The San Francisco call., 1896-07-02

10 raise the SlZ check.
f. L. Seaver, better known as A. H
Dean, was called and sworn. In answer
to Attorney Wilson's questions the wit
ness said he was Sc years of age, was a
native of Massachusetts and had first seen
Creegan in the Baltimore County Jail,
where he (Seaver) was held on charge of
forgery. He had been in Creegan's COM
pany only two or three days at that time.
He again met him in the Maryland peni-
tentiary, where they were associated for
two years and half.
The next meeting between Seaver and
Creegan, after their release from the Mary
land penitentiary, was on Broadway, near
Ihlrtieth street, New York, in April, 1888:
He had first met Becker at the Sheepshead
with Creegan. He had seen him also with
Creegan in London, England.
Seaver had come to California in the
latter part of November, 1880. before
coming to California he had met Creegan
on several occasions in the East, and had
conversations with him relative TO certain
transactions to be carried out in California.
The first of these conversations was held
at the Hotel Savoy, at New York. late in
October or early in November, 1895.
The conversation was in regard to select
ing some place to make little money.
Creegan suggested that san francisco was
a good place to work, because large drafts
were readily accepted. Creegan further
suggested that Seaver should open an ac-
count in San Francisco, and later they
should raise a draft. Seaver said that
neither he nor Creegan could raise a
draft, but that Becker could.
Creegan and Seaver had several meet
ings at the latter's house and elsewhere in
New York in regard TO the proposed Cali
fornia operations They had discussed
the best means of making money, and had
concluded that it would not be a good
plan to forge an Endorsement, as an oper-
alton of that kind had been discovered in
California shortly before.
Seaver arrived here in the latter part of
November, 1895, and registered at hotel
as A. d. Howe. He shortly afterward took
a trip to the country, going to RED Bluff,
Woodland and other towns. He had
bought a draft for $95 at Red Bluff and
two drafts at Woodland-one for $l2 on
the Woodland Bank and another for $l1
from the Yolo Bank. All these he gave
to Creegan on the ferry-boat when he re-
turned to the City. The understanding
was for Creegan to submit these three
drafts to Becker, and for him to select the
one most suitable for raising.
Before leaving New York Seaver had
made an appointment with Creegan to
meet him in front of the Lick House on
the evening of November %. They did
not meet until about December, when they
accidentally came together in the Palace
grillroom. The two talked the matter
over and agreed upon Seaver's subsequent
course in opening an office in the Chroni-
Gle building and opening an account with
the Nevada Bank. Creegan at the time
told Seaver that Becker, although not in
this City, was near by and was ready to
do any ''artistic work"
The witness recounted the various de-
posits he had made in the bank. He had
conversations with Creegan as to what
hQ ha 10 D,
to impress the bank people of his financial
standing. Creegan had told Seaver that
he was stopping at the Grand Hotel under
the name of ]. P. Holland.
Upon his return from Woodland Seaver
met Creegan on the boat. Creegan got
the drafts from Seaver and took the next
boat back to Oakland, telling him that he
would take them back to Becker to decide
which was the best to raise. The drafts
were placed between the leaves OF a Bank
ers' Almanac in order to keep them fiat
and without creases. When he gave them
to Creegan Seaver gave his opinion that
the Woodland draft would be the best to
raise on account of the high standing of
the Woodland bank.
On the following evening Creegan and
Seaver met at Bush street and Grant
avenue in this City. Creegan returned the
$95 Red Bluff draft because it had on it a
printed statement that it was good only
with Seaver that the Woodland check
would be the best to raise and declared
that, although t. draft was on National
safety draft paper, which is of particularly
sensitive color and easily disfigured when
acid is used upon it, nevertheless Becker
could raise IL without great deal of
trouble.
On December 16 Creegan and Seayer
met and went together to Oakland to get
the draft from Becker. Seaver waited at
saloon on Broadway while Creegan went
to g Becker. Creegan reported, how
ever, that the acid had run all over the
check and that it would take considerable
work with the camels hair brush to fix it.
On the next day Creegan got the draft
and, meeting Seaver by appointment, gave
him the draft at the same time asking
him II that was not pretty piece of
work.
On the following day Seaver deposited
the check and withdrew most of his cash
balance at the same time.
The witness recounted the steps he had
taken to make an impression of his busi-
ness standing. He had rented al Office in
the Chronicle building and employed an
othce-boy merely in order to have some
body to drive his buggy when he should
draw the 5000. On the night before the
money was drawn Seaver met Creegan
and arranged to meet him and McCloskey
the next morning at the corner of Third
and Mission streets. Seaver was to draw
the money and drive away, and Creegan
and McCloskey were to follow him to see
that no harm came to Seaver.
On the morning when the money was
drawn Seaver bought sack which he
thought would hold the money, and with
his ofice-boy engaged buggy and gave
the boy such instructions as to keep him
long enough to permit Creegan and Nc
Closkey to follow. Seaver and the boy
drove slowly downtown, stopped awhile
before the Occidental Hotel and then
drove to the bank.
Seaver went into the bank alone, he
thought. A man came In later, however
one of the banks customers, he thought.
He was positive that the stranger was
neither Creegan nor McCloskey. After
some discussion as to what kind of money
he should take he finally took four bags of
$4,000 each, and drove out to the Mission
and stopped in front of a house. Then he
dismissed the boy with the buggy and
took Valencia-street car downtown. He
carried the money TO the Lexington House.
212 Eddy street, where he had rooms.
Here he met McCloskey, and the two put
the money into four wooden tockings and
L, L. ~, ooIvC