The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-23
I. N. FISHER ACCUSED
Of Forging An Endorsement
and Collecting a Check.
ARRESTED AT PORT TOWNSEND.
The ex-Immigration Inspector Charged
With Defraud:ny Canadian Gus
toms 0fxicer OF $3.50.

Port Townsend. Jan. ee-Ex-Unasei
States Inluli grafton Inspector Thomas N.
Fisher was arrested tonight by United
States Marshal Bridges en- a charge ef
forgery alleged 20 have been cozsazrssEted
al Portland, September 6. 1854. He IS
charged with forging the inEsorsernens OF
a Canadian customs officer 10 a check is
sued by Collector OF Customs Taylor. Of
Astoria. and collecting thereon $3.50. The
Canadian officer had previously given in
formation to local customs officers watch
led 10 the seizure CO 100 pounds of ogssurn
on the steamer Wilmington in the Column
bia river. in September, 1882. HIS name
was entered on the seizure book as an in
former. and after a long delay the gov
eminent finally awarded him $50 ard in
str1sctei the collector 10 pay him. II APP
pears that the steamer Wilmington ssassed
from Vancouver in September, 1852. with
so tins of prepared opium for the Column
bia river. In response TO a telegram from
Vancouver. local officers had the Astoria
officials search the vessel. and they found
200 pounds stored in coai OH tins, which
was seized The remainder was captured
the following day al PoIsaanL
subsequently. when the opium was con-
demned and sold by the government, the
Canadian employed Lockwood & Mulkey,
firm OF attorneys at Portland, to rep
resents his interests. He was unable to
get any of the reward, and. on account
OF being In the employ of the Canadian
government, was afraid TO publicly ap-
pear as a claimant lest he should lose
his Official position. Then 1t was that he
complained to the local authorities, and
the treasury department detailed officers
to investigate the affair. Fisher went
to Portland IN octobsx 1895, and in the
presence OF Deputy Collector Mckenzie.
OF Seattle. conferred with Attorney
George C. Strout, who claimed to be rep
resenting the informer, and Stout there
admitted having gotten a check from the
collector upon the written authority of
Lockwood. The check. which had been
Cancelled, was found at the First National
bank. and bore the Endorsement OF the
informer and that of Lockwood.
Fisher reported these facts to Special
Agen. cullom and the treasury depart
men There has been much official
correspondence with the department
as to who received and cashed the
check. Fisher tonight denied positively
the charge Of forgery, and exhibited doeu-
mentary proof showing that he was In
the northern part of Washington dur
ing the time mentioned in the indictment.
COL Fisher Is prosecuting attorney OF
Island county. deputy clerk of the SUI
perior court. and commander of a lecal
G. A. f. post.
Following Is copy OF a letter sent by
Fisher to the treasury department in
October. 1898. with reference to securing
payment OF the ihformers' award THE
informer furnished me With valuable in
formation upon which important seizures
have been made. and i am now working
upon information furnished by him with
reference to the storage of 5000 pounds
Of prepared opium. valued at $4,000, which
was brought TO Puget Sound and hidden
by the steamer Haytien Republic. IL he
Is paid for the other services rendered he
will furnish information as to its loca-
ton. The money was lawfully awarded
to him by the district court. and 1t is
evident that some unauthorized person
received and appropriated the came. and
In so doing forgery was committed.
would recommend that an immediate ir-
yestigation be commenced to ferret out
this matter so that steps can be taken
to make the seizure to which he refers"
Mulkey, the attorney. Is cousin 10 ex-
Special Agent aIulkey. now convicted of
smuggling opium and Chinese into the
United States.