Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1900-07-14

very trivial portion of the great
amount taken. The man into whose
power he accidentally fell was Freder-
lex Baker, man of middle height and
more than middle age, rotund, well
dressed, with gray hair and a rosy
face. A large land owner and a re-
puted millionaire. he yet was begin
ming TO feel the pinch of embarrass-
ment He kept an open account With
the Shoe and Leather Bank and hap
pened to deal with Seeley because The
latter had charge OF the lsdgsrs from
A to X.
It all followed Bakers earelessness
In writing out checks for 81 100 more
than his account was good for, and
Seeley, accustomed to handling his
orders for considerable sums, let them
90 through. When SeeIey found 1t out
next day he was badly frightened
man. The thing that he should have
done was to have reported the ma..er
instantly to the president. SeeIey
understood by report that Baker was
man of wealth. and 1t did not occur
to him that such q suaye. white haired,
wsll-dressed old gentleman could be a
rascal. SO he sent a postal card re-
questing him to cover ..e deficiency
Baker got the card and tore 1t up. Two
days later Seeley came painting ..,to
Bakers once and asked him to SQUARE
up, and 1t took the shrewd real estate
operator only about one minute TO
take his measure as man whom II
would be easy to work.
Baker told Seeley very olausibla
story about \ big real estate deal
which would materialize in a few DAYS
after which the account would bc
promptly squared, but while making
these promises be realized that he than
hao Seeiey where he would not dare
TO cetray him even IL he wanted tn
men the game began in earnest. IA
ker had been making small deposit.
All the time, and checking the money
OUT; but now the checks began 10 |
grow larger and the deposits smauer
There wero little everdrarts every dav
OF TWO, and every time he met them
seeley realized that he was indeed In
. Dig hole" and that 1t was pettinx
eteadfiy bigger. So 1t went on fror,
week TO week and month to month
ana year TO year. The checks yrey
larger and more frequent. tn. owe
draft bigger and bigger, and Baker,s
promises smoother and more masnin-
cent And Seeley still believed him
He never threatened seeley with
1tates prison. He was never brutat1v
aictatorial. as he might have been
Hs was always regretful and hopeful
but every day his checks came in al
he bank, and poor SeeJey had 10 see
hem paid or confess shortage, which
vas up In the tens of Thousands of
1ollars. and he couldn't do that. Mean
while Baker was living like q prince
IND spending thousands OF dollars an
lually. He had an expensive family
naintained>a handsome town hons.
IND beautiful country home and wa.
'o'e "hen no chose to take his family
o Europe for a vacation.
During all this time the man who
vas providing thousands for Baker.
pocuiations was pounding along on
90 week, trying to meet his fnsur-
nee premiums and TO make payments
= MS little house In Halsey street
IFookiyn. Every day after bankinr
ours he went home clingine 10
trap In = crowded trolley car Will I
no man whose tool he was could ride /
q carriage. rug
BUT seeley did not 60 entirely with c
y, reward. After he had supplied !
'aksT with . good many thousand, - .
efred to him s0cA accommodate