The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-25

1 MN kINu Vi SNlUIitI has HIS dP-
rance in Seattle, but so far he has not.
= befieved, declared any dividends. His
s8suyar mode of operation, however Is
ircffvely his own. and is declared to be
81 BIZ the police. In brief, the man
Attempted to swindle two OF the most
ufnsnt real estate men in the city by
fmaing 10 be the owner OF valuable
realty on which in one case he ne
dnfod loan for 81 600, and in the other
ne lots for an equal amount.
~ papers were regularly drawn and
Enruted IN each case. and II is possible
ne swindler might have succeeded in
1dax his prospective victims had his
a not failed him. In one case the
ave his name as OShea, and in the
- a. II. l.. Hays.
~ man dealt with Edmund Meacham.
e ~ real estate firm of John Davis a
md Edmund Bowden. real estate
- and loan agent Mr.. Meacham be-
~ suspicious before the matter was
~ and the swindlcr dropped the deal.
7 powden acted with equal caution. al
~ like Mr.. Meacham. he believed at
no swindler was a reliable party.
- weeks ago Mr.. Meacham was called
1eopeetive customer. who claimed to
~ owner Of two residence lots in North
k1lje. The man gave his name as
-. and said he wished to dispose of
~ woperty. He said II was worth q, 300.
u slter holding two or three converse
- ever tho telephone consented to take
~ for n. Mr.. Meacham told his pros
&lyo client that he could dispose OF the
. II the sum named. which In slightly
- their market value. He asked his
Dective customer TO furnish an alb
~. which arrived In duo time, show
~ title to BE- in the name given by
ID ran who represented himself as thu
~.
Ne Used The Telephone.
|fu1os or three times Mr.. Meacham in
~ Uehea to 60 to his office, but each
- the man gave an excuse. Finally
= DAY the swindler asked. over the tele-
"a n the sale had been arranged. Mr..
|neAam replied In the Affirmative. saying
= money was ready. He had, however.
pmo suspicious OF tho fellow, and wait
&snly chance 10 get a good look at him
W report tho matter to tho police.
~ the same afternoon messnge came
: teiophonc from O'Shea stating that
ms called suddenly TO Fnirhaven
would execute tho papers IN that city
n fcllcwing morning II they were for
- TO him, together with a certified
~ for the money. "Our client would
"a see tho man from whom he ex-
o 20 buy these lots" Mr.. Meacham
+ ever the phone. ''He 10 rather par
~ about these things."
i smother word came from the swim
= He hung up tho telephone and was
- heard OF after 20 far as Mr.. Mea-
- = concerned.
4 ootvasa Has ~ Experience.
~ Bowden's sxpesiencs with the sharp
- murh like that OF Mr.. Meacham's.
= oays or so ago he was called to tho
|kphone TO answer an inquiry from q
~ Who gave his name as IT. L. Hays.
IN represented himself An the friend
{ Nelson Clark. who, he said. lived -
hkAaven, ana vino. he stated. owned two
Rbnhie lots in North Seattle The swim
~ aid he had been instructed to nego-
~ loan Of $1,000 on the property. This
bt1put one-third of the real value of the
Dpefty. Mr.. Bowden assured his pros
|Atlve client that he would obtain the
rHey. provided an abstract to tho prop
~ Vas furnished. Hays replied by say
" that he would telephone TO Fairhaven
= ~ friend Clark and ask him for the
|6fnct. Tho next day Mr.. Bowden
AXAiu ttDIu tiS HtVFbtttaN0 Patihti
~ the telephone informing him that
- Abstract had been made by Osborne.
Sapsr 4 Co. and would be sent to his
|1bsden'sl Office.
n this time Mr.. Bowdcn had become
Hnsiaced that something was wrong. He
NJ to tho ONCE OF Osborne. Tremper 4
=. 10 md that the abstract had been
~ cut In regular form, and showed that
Iecn Clark owned the property In
1wlios But this did not satisfy MIR.
Hsdsn The abstract showed one trans
b Nelson Clark. OF Spokane" MIR.
~asn wired TO n friend at Spokane to
m thu following day, that Nelson
VI nved At Spokane. and not at Fair
Hfen and that he had never authorized
ytne Go negotiate n loan on the PROC
~ N HIS name. and did not need any
10y
Paper. Are Executed.
NE meantime, however. tho papers
! NE loan had been made cut. Again
~ tslephoned. saying his friend Clark
a'sf tho papers sent 60 Fsirhayen for
rssien. Mr. Bowden complied. hop4ng
4 ais time TO fnd some way OF catch
a he swindlcr The next day the "a
we're returned duly executed through
Hsrsrr OF the steamer state OF Wash
oA who told Mfr, bowden that they
tssn given 20 him by Mr.. Clark. at
essn with the request that he col-
q amount Of tho loan from him
tewdenl, The amount due was a
under 81. GO
hvwden told tho pUrser 10 keep tho
and meantime notified the police
on The watoa for the fellow De-
M fhililp~ WAS detailed on tho rase
~ following Hays teicphoned 20
bsvden. saying;
friend Clark saws he has not got
neney yet What IN the trsuhle -
hswian rrpiicd that the money was
- ans. and that all he usays) would