJ
partner got the experience. and was soon
ousted- On one occasion Riggs started a
restaurant in the Clancy block at South
Third and Washington streets, made a
great show Of prosperity. and sold a COM
paratively worthless business to a strang-
er for large sum Of money. Riggs last
partner was a middle-aged man named
Frank Van Valkenberg, who was quite as
sharp as Riggs. He was a telegraph ope-
rator by profession, and has made consid-
cradle money building telegraph lines in
New Mexico. Van Valkenberg disappeared
one day and no one knew what had be-
come Of him till his wife received d letter
saying that he would not return. Mrs.
Van Nalkenberg obtained a divorce and is
now In the city. Riggs at times made a
great deal OF money in his Kitchen, but
after the restaurant was closed at night
he found ways of spending it. and many
queer stories were told about his habits.
All Seattle had been in the New York
Kitchen before his stay came TO an end,
and all wondered how he could do II for
the money and the explanation did not
come until one day he dropped out Of
sight and left his steward in charge.
In the meantime there had occurred one
OF those transformations so confusing and
CALLING to creditors that once nipped they
are careful forever after. The kitchen
had been moved from Second street TO a
corresponding place on Front, In what had
been the Grand Cafe; ana somewhere along
the road it had lost Its corporate name to
reappear as a different corporation. AL
though riggs was gone, the kitchen con-
tinued as successful as before Every
evening the guests listened to music. and
all was lovely as a summers day. But
Gotta was not considerate OF his help. and
one day he had a fight with waiter named
Mcdonald, eliminating in the waiter being
thrown down the back steps and sustaining
fractures of both legs. After this Gotta
got out of the restaurant and opened up at
the corner of Cherry and Third streets.
One day the walters commenced inquir-
ing about their wages, and when they
pressed their claims Gotta and his wife,
who had been living at the corner Of
Fourth and James streets, disappeared.
Mcdonald afterward brought a damage
suit and obtained heavy Judgment by de-
fault.
Gotta was a good-looking fellow. with
dark eyes. full cheeks and very curly
black hair He was about feet inches
tall and we'll butt. In his dress he was
neat. He wore black and always had a
white shirt with rundown collar and
white necktie. He was always pleasant to
customers and had faculty of seeing that
every one was we'll cared for by his wait
ers
Gotta came here from San Francisco,
where he has a brother. also a restaurant
keeper. When he left he is said TO have
skipped" with the woman who passes for