The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-27
Man Who Made Sensational Gun
Play in Boston Remembered
< \, g.. by G. A. Smith.
REMARKABLE CUNNING
DECEIVED A LAWYER
Thousands Lost in Timber Land
Deals with ShreWd Puter,
Admits MIR. Smith.

A. C. Smith, a Minneapolis lumber
man, who has just returned from the
Pacific coast, figures he has lost between
$150,00O and 100000 as result of his
acquaintance and business deals with
Stephen A. Douglas Puter, the fugitive
from iusticec who escaped from a
United States secret service officer at
Boston yesterday by making a "gun..
play in the public street in front of
the postoffce
Mr. Smith considers himself a pretty
good judge of human nature, but adj
mits that he was completely taken in by
Puter, whom he met in this. city some
called on Mr.. Smith to offer for sale
some Pacific coast timber land.
81 will give Puter credit said Mr..
Smith TODAY. "for being one of the
smoothest individuals I ever met. He
puts up splendid front, has an unlim-
tied amount of nerve and is shrewd
business man-but apparently absolute.
ly INSCRIPTIONS.
~ look on most of these Pacific coast
men who want to sell timber tracts as
Crooks l said to my lawyer after
drawing up contract with Puter, "but
that man who has just left us l. believe
to be absolutely on the square, 81
heartily agree with you,' replied my
attorney. And SO we were both taken
in.
Worked It Coming and Going.
"The largest deal I had with Puter
was for the purchase of some 3O,o0U
acres of timber lands on which he held
options. located on the Pacific coast
] was to paw him a fiat figure an acre.
It eventually turned out that he gave
me clear title to the poorest lands, but
those on which the best timber stood /
never did get title to. In other trans
actions where he acted as my agent in
direct purchase of land, | afterwards
found he cheated me out of 900 to
$4,000 in actual cash by reporting the
cost figures.
"a year ago this month was the last
time I ever saw Puter. He met me
here in the Hotel Nicollet Il am in
position where | must have $4,000,
he said, 'and | want you to give 1t to
me on account for deals which are still
pending between us. -" L was at that
time looking up his crookedness, and al
tho I suspected him, had no proof, I
piled. 'Whv,' said Puter, Il have just
returned from Washington where [ have
done things to clear title to lands that
would put me behind prison bars. You
must give me $4,000.
Puter Here Recently.
"'I bought lands from you in good
faith I replied, 'and without any
trickery or dishonesty on my part. II
YOU have been dishonest and have done
wrong. it is all your own doing and none
of mine. He finally left me without
getting any money, and I haven It seer
him since. One Of my men, however
told me he saw Puter in Minneapolis OF
the street, about two months ago.
imagine the fellow has about got to the
end of his rope. He has family a.
Oakland, Cal.
''The fact that Puter is not only
smooth, but man of great nerve, i:
demonstrated by the way he ESCAPED
from the government officer in the pub
lie street in Boston. And I understand
United States Marshal W. B. Burns 0:
Washington, D. c., who was the office
in the case, is one of the cleverest mel
in the employ of the federal govern
ment.'