The herald., 1898-06-21
VERY SMOOTH SWINDLE
Three Suits in Superior Court Results
of Misplaced Confidence

The district attorney yesterday filed an
information against d. c. Spencer and A. B.
Campbell, charging tAem with fraudulently
obtaining $500 from Fred Seagrave. At the
same time the same persons were the par
ties in an injunction suit in Judge Van
Dykes court and suit filed in Judge AL
lens court for the purpose of recovering the
money. These cases which are the outcome
of a very smooth sw;ndle, promise to be
quite interesting.
Some time in the latter part of May the
following advertisement appeared in the
want" columns of the Los Angeles Times:
WANTED-A YOUNG MAN OF GOOD
habits to collect for large firm; must be
able to drive and give references; state
age and where last employed; $500 security
required, cash or unincumbered real es.
tate. Address NJ box IS, Times Office.
The advertisement attracted the atten-
ton of Fred Seagrave then an operator on
the Southern Pacific railroad and located at
Naud's Junction. He answered 1t, address,
ing his communication as the 'ad'' direct
ed. On May 81 man representing himself
as Mr.. Ross, but alleged to have been u.
c. Spencer, appeared at Naud's Junction
and informed Mr.. Seagrave that he had
been sent out by the Patten & Davies Lum-
Der and Fuel company. the firm who had
inserted the advertisement, to look up tile
respective qualifications of applicants for
the position offered. Ross claimed to hold
the position at that time and stated that he
was going to the Klondike and had there
fore resigned. He gave all the particulars
of the position and associated a tempting
salary with it, but mentioned that the $500
deposit was an essential to securing it,
Seagrave promptly replied that he could
furnish the required $500 in cold. hard cash,
and Ross as promptly invited him to go with
him to the city and meet Mr.. Davies of the
lumber company. The two came in together
Immediately and as they approached the
lumber yard met a man whom Ross intro
duced as Mr.. Davies, now alleged to have
been A. B. Campbell.
Mr.. Davies was delighted to see the ap-
plicant for so responsible position as that
of bookkeeper for their firm and expressed
himself as pleased with the appearance of
his prospective employee. The position was
to be open next day and Seagrave was to be
on hand promptly. Next day, June /, Ross
called for Seagrave in a buggy and as they
were approaching the lumber yard Mr.
Davies again conveniently appeared, ap-
parently on his way up town, and proposed
that they all go UP together and the matter
of the deposit could then be arranged. 1t
was agreeable to all, and the trio drove to
the Stimson block, Seagrave remarking On
the way that he had the necessary $500 with
him to make the deposit. Davies and Ross
got out to go into the Stimson block and the
former remarked that Seagrave had better
give him the $500 and they would then drive
to the First National bank and deposit tie
amount, when a certificate of deposit would
be issued to Seagrave showing that the
money was to be returned to him when he
quit the services of the company.
The unsuspecting Seagrave acquiesced
and handed the crisp bills over to the smooth
impersonator of Mr.. Davies.
That was the last seen of the fleecers until
they were landed in jail several days later
as a result of Mr.. Seagrave's complaint to
the police. When searched, the men arrest
ed, who, by the way, contend they never
saw Seagrave in their lives, had about s445
in money on their persons and two or three
postal orders for amounts aggregating sew
eral hundred dollars. The latter, however
were issued at Monterey and are dated May
IA, so could not possibly have represented
any portion of Seagraves money.
Seagrave brought suit in Judge Aliens
court for the recovery of the money and Sc
cured an injunction in Judge Van Dykes
court restraining the men from using any of
the money found on them for paying an at
torney. Their attorneys yesterday asked
the court to dissolve the injunction but were
refused an order of dissolution only as It
applied to the excess of what would be nee
essary to pay Seagrave back if the men arc
convicted. together with the costs of the
civil suit.