The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-16
LIQUOR DEALERS DUPED,
ExpreSSman Valuchi Obtains
Valuable Goods on Forged
Orders.
Two Policemen Capture Him in the
Act Of Selling the
Liquors..

| Police Officers Mcmahon and Wrenn did
a very clever piece OF detective work
Tuesday in catching an alleged forger and
recovering merchandise valued at $500,
which, it is claimed, was obtained under
false pretenses.
The forgery was a clumsy piece Of bust
ness, but it succeeded just the same, and
the firm of Ami Vignier, liquor importers,
429 Battery street, barely escaped losing
goods worth nearly $1,000.
V. Valuchi, an expressman about 26
years of age, who has been doing odd Jobs
in the wholesale part of town, went to the
store of Ami Vignier, about two weeks ago,
and presented one of the business cards of
z. A. Jaujou & Co., distillers and manu-
facturers of liquors, cordiais, etc., of $50
Jackson street.
On the back of the card was written an
order for one case of Martell brandy, two
stars, and the name of f. A. Jaujou & Co.
was signed to it. Valuchi represented
himself as the teamster of Jaujou & Co..
and the case of brandy was delivered to
| him.
In the same manner Valuchi was given
during the past two weeks the following
list of liquors and wines: Four cases Of
vermuth, four cases of absinthe, one case
of benedlctine, one case of Amer Picon
one case of Rhoderer champagne, one case
of Carte Blanche champagne, two cases
of Martell brandy, three stars besides the
case of brandy alrea . mentioned.
! Yesterday was collection day and
Valuchi realized there would be trouble
when Vigniers representative called or
Jaulou d Co. for payment. He trans.
ferred his patronage to j. A. Durand
! commission merchant and broker. and
presenting Jaujou & Co.'s card stated he
had been sent for five cases of absinthe
Durand took Valuchi to James de Fremery
| g. Co. and he got the absinthe.
a little later in the afternoon Officer:
Mcmahon and Wrenn noticed an express
| man going from saloon to saloon on Mont
gomery avenue. They watched him anC
ascertained that he was trying to sell some
absinthe. They followed him to the cor
ner of Washington and Battery streets
where Mcmahon decided to arrest him.
| Valuchi is a sturdy fellow, and fearing
he might attempt to run away and escape
in some of the alleys near by, McMahor
| called to him and asked him where The
| license number of his wagon was. Valuch
got down to show Mcmahon the figures
when the latter quickly caught Valuchi's
wrist in a pair of nippers.
! Va1uchi tried to struggle, but found thai
to pull on the nippers brought too much
pain, so he surrendered.
In searching for an owner for the alb
sinthe Mcmahon and Wren went to A
Vignier. As soon as a few inquiries haG
been made the facts all came to light
Vignier's collector had just returned
from trying to collect the bill for Jauior
& Co., who said they had not ordered any
thing claimed to have been delivered
Mcmahon and Wrenn got list of wha
| Vignier had lost, and then called on Jane,
de Fremery & Co., who were pleased tc
escape so luckily.
Vafuchi and the stolen goods were takeI
to the old City Hall prison, but Valuch
was transferred Immediately to the Cen
trail Police Station. Mcmahon and Wrenr
then began a search for the goods obtained
from A. Vignier & Co., and found them il
a basement-saloon, or dive, on Gran
avenue, between Bush and Berry streets.