The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-29
"SW|FTWATER'S"
WIFE PURSUED
BY BUNCO MEN
Detectives ThWart an
Extortion Game.
NOTORIOUS KLoNDIKE FAKER
TALES OF FABULOUS WEALTH
THE SWINDLER'S DODGE.
NOTORIOUS KLONDIKE FAKER
TALES OF FABULOUS WEALTH
THE SWINDLER'S DODGE,
The Mining Kings Wife Makes an
Appointment to Meet Sharper,
but Her Brother Informs
the Police.

Mrs. Gates, the wife of saltwater
Bill" the far-famed Klondike king, fell
into the hands of the bunko fraternity
yesterday. She was not a victim, however.
owing TO the keen detective qualities OF
her brother, George La More, and the in
PREVENTION of Detectives Wren and Nc
Mahon but she is probably the wiser on
frozen north" eXtorters and grafters.
Yesterday afternoon an individual well
known TO the police, seedy in appearance
and purporting to have just arrived from
Dawson City, raped at the door of Mrs.
La More. the mother of Mrs. Gates who
lives in the Mission He informed her
that he had a letter for her daughter
from saltwater and desired 10 deliver
II. Mrs. La More became interested and
listened to a wonderful romance OF the
mans extraordinary fortune, in which
he stated that his arms were sore from
carrying d sack Of gold dust 1000 miles,
which he had just deposited in the United
States Mint. The unsuspecting woman
gave him her daughters address and sent
for her son, who contemplates leaving for
the treasure land next MONTH that he
might imbibe some OF the valuable IN
formation which her visitor was impart-
ing. The stranger departed after having
extended an invitation to young La More
TO dine with him at the Palace Hotel at
o O'clock.
The CRATER lost no time in seeking his
victim. lie related to her substantially
the same tale as he had told TO her moth
er, and spoke of a dearth of pocket mon
ey while the valuable dust was awaiting
the melting pot in the mint. surveying
her luxurious parlor and the delicate tea
gown which adorned her, he passed COM
plimentary remarks upon her good taste
and offered to purchase her $1,000 worth
of diamonds if she would only consent to
picking them out. He asked other peru,
nent questions about her possessions and
offered TO extend her a loan II she desired
when he received his wealth to-day. Be
fore taking his leave he made an appoint
ment to meet her last evening at o clock.
Mrs. Gates entertained no suspicious of
her caller and prepared to receive him at
the appointed hour and hear more Of the
burning Of Dawson City and the picking
up of treasure in the Klondike.
Meanwhile, George La More, thinking
that the fellow might be spurious, went
10 the Palace Hotel. He had given the
name of Slongberger, but no such party
was at that hosiery and the disappointed
guest started out on his trail. On reach
ing his sisters house he found that the
bunco man had already left, and when he
learned of the appointment he resolved
to acQuaint the police with the facts Ac-
cordingly about o'clock last evening he
visited Captain Bohen at the Central Pc
lice Station and told him the story. Bo-
hen placed the case in the hands of De
tectives Wren and Mcmahon and they
started with young La More TO cage the
bird
Their prey made his appearance on
time at the house. The detectives, who
were in hiding, landed on him and soon
discovered his personality. They could
make no arrest as the man had not yet
eXtorted any money, but sent him on his
way sorrowing, after having given him
notice to leave the city. The fellow is
known to the police as the "Klondike Bor-
rover" and has victimized scores of peo-
pie in San Francisco. His graft is usu-
ally along the same lines employed in this
instance, but he usually SUCCEEDS in max
ing a loan from his victims on the
strength of a mythical sack of gold which
is temporarily out of his possession.