The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-06
KANSAS NEWS.
J. s. Scott Charged With Cattle
Frauds.
Arrested as an Accomplish of
SWaZey.
MIR. BOYLE COMPLAINS.
Kansas Ex-AttOrney General
Brings the Prosecution.
Prisoner Lives in Beaver County
Oklahoma.


j. S. Scott, an agent and prominent
cattleman of Logan, Beaver county. Q.
T., was arrested Saturday on the charge
of fraudulent deals in cattle paper. He
was placed in jail here to await trail
The specific charge against him is that
of mortgaging cattle twice. The warrant
against him was sworn out a week ago
in Justice Jennys court by ex-Attorney
General L. c. Boyle, attorney for the
Bankers and Cattlemen'S Protective as
ISOLATION, and a requisition issued by the
governor of Missouri was Immediately
honored, by the government of Oklahoma
Territory The first mortgage involved
was for $4,000, and the second and al
legged fraudulent one was for 5000 The
paper is held by eastern banks.
This Scott case is an echo of the Swa-
zey case and is distantly linked to it.
Scott negotiated his paper through SWa-
zey. Scott is an old man, supposed to
be well-to-do. and has wife and fam
lily.
He never before has been charged with
wrongdoing as far as is proven, though
it is said he has not been a favorite
among his neighbors in Beaver county
and frequently has been charged with
sharp practices. For days past agents
of the Bankers and Cattlemen's associa-
ton have been thoroughly investigating
the status of Scott's affairs in Beaver
county and the total number of cattle
that they can find with the Scott brand
does not exceed 400. The first mortgage
for $4,000, was negotiated through the
firm of Ladd, Penny & Swazey last Oc-
tOber, Scott dealing with SWaZey, pre-
sumably, and then he pretended to have,
and mortgaged 400 cattle. On the second
mortgage for $40 900, made in December
last, he apparently mortgaged 700 CATTLE
which were designated and specifically
described as were those in the first mort
gage.
The first mortgage was transferred by
the firm of Ladd, Perry & Swazey to a
Boston bank, and the second one to a
New York bank.
The New York bank was an innocent
purchaser, and had no knowledge of the
first instrument. SCOTS brand ON his
cattle was boxed L.
Mr.. Boyle, the attorney interested, as
serts that Scott has so tightly wound
himself in the meshes of the law that es-
cape is not possible He asserts that the
whole case lies in this: That Scott either
mortgaged cattle twice, or that he has
since sold or otherwise disposed of the
same cattle since he mortgaged them.
Agents of Mr. Boyle have been thorough
ly searching all parts of the range where
the boxed L cattle fed. and their utmost
researches do not find the number of
cattle Scott pretended to have.
Again another fraudulent transaction
Mr.. Boyle alleges, will be charged against
Scott as matter of evidence. Scott had
also negotiated four or five mortgages
which are not covered by the present
that in each of these mortgages he false
~ pretended to have more cattle than he
really owned. The allegation is that,
speaking generally, on all the outstand-
ing mortgages he had f1oated that the
number of cattle named in the instru-
Inents exceeded by just about so per cent
the actual number he owned.
The losses to the eastern banks will ag-
gregate about $21, 900. He secured $28-
600 on the two instruments he negotiated
through Swazey. During the past sew
eral weeks all of his cattle that could be
found were sold under foreclosure and
the net proceeds were but 81 ,OOO leaving
the difference of S21. 900 to be stood for
by the banks
The names of the banks are withheld.
1t IS expected they will have representa-
tlVes here shortly to aid in the prosecu-
ton OF the case of Scott, as the eastern
banks are exceedingly bitter against cat
tie swindler's. They have lost much and
cattle paper has become a preca rious
commercial quantity. Mr.. Boyle asserts
that in both the Swazey and Scott cases
the Bankers and CattIemen's Protective
association will follow and press the
matter to the very end, and that particu-
larly in the Scott case, since he is under
arrest, that the prosecution against him
Will be Waged releStleSSly.