The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-06

curing the last lew lllOAllAos
spent Tuesday. Wednesday and part OF
Thursday behind the bars Of the Denver
Jail, to which he had been taken from
one of the leading hotels of that city on
suspicion of being a bunko man. A num-
Der of letters which he had addressed to
wealthy residents of Denver, relative to
a railroad scheme with which he had
identified himself here, aroused the sus-
picion of the police that he was trying to
get money on a swindling scheme and he
was arrested. After inquiring into Pet
tingelrs history, however the police de-
cded that they had no grounds for fur
ther holding their prisoner and he was re-
leased on Thursday afternoon.
Pettingell is widely known throughout
the country, he having been identified
prominently with a number of big rail-
road schemes. His recent arrival in this
city attracted considerable attention, for
he announced that he was about to effect
a deal which would result in furnishing a
new gateway for another transcontinental
road to San Francisco. The promoter had
been previously connected with the Mon
terey and Fresno road. a project in which
were interested a number of prominent
men, among them Dr. Thomas Flint of
San Juan. father of State Senator Flint.
Pettingell undertook to float the bonds
of that corporation in New York, but
claimed that just about the time he had
succeeded in his deal the promoters of
the road abandoned their plans. He and
an associate named Finley then brought
suit to recover a 10 per cent commission
on $1,000, 900 worth of bonds, which they
were to have f1oated and in January last
a default judgment was taken in the New
York courts. 1t was Immediately after
this Judgment that Pettingell, accom-
panied by two representatives of Eastern
banking concerns, landed In this city and
quietly registered at the Palace Hotel.
Although his travelling companions en-
deavored to keep secret the purpose of
their visit, Pettingell in three days time,
had succeeded in widely advertising their
nresence as well as his own and then as
sumed a mysterious air that for time
caused a great deal of speculation among
those who had got an inkling as to what
he was about. 1t later developed that
he had paid visit to DR.. Flints home
in San Juan and interested that gentle
man In a scheme to unite the franchise
of the Monterey and Fresno Railway,
which practically had been coded to Pet
tingell on his judgment, with that Of
what is known as the Bay and Coast
Railway. The latter corporation was con-
trolled by local capital and was originally
formed with a view of bringing road
into San Francisco by way of Islais
Creek and securing terminal facilities in
the very center of the city.
HIS PROMISING PROJECT.
It was a promising project until the
Board of Supervisors refused to give it
the privileges asked for, but even with
ont them the franchise across the neigh
boring counties and up to the line Of this
county was valuable when united with
another franchise. such as the Monterey
and Fresno road claimed With these
two franchises Pettingells scheme was
70 have a railroad route from San Fran
cisco to Denver by way of Monterey,
Fresno the Mineral Pass and thence to
Phoebe. New, where he contemplated
connecting with the Clark road. Having
made some progress in his scheme, with
the assistance of DR.. Flint, Pettingell
swelled round town for several weeks. in
disappeared The next heard of him was
through the dispatch received yesterday
from Denver stating that he had been
arrested there.
LETTERS TELL THE TALE.
When arrested Pettingell had a bundle
of letters in his possession which plainly
show that he had not abandoned his Pa
cifc Coast scheme. One of the letters.
addressed to David H. Moffat. the Utah
millionaire and partner of Senator Clark
in several big enterprises. clearly outlines
Pettingells business methods in his at