The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-09-16
he WAS VERY SMOOTH
BUT ASBURY G. SECREST HAD TO
FINALLY MOVE ALONG
Left MANY CREDITORS BEHIND
Arrived Recently From the East and
Had Briefly Brilliant Career in
Los Angeles

There are not so many tan, fine-lookinl
young men who pace Spring street. tn
local Rialto, but the absence of any one o
hem is at once noticed and commented
upon. For the last nine days there ha
been much specula tion over the disappear
ance of one of the handsome faces, an(
while some have felt surprised, numerous
others have felt sorrowful, and with ex
| cellent reason. Asbury Carleton Secrest
the debonnair of the debs, to use con
trac,ed "French.sm," has been miss.ns
| from his familiar haunts since Wednesday
| the 7th. Many people do not know the rea
son of his departure. but others affirm thai
! he had to leave the city. Be that as II
may, Scores: took a thoroughly respectable
| ard leisurely manner of leaving and told
such sad story on the eve of his depar-
| ture that he took the sympathy of many
people with him. From others he secured
| merely their money, which ne also took
along.
Secrest came to the city several months
ago from the east He was a nice looking
youth. straightforward and candid in his
manner, with the result that he generally
carried conviction whenever he made "a
talk" for anything. He took we'll with the
WOIueH, II Is sdlu. ne NuIhcO vi SSNei
local papers in various capacities, but the
whirl and relentless obligations of that no.
BILE profession evidently did not suit his
palate. He wanted to make his money in
an easier fashion than The mere occupa tdon
of work, so he sought other pastures where
the grass grows longer. He secured a po-
-it.on for the Toledo Bicycle Insurance
company as manager or solicitor and had
his office at 223 South Spring street with
the Union Bank Of Savings. From his re-
cent actions, this position could not have
been any more lucrative than was the
newspaper business.
Secrest did not devote all Of his time to
the requirement. of money, but combined
the social side of life as we'll. Up to within
few weeks ago Secrest boarded at the
Devon inn. Then he decided to transfer his
place Of abode to the Gray Gables at the
corner of Hill and Seventh streets. He
stated to Mrs. Trout, the proprietor. that
he would stay by the year, and was In
formed that he could pay once every two
weeks. At the end of his first two weeks
he handed her $40 and later gave a check
for IS for the balance. Previous to this
transaction the hotel people had been in
formed that, however allur!ng and brigh:
his personality might be, his credit was not
in such excellent condition and they would
do we'll to look out. However, Secrest made
such Smooth" talk that his check for
IS was accepted. On one occasion a man
called during his absence and seemed very
anxious 10 see Secrest and when informed
that the young man had gone to Santa
Monica swore bad oath and declared that
bnI enA ~ ol, :;
and II he did not call and settle he would
have the insurance solicitor arrested. When
Secrest was informed of this he smiled and
retired, with as much sang froid as IL he
had not been threa tened with prosecution.
Whether Secrest settled is not known. In
any event there appear to have been 10Th
ers," some of whom are still wanting him
to settle. Among them is W. Randall, an
insurance man of Pasadena. Secrest Sc
cured SO from him, 1t is said by means of
a false check. Bumiler & Marsh, the hab-
erda shers, were done up to the tune Of
$3.50. Secrest is also said to have left other
small bills and bogus checks around the
city.
On Wednesday he went to Mrs. Trout
and settled his Indebtedness and moved his
trunk away. He said that he had just re-
ce!ved a telegram stating that his sister
was at the point of death at Cleveland O.,
and he had to leave that night for the east.
That was the last seen of him. 1t is said
that Bumiller & Marsh intended to swear
to a complaint against him, but for some
reason decided not to do so. Randall, it is
said, did swear to a criminal complaint
against Secrest, and 1t was expected he
would be caught in San Francisco, as he
took the northern train, but thus far moth
ing has been heard. There was a report
that he had left the train at Vallejo juno
ton, having been warned that the officers
were after him. This could not be substan-
tiated, however. 1t Is said that Secrest
comes of excellent family in thd east, his
brother being cashier In, the Garfield Saw