The Saloonkeeper and the 'Fire' Scam
A Snohomish business owner accused of fraud faces court after a dubious claim that his saloon had burned down to escape a debt.
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.
Frank Campbell, a saloon man of Snohomish, appeared in Justice Humphrey's courtroom yesterday afternoon to answer the charge of selling liquor without a license. The warrant was sworn out about a month ago by S. Clein, formerly a saloon man of Snohomish, who sold out his business to Campbell. When seen last evening Mr. Clein explained the case as follows: 'I sold to Campbell for $1,500, the agreement being $400 cash and a mortgage for the remainder. The day the first note became due Campbell and myself were both in Seattle, but during the evening he showed me a telegram saying that the place had burned down. He had money in his pocket, but refused to pay me a cent. He is now running without a license.' Campbell was released on bonds.
“He showed me a telegram saying that the place had burned down. He had money in his pocket, but refused to pay me a cent.”
Business disputes involving 'fire' and insurance or contractual fraud are perennial features of local court news. This early Snohomish incident highlights how quickly the law was called in to untangle the messy, high-stakes handovers of local commercial property.
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