Tacoma's Assistant City Clerk Walked Out on $1,000 Bail—and Friends Told Him to Run
A forgery case against a city official grows stranger: allies urge flight, Treasurer Boggs is drawn in, and a brother stays behind bars.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
TACOMA, Feb. 23.—[Special.]—Assistant City Clerk McCain was released today on $1,000 bail, and when some of his friends learned that he was out on so small bail they concluded it would be best for Mac to flee the country, provided he secured all the money it is claimed he did. The sum is alleged to amount to more than the bail. He may not plead at the preliminary examination tomorrow. It is stated on very good authority that it was known that McCain was crooked as far back as last November. It is said he got Treasurer Boggs to cash his salary in advance and then forgot to settle. Accordingly, it is claimed, Boggs and others kept him in office in order to give him a chance to settle, and in the meantime the forgery was committed. Mr. Comer, who appeared for Watson in the Petting trial at Seattle, says McCain has not yet admitted that he forged any warrants. Comer also intimates that McCain has no confession to make. Brother John did not secure bail, and is still in jail.
“It was known that McCain was crooked as far back as last November.”
Public officials accused of forging warrants and cashing salary in advance still resonate with modern debates over municipal accountability, bail, and whether insiders get a softer landing. The detail that colleagues allegedly kept him in office to let him 'settle' reads like an old version of a very current story.
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