The herald., 1898-06-04
GETTING EASY MONEY
SMOOTH BUNCo GAME WORKED
ON F. SEAGRAvE
The Alleged Thieves Under Arrest,
and Nearly All the Money Has
Been Recovered

A. B. Campbell and D. c. Spencer were
before Justice Morrison yesterday on
charges of grand larceny. Their exam
nations were set for the 9Th. The men
are believed to be members of a bunco
gang which has been operating more or
less In the city. The two other members
of the outfit succeeded in escaping.
A short time ago an advertisement ap-
peared in morning paper offering po-
sition as collector to reliable man
who could give $500 as security. on
Wednesday +. Seagrave. who was former
ly employed by the Southern Pacific as a
telegraph operator answered the adver-
tisement and met the man who claimed
his name was Ross, but who was inreality
Spencer This individual stated that he
had formerly been employed as the col
lector for the Davies & Patton Lumber
company but had left that position and the
firm required a man In his place. He must
be a reliable person, though, and able to
give security. which was to be returned to
him when he left the employ of the COM
pany. provided his accounts were found tc
be correct. The stranger told quite plaus-
ible story and said that Seagrave must
first talk with the president of the COM
to the lumber yards at noon.
Accordingly the alleged Ross and Sea-
grave went to the yard and looked around
the place for a short time, but at last were
rewarded by seeing a man come out of the
gate and join them. Ross introduced the
newcomer as Mr.. Davies the president of
the company, but who in reality was
Campbell, It is said. AS the president had
ha h,,ct nf nit he
invited Seagrave to get into buggy with
him, which was standing near. The sup
posed Davies was pleased with Seagrave
and finally agreed to hire him. They first
drove to the Bradbury block. where Camp
bell went inside to transact some alleged
business. He returned in a short time and
they drove over to the Stimson block.
Campbell then told Seagrave to let him
have the $500, as he had to pay some bills
and he would use such cash as he required
and give a check to make up the balance
of the security.
Seagrave handed him three 800 bills and
twenty so notes. Campbell disappeared IN
the building and he never came back. Sea-
grave waited around for some time and
then concluding that he had been done up
drove to the police station and reported
the affair. The detectives were detailed
on the case and arrested Campbell in the
evening as he was about to take a wo-
man driving on New High street. On be-
ing searched one of the 800 bills was found
sewed up in the fly Of his trousers. while
four of the $40 notes were located in his
pockets. On Thursday Spencer was arrest
ed, the two 800 bills being found in the
same place where Campbell had secreted
his big bill Eleven of the $40 notes were
found In his purse.
One of the other members of the gang
was G. D. Bowers who, however. man.
aged to get out of town either yesterday or
the day before. Bowers did up the Van
Nuys hotel for board bill and Routzahn
& Gilkey, the talors, for 800 worth of
clothes but the garments have since been
recovered Spencer is said to have claimed
while he was at the Van Nuys that he
had been robbed of $50, and demanded that
M. M. Potter, the manager. make it good
which bluff he failed to make go.