The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-13
DESERTED BY HIS FRIENDS.
A. B. CLARK, ALLEGED BUNIxo
MAN, STILL IN DURANGO VILE.
Bail Which Has Always Been Forth
coming I'm Similar Cases, Ii Not
! for Him-why Confidence Opera

A. y. Clark the alleged Alaska business
man who Is accused OF assisting in
series of bunko tricks whereby James H.
Erickson, the recent arrival from Phila-
delphia lost s2,70o still laneuishes in the
city jail under a charge of grand larceny.
Despite his confident statement that ne
could obtain bondsmen on every corner,
no kind friend has yet appeared to be-
come HIS surety, and there is every pros
yect that he will still be prisoner to-
morrow morning when he is arraigned
in Justice court for preliminary examina-
tton.
The police are at loss to explain the
singular policy of noninterference the
bunko fraternity has adopted in the Clark
case. They are still firm IN the belief
that Clark is a confidence man. bas,ng
their judgment upon the character OF MS
associates. but IL Is hourly becoming more
evident TO them that for some reason ne
is not n member In good standing OF the
order Of surething gamblers.
Some Of the police believe that tlafk
IS being made q Escape goat in the
present case. They say that Clark IL only
''half-baked" bunko man, and that no"
he is In trouble his companions In SWIM
ding have determined to allow him to
stand the gaT" rather than to come TO
his aid as they have TO the aid OF a
dozen others Of their own Xix within the
Another explanation. which does not
come from the police. Is that Clark 10
being punished Tor n VOCATION OF
etiquette. His fatal mistake. the story
goes was in borrowing the $500 from
Erickson and gambling II away az faro
without allowing his companions In al
legged previous shearings of Erricksons
golden fleece to share in II. According
to this story Clark would never have
been forced TO remain in jail over night
had he shared the $500 with his confed-
crates
Adair and Bowers. the two notorious
bunko men who were implicated with
L.. ill gl..rr 49, n fF4NaE
cent stranger from the city OF Brotherly
Love. have 50 far eluded the police. It
r. claimed that they are not In the city.
Chief Reed says that he has given strict
orders for their arrest and that they wfil
be locked up the moment they come out
OF hiding.
The bunko men OF Seattle are reaping a
rich harvest from unsophisticated stran-
gers In the city, but they have never found
an easier victim than Erickson. Whether
the latter was born generous or acquired
generosity In the public schools OF the
Quaker town. he proved himself a mark so
easy that his mishaps have been nine
days wonder In the district below Yesier
way.
The confidence men who relieved Errick-
son OF his wealth were not even forced to
pretend TO win II at cards or dice, as Is
the usual method. They simply borrowed
It from him In sums ranging from 5000 to
S1,100, and were 1t not for their unsavory
regulations II Is doubtful. it is said,
whether the victim would have grounds
for anything more than a civil action
against them And even then In view of
the circumstances the money having been
for the most part borrowed for the pur-
pofe OF betting on a gambling game Err
rickson would have no legal remedy.
The police In their efforts to rid the town
of confidence operators have encountered
q large sized snag. BY "a strange paradox
II Is said. IL a bunko man In Seattle wishes
TO keep out of trouble he must forthwith
get into trouble The police allege that
the reason large number OF notorious
hunko men have not long ago been driven
out OF town or placed on the chain gang
is that they have been bound over for
charges and have an unassatlabie right to
remain In the city awaiting the action of
that tribunal
Once bunko man IL bound over TO the
upper court II is argued he becomes a
gentleman of leisure, with a valid license,
and can carry on his customary opera
tions unmolested so long as he Is not
An instance OF this Is to be found I'm
the case Of Campbell. regarded as the
ablest bunko man that ever came to Sc
business IL concerned II Is claimed that
he IN moro than the equal OF the famous
Canada Bill" Campbell and his gang
came here from California a short time
aso. making their headquarters AT the
Totem saloon. a place which the police
say say e fast gaining(ne reputation OF being
criminals who enter this city. CampbeI
was arrested for turning trick whereby
man lost $500 He gave bonds for a
hearing. Later, when his examination
was booked to take place before Police
Judge Cam, his counsel asked for post
ponemeni, presenting physicians certin-
cate that he Was toe III 60 appear In
court, While the question pro and con
was being argued before the court the
police arrested Campbell for turning an
other trick. lie gave bonds and later his
part In the famous trick whereby Errick-
son claims to have lost sa.700