The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-07-22
SEATTLE
BUNCOED
Again by a Smooth Con-
fideHce Man
POSED AS A BIG LUMBERMAS
He Did Many Business Men as Clev-
erIy as the Bogus Circus
Agent.
POSED AS A BIG LUMBERMAi

Seattle.-Seattle business men are
getting to be regular old E. T. Marks
Not content with losing 500. 900 to the
supposed advance agent of a circus
short time ago, they have dropped
another 5000 to an alleged lumber
man whose operations go far to prove
that Seattle is the ideal abode for
buncO steerers, from the fact that the
Seattle business man is the easiest
target at which the bunco man has
ever launched his shaft
This time it was a lumberman in
stead of circus advance agent but
the result was the same The story
runs this way:
In the winter of 1902, some sixteen
months ago, one J. C. Caskey, with
his family, came to Seattle from Sag
NAV. Mich.
Caskey claimed to be a lumberman
of large means and backing, and forth
with took up quarters at The Lincoln
where he and his family resided until
| the family returned to the east a few
months ago.
Caskey organized what is now
known as the North Avon Mill COM
pany. located at North Avon. What
com county, and at once proceeded to
| do business.
Mill Men Were Busy.
| 1t was not a difficult matter to Sc
cure all the credit Caskey needed from
| The mill machinery men of Seattle, and
| Caskey set about soaking them right
and left-abOut $1,000 to the creditor
Not content with operating in Wash
ington. Mr. Caskey organized a mill
| company at Victoria
| In each particular case Caskey was
careful to see that he had the author
| ity to sign checks, make notes and
/ draw drafts.
In order to make themselves very
| solid the Caskey family entered So
ciety, attended ST Marks church
gave "lovely" dinners and became the
talk as we'll as the leaders of a GER
| tain fashionable set:
Caskey having brought from the
east what appeared to be a good rep
utation, when that was joined with the
conditions which he and his family
| were able to create in Seattle. there
was little in tle way of obtaining al
in the way Of credit that Mr.. Caskey
desired.
| Thus it happened that when Mr.
Caskey took himself to San Francisco
last week he left behind him the fol-
| lowing financial record:
To one bank. which is not incOr-
porated under the laws Of Washing
ton, Caskey left his l. o. US fol
| $4,000.
To another bank, which does not
! deem it necessary to invite govern
! ment inspection. Mr.. Caskey left other
| due bills and obligations which do not
| all much short of the tirst-named
| sum.
Many Bad Checks.
To a prominent hotel man, whose
| name could not be guessed, Caskey
| permitted his signature to remain on
unpaid checks and notes to the tune
| Of $4,000.
In the possession Of several lead
ing machinery men there remains
| some regret that Mr.. Caskey should
| nave been so thoughtless as to leave
| behind him unpaid debts Of about
$1,000 respectively.
A brother lumberman from Minneap-
oils, while staying at The Lincoln
! some months ago, became infatuated
with the Caskey methods. and prompt
| II honored a request for a loan OF
$500 Caskey, feeling that he had
nlis-sized his man, raised the request
to $1,000 the next morning, and this,
too, was promptly honored.
Caskey was careful to permit his
family to return to loving friends in
the east before matters developed too
pointedly. and when the crash came
he himself suddenly decided that the
climate of California was more agree
able than that of the Puget Sound
country.
1t is claimed that in addition 10
the foregoing Caskey owes help in
Avon and Victoria to the amount OF
several thousand dollars, and that the
amount Of his unpaid checks, notes
and open accounts will easily aggre-
gate $4,000.