The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-07-21
THE ONLY BRICK
MCPHERSON IN
EVIDENCE AGAIN
Has SUED T. r. CaVis
for 100000.
SERVED TERM IN SAN QUENTIN
HARVEY BROWN, RAILROAD
LAWYER, HIS ADVISER.
Loans of Many Thousands of Dollars
Given to the Plaintiff by Brown
and Others Without Sc
curity.

curity.
A warrant issued in Oakland yesterday
for the arrest OF certain Thomas 4.
Davis. upon complaint of A. ". (other-
wise known as Brick Mcpherson,
Promises TO he the forerunner OF a sen
aaEtd in by several prominent people of
,his city with Brick" Mcpherson as the
..ajordomo Of the venture
MCPHERSON, who for years has becN a
wnll-known character in this city, and
who had the honor of successfully serv-
ing years term In the penitentiary for
obtaining money under false pretenses,
now accuses Davis of subverting TO his
own improper uses the sum Of Si00G01, 10
the detriment of unnamed associates Of
Mcpherson. The warrant reciteS that
Davis Is likely to leave the State and
his arrest is imperative if the rights of
the aggrieved parties are 10 be pro-
tected.
Harvey Brown a Southern Pacific at
tOrney. says he has been the legal adviser
Of Mcpherson for TWO years. and ou that
ground refuses to discuss the enterprises
concerned in the large amount OF money
sued for by his client. The fact is that
Mcpherson is suspected to have once
projected an extensive scheme for the i'm
pOrtatiOn of unSJamped opium here, and
il is known that he interested several
Well-kuOWD gentlemen in his ENTERPRISE
and induced them to put up large sums of
money to assist il. And there is the pos
sibility that the present warrant has been
ISSUED against hcutlous parsonage for
no less purpose than to compel the
prominent CODfederates of the astuIe
.Brlck TO show further confidence in
the opium venture by assisting him to
maintain himself until the first cargo of
dope arrives and is successfully land
ed. For up TO date Bricks" opium i'm
nor . rH.rra
dreams" within his own active fancy,
and the shareholders have not received
any dividends on their investments.
Brick seems TO have exercised a hyp-
npuc influence over several Well-knOwn
merchants and professional men who
while disclaiming any interest in his al
!eged illegal enterprise have advanced
him large sums of mo ey within the past
Few years for purpos which they praC-
tcally decline TO define
Meanwhile there is no person living in
oakland named Thomas r. Davis, and no
arrest has been made. The real intent OF
the warrant remains 70 be seen Prick"
tempt was made to see him last evening
he committed the paradox of declaring
in SteEtOrlan tones that "he was out
Although extremely shrewd and gener-
ally working his victims into COmplica-
tons where exposure of one would result
IN exposure of all. Brick was once sent
across the bay for one year. The little
game which made him a gentleman of
leisure for twelve months was worked on
Marcel DemariS. Mcpherson convinced
Demar1s that he had a large stock of fur
niture, obtained from the School Depart
ment. The stock, he claimed. was worth
5l2,7", nut II was necessary that he first
make a payment thereon of $500 De
maris. on a promise Of a share in the
profits. advanced the 5000 but as the wait
for the profits seemed long, he began to
invest gate and found that the stock in
question was but one of the mind and the
owner thereof the pOssessOr of an itch
ing palm. In consequence, Demaris laid
intormatiO against Brick He was
convicted and sent to San Quentin for
the term named
In March OF 1892 Mcpherson was dis
charged from the penitenuary. but it soon
became general rumor that his connne-
.7elI had failed to reform him. In the
later part of 1885 he made himself con
sliCuOuS by taking shot at himself ir
The bullet ripped a furrOW through his
skull but his Scheming brain was left
intact. During his necessary confinement
pending the healing Of the wound it was
made known to him that there were a
few gulible persons left in town who
were yearning for his acquaintance i mis-
settled his thoughts Of a narrow bed be-
meath the sod. He organized new schemes
and. - stated. Interested well-knOwn peO-
pie in them.
But, strangely enough. these alleged vic
TINS hesitate 10 announce themselves as
such and Yet protest that they have moth
ing 70 do with any wicked designs upon
the Federal revenue. which. according to
Z thriving rumor, Brick" is said to have
entertained.
convict is Harvey Brown, the attorney.
He was seen last night with reference to
a published statement that he had been
Victimized by Brick"
At first he declined 10 talk at all be-
cause he is AIcPherson's attorney Finally
he decided 10 talk a little.
II have been Mr.. McPherson's attorney
for several years" he said. I'm that
time | advanced him about $4,000 He
never told me what he wanted the money
for. ] never asked him for a receipt or
for security. but l wish you would not
state that fact. I relied upon his honor
10 pay it back. ! haven't received the
money yet. but l hope TO and | have
every confidence in his honor. | must de-
cline TO discuss the character Of his bust
ness. / don't remember that he ever told
me what it was. l do not desire to answer
whether his business is or has been legiti-
mate or otherwise. don't think the pub
lie has any right to know anything about
il. ! never had anything to do with any
Of his ventures. l loaned him the monev
because I had reason to think that the
result Of his enterprises would more than
pay me back. ] have confidence in him
and think | will be paid
Another Of the alleged victims Of Nc
Pherson's ways is Attorney Isaac n
Thorue who resides at 1911 Washington
street. Although he denies. as has been
stated. that he had been bunkOed out of
some 5000. he admitted that he stood to
lose an amount Of similar proportions in
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