The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-16
FOR 4 BOTTLE OF INK.
Scheme Of an Album Nan With
Many Aliases.
GAME IN SEATTLE is BLOCKED.
j. b. Spencer and His Attempt TO VIC
timize the Public-His Operations
in California.

j. B. Spencer, alias Eislehen- Holden.
Roberts, Tieiten. Plunkhausen and many
other names who disappeared from San
Francisco February -, after having made
numerous small collections. appropriated
an overccat or so and beat a few hotel
bills. has bobbed up in Seattle, and is do
ing a good business in the quart bottle OF
ink line He is a very smooth, even glib
talker, ard has system that borders
the legitimate. In San Francisco every
thing was all right UP to certain point.
and then Queer street was encountered.
Spencer poses as manufacturer Of
writing fluid. His cards read as follows:
y. B. Spencer Manufacturing Company
Manufacturing Chemists. Writing Fluids
and Stationers' Specialties- New York.
Chicago. Pacific Coast Agency, San Fran
cisco. 635 Clay street, Telephone Main
5,9ss'
4 Circulator Of Albums.
Spencer appeared in the city about eight
or ten days ago. lie Is a German, hut
speaks French. He has foreign accent.
March he called at Lowman & Han
ford's TO get estimates on getting up 500
albums. each TO contain seventy pages,
and TO contain advertisements of different
retail dealers in Seattle. Tacoma, Spokane.
New Westminster. Fairhaven. Olympia
and Walla Walla- The size of the albums
was TO be 10iax17 inches. Thirty-iive pages
were TO contain one nice cut or picture
and one bottom line. which would adver-
tise the Spencer writing fluids. The re-
naming pages of the album were TO con-
tain each thirty cards of three lines each,
and, one head line and one bottom inc.
The cards were 10 be allotted TO the cities
as follows: Seattle, 800: Tacoma. 800; Spo-
kane. POO; New Westminster and other
cities named above, 30 each
All Tor a Bottle of Ink.
The writing fluid man said that he pro-
posed to get Up these albums ami place
them in hotels. other public places ard
upon steamers. They would be attractive
and would also serve as a good advertis-
ing medium His company would deri.e
leneht through the lines at the bottom.
He said that he had agents working in the
different cities securing orders for his ink.
and when a man took bottle of ink worth
70 cents he would charge 81, the % cents
representing the price that would insure
the purchaser an insertion of his card in
the albums.
Mr.. Hanford gave him estimates on the
work. a few days later the ink man
called, and said that while the price was
rather high, yet the firm had decided 20 let
Lowman & Hanford do the work. Night
before last he called again, and said that
everything was getting along nicely. and
that his copy would be placed with the
printers about April /.
In the meantime local agents have been
at work securing orders for Sponcer's
writing fluid. In one case al least the act
ual delivery Of the goods is made by the
ink man himself who talks about The al
bum. cuts and pictures in an easy. fluent
and convincing manner OF course he
makes reference to his contract" with
Lowman & Hanford This gives a sub
Skantlal character his prOieCt
History That Did Not Appear.
Through the commercial agency Of Pick
ems. Fulton & Co. in this city. something
OF Spencer's record In San Francisco was
obtained. He has had an office at $50 Clay
street for five or six months. and IL goes on
to say that he posed as a manufacturer OF
writing fluids. and claimed that in order
TO introduce his goods he would offer a
valuable advertisement In 500 copies of the
illustrated history of San Francisco TO each
purchaser OF quart bottle of ink. He
succeeded in disposing of considerable ink
at good prices, manufacturing n cheap
article and buying a better quality for
certain customers. The illustrated history
was never produced, and on February IS
Spencer disappeared. after making numer-
Gus collections from 20 cents TO s.. He Is
said TO owe a printing house SEQ; also 10
have appropriated an overcoat, and TO have
beat several hotels and private boarding
houses. Many wholesale houses in San
Francisco are his creditors for small
amounts.
Prior 10 arriving in San Francisco. It is
said Spencer worked Los Angeles He
is said TO have been in difficulty at Wood
land Cal. for attempting TO leave without
paying his hotel bill. When he left San
Francisco IL was thought he went to Port
lind His correct name is thought 10 be
Eisleben. While in San Francisco he told
a lady that he was we'll known In ST. Louis.
Mo. and that he Travelled for Fairbanks.
of that place.
Spencer is described as follows: About
81 years old feet II inches tall, Of slender
build and legs long in proportion to his
body; has light blue eyes. light hair and
musiache light in quantity as well as color
small mouth and somewhat protruding
lips walks with short step and leans
slightly forward.
When this description was placed before
Clarence Hanford. OF the firm Of
Lowman & Hanford. he said that there was
no question about the Identification Mr.
Haafor'i said he had nothing TO say about
the man. as he had not reached the point
OF violating business obligations with him