Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-09
DICK FERRIS SEEKS MISSING
Representative
FELONY ENLIGHTENMENT CHARGE
AGAINST MAN
Shortage of $215o Is Alleged to Have
Been Found in Accounts-Is
l.: San Francisco on
Business

enDeZZiGI1enL u6ebAiASN AAAAA-
Dick Ferris Seeley is supposed to pc
in San Francisco and the authorities IN
the northern city have been notlhed TO
apprehend him if he can be located.
Yesterday morning Dick Ferris, ac-
companied by his attorney, lie CoIlpte
Davis, went to a Justices court Where
Mr. Ferris swore to a warrant accus-
ing his former general representative
with having embezzled $400, and II Is
on this charge he will be brought pack
to Los Angeles, If arrested. His total
shortage, however, is safd to be ABOUT
$215O.
Seeley had been living, in Los An
geles. at the Lankershim hotel. lie
left there suddenly Thursday night
leaving instructions that his mail was
to be forwarded TO the st. Francls
hotel, San Francisco. 1t Is SAID a Wo-
man well known in the theatrical nIe
of Los Angeles either went with him or
so timed her arrival in San Francisco
as to reach that city about the time
he did.
Mrs. Seeley, who lived with her hus-
hand at the Lankershim, left for the
east few days e.go ostensibiy TO VISIT
her parents
It is known the woman with whom
Seeley was frequently seen had nothing
to do with his defalcations. She ap-
pears to have been his dupe, not his
confederate. She is married, but 1t is
said Seeley offered to secure divorce
from his wife II she would secure one
from her husband and proposed re-
marriage between them as soon as the
DEGREES could be made final.
Acted as Agent
The alleged embezzlement on which
the complaint is issued Is explained by
Mr.. Ferris He says he intrusted to
Mr., Seeley the work OF completing the
purchase of the Ferris home on West
Adams street. Seeley closed the DEAL
Ferris states, at a price $1,000 less than
fhe original figures agreed upon, per-
hitting the seller to remove from the
house furniture which had been in
cIuded in the original contract.
OF this money Mr.. Ferris says $500
was placed to his account in local
bank, $3.50 was paid out for attorneys
fees and the remaining $4OO never mas
been accounted for.
This however, is only one of several
peculiar financial transactions which
the theatrical manager charges his
former general representative Last
night Mr.. Ferris said:
"Seeley came to me several weeks
ago and told me there were reasons
why 1 should withdraw the money l
had on deposit in a certain bank. He
urged me to draw out the money and
place it in the American National bank,
explaining that William Rhodes Her
yey. the vice president of that bank,
was a particular friend of his.
'I drew up a check in blank' not
knowing just what my balance was,
and instructed him to ascertain, fill in
the check for the full amount, and de-
posit 1t in the American National the
first thing next morning.
"The next day I asked if he had COM
pleted this transaction He said ne
had moved part of the account, but had
left something like $3.50 there, as ne
didn't like to draw it all out told
him 7 didn't care to take any chances,
and renewed my instruction. Things
dragged along for several days Finally
/ asked the bank for statement and
discovered my balance was less than
$500. The check had been filled out Tor
practically the full amount OF the de-
posit but not all of the money was ue-
posted to my account in the American
National.
II taxed Seeley with this matter, as
well as with the $400 embeZzlement. He
broke down, cried and promised TO
make good. He had placed his furnl-
ture in my house and tried to sell IL 10
me for $500. / regarded that as TOO
high a price, however, and refused.
However, I told him he couldn't nave
the furniture until he paid up the short
age, and this he promised TO do'
FRIDAY / drew a check on the Amerl-
can National bank, and 1t came back 10
me marked no funds. Wnen Went 10
Investigate | again ran across MT. see
ley's trail. Some time ago l made out
a check for $500 to Mr.. Hervey, to be
loaned If in his judgment the appli-
cant for the loan, whom ! fererreu 70
him. had sufficient security to cover II:
The loan was not made, ana supposed
the $500 still was in the bank
"Seeley, however, had known OF the
transaction. and some time after the
loan fell through he went to Mr.. Her
vev and instructed him to place that
$500 to his personal account This Mr..
Hervey did, believing Seeley to nave
authority from me. OF course this loss
viii fall not upon me but upon tne
bank or upon Mr.. Hervey personally, as
/ never authorized the payment VI lhat
money to Seeley.
''When | learned of this transaction
| sought to find Mr. Seeley and dis
covered he had left the city. Ihen l
decided to swear out warrant for MS
arrest, which was done today.
Before matters had reached this
phase. however, Seeley had given me
number of checks to cover his earlier
shortages, in part. All of these checks
were returned to me marked No funds,
and that, / believe, is a felony in TINS
state in itself"
& Regarding the Seeley furniture, Mr..
Ferris says that Mrs. Seeley before
she left for the east, drove up to the
Ferris home one afternoon when both
he and Mrs. Ferris were away. and
packed up such books, silver, china and
other articles as she could, loaded them
into a van and had them carted away.
The servant. who formerly had been in
Mrs. Seeleys employ, thought this was
all right and offered no objections
Seeley. Ferris says, when told OF this
transaction. said his wife had acted
without authority, and promised to
have the goods returned. They never
we're returned, however.