The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-03-28
CLERF SAYS
HE'S RIGHT
ALLEGED FICTITIOUS SALE TO
ELLENsBURG MAN DENIED
BY MIR. CLERF.
SAYS NE BOUGHT IN EARNEST
Question Arises as to Exact Amount
Paid to Alex Miller for the
Vacant Lot on Selah


that was Interested in holding them
up by selling my lot on Selah street
to them, they have no reason to be-
lieve so now" said John P. Clerf
yesterday afternoon. 81 went to Mr..
Snively and Mr.. Smith the secretary
Of the company, and said I would
give my check for $500 to the North
a right-of-way through the city.
offered the money in good faith, re-
gardless of what any other business
man in the city would do, but it was
refused.
Our company is one of the larg-
est shippers in the city, If not the
largest" continued Mr.. Clerf. !" and
it would be greatly against our in
terest to oppose another road. We
want another, and want to help get
1t. am public-spirited citizen,
and people have put me down wrong.
This is plain business proposition
with me. I did not buy the Selah
street lot until after the North Coast
option had expired, and was partic-
ular about that point.
my idea in purchasing the lot
was to establish first-class saloon
there. We do not care to have any
thing to do with any rough places,
and will not establish any places of
that kind A straightforward bust
ness deal Is what We want"
The above statements were made
by Mr.. Clerf yesterday to a reporter
for the Herald. when asked what he
intended to do in answer to the con-
demnation proceedings brought by
the North Coast road Mr.. Clerf
says that he has not retained any at
torney, believing that he will get a
fair show, and that the lot will not
only be transferred at fair price,
but that he will be able to introduce
sufficient evidence to show the dam
age he will suffer as result of the
present proceedings.
On the other hand, there are two
phases of the question that are quite
interesting. One of them Is the I'M
known and alleged fictitious purch-
aser of thirty feet of the lot. The
other refers to the actual price of the
lot.
J. N. Faust, according to the con-
tract of sale that was filed yesterday
in the office of the county auditor.
is the contract purchaser Of the west
thirty feet of the lot. John N. Faust,
according to Mr.. Snively, Is ficti-
tious buyer. In the first place, the
deal between Faust and Clerf is sup
posed to have been made some time
ago. The evidence Of the sale was
not filed until Monday, the day after
the Herald's announcement of the
proposed condemnation suit of the
North Coast. The man Faust is said
by Mr. Snively to be fictitious per-
son. Attorney Snively has received
a letter signed "John N. Faust"
postmarked Ellensburg, where Faust
is supposed to live, bearing out the
damages that he will sustain, to
the same effect as the argument that
Mr. Clerf has put up to the North
Coast road.
On the other hand, Mr.. Clerf said
yesterday that he had had a long
distance telephone conversation with
Mr. Faust, at Ellensburg, and the lat
ter gentleman states that he has new
err written to Mr.. Snively or ally one
else in connection with the lot.
The letter received by Mr.. Snively
purports to be in reply to a letter
received by Faust from Mr.. Snively.
Mr.. Snively denies that he has ever
written to Faust, for the reason, he
says. that there was no reason to do
So Mr.. Snively states that he has
had no reason to believe that Faust
is at all interested in the property,
as the contract of sale was not filed
until the matter has been agitated.
It is for the reason that the Incl
1t is for the reason that the incl
fer of the land to Faust have been
so peculiar that the Herald made the
statement Sunday morning that the
man Faust was fictitious person.
The price paid for the lot is also a
matter of interest. The deed shows
very plainly that the land was sold
for $4,000. Mr.. Clerf states that the
lot was bought and paid for upon
the basis OF $1,000. People who
have interviewed Mr.. Alex Miller on
the subject say that he has also stat
ed that the price paid for the land
was $4,000. Mr.. Clerf says that he
can show that he paid $1,000 for
the lot by producing the cancelled
checks.