The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1902-09-03
A FORGERY CASE
BY A TELEGRAPH OPERATOR AIa.
crescent, WASHINGTON. :,
The Oldest Naval Officer Now a4
Years Old-Attempt to Wreck
an S. P. Passenger Train
Near Shedd by Placing
Ties on Track.

Ties on Track.
J Spokane, Aug 28-Among the
troubles that Harry Tracy, the out-
law, left to the people interested or
instrumental in his death, the latest
to appear is forgery case. Floyd
johnson, telegraph operator and
railroad agent at Creston, is the
central figure of the transaction and
he is now under arrest for the SER
ious charge. The complaining
witLess is Constable Charles Straub
one Of the Creston a party, which
will probably receive the reward for
Tracy undoing.
The groundt for the arrest and
the trial, which will be soon held
are given by the Creston authorit-
les as follows:
About the time of the death of
the outlaw, the New York World
sent SO it is claimed, telegram to
Sheriff Gardner at Creston, asking
that official to send a dispatch con-
tanning descriptive story of the
captuIe, and to draw a sight draft
on the World for $50.
1t is alleged that Johnson, being
the receiving operator at Creston,
took the message and instead of
delivering it to the person address
sed, he suppressed the telegram and
sent the story to the World over
the signature Of Charles Straub.
He then went to the bank and sign
ed Straub's name to the sight
draft of $50.
Straub, on being informed of the
occurrence by the bank. officials
Immediately went to Davenport.
the county seat, and made COM
fplaint to the prosecuting attorney.
The officers notified the telegraph
and railroad officials that Johnson
would be arrested and man was
sent to Creston to relieve the op-
orator. Sheriff Gardner then vis-<
tied Creston, and placed johnson
under arrest. His bond was fixed
at $1ooo, and was furnished.
1t is stated by some of those in
terested that nothing can be done,
to the accused, as he simply
adopted an assumed name, that he
did not defraud Straub out cf any
thing by signing his name and in
no way laid himself liable to pun
ishment on the charge Of forgery.
The case will come up for hearing.
in the near future.
Washington, Aug 23-The Oldest
living officer of the navy is the
most sensitive of any in the serv-
ice about his age. He is Rear
Admiral Thomas O Selftidge, re-
tired. No one except the admiral
knows his age and he won't tell.
Theerecord shows the admiral to
was born in Massachusetts. They
also show that he was appointed
from that state in Jan 1918, many
years before the ablishment of
the naval academy or the invention
of the rifle guys. Midshipmen Of
his day entered young, and allow
ing the admiral to have been fifteen
at that time, he is now ninety nine.
years old. If he lives until next
January it is believed that he will
turn the century mark.
The admiral dislikes to have any
one mention age to him, and as far
as the retiring age is concerned, he
thinks it ought to be seventy two
instead of sixty two. Washington
is his home where he has lived
since his retirement, more than SO
years ago. His eldest son is Rear
Admiral Thomas o Sefridge Jr now
about sixty six years of age.
There is another son, com.
mander in the navy.
Albany Railway officials here
were apprised early Wednesday
of a distardly attempt to cause dis
aster to the second section of the
northbound passenger train by
placing ties on the track near
Shedds, the station some 26 miles
below Eugene.
Train No 16 was in two sections.
which ran about "A minutes apart,
The first section passed through
Eugene at 3:13, and the seaond
went through at 3:31. The first
section passed through Shedds in
perfect safety and Immediately the
ties were piled on the track. They
were discovered by the engineer
of the second section just in time.
to save the rushing train from be-
continued on page four