The Port Townsend Lottery Fugitive
A pillar of local society is unmasked as the mastermind behind a massive multi-city lottery swindle.
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.
Port Townsend, Dec. 7.—D. M. Slocum, formerly cashier of one of the leading banks of this city, was indicted in New Orleans, La., last week, for violation of the lottery laws. Slocum was very prominent in local society circles and enjoyed an extensive acquaintance on Puget Sound. He resigned his position as bank cashier fifteen months ago to become the secretary and general manager of the Louisiana Loan and Trust Company. Together with one L. A. Gaurdain, they established a mammoth lottery scheme. On account of Slocum's reputation for honesty, they sold a large number of tickets, securing about $5,000 from Port Townsend residents alone. It is now reported that Slocum and Gaurdain are fugitives from justice, having fled before officers could make an arrest.
“On account of Slocum's acquaintance in the Pacific Northwest and his general reputation for honesty, they sold a large number of tickets.”
This reflects a classic 'white-collar' scandal where status and institutional trust were leveraged to drain a community's savings. The fall of a society leader who abused his position of prestige remains a perennial theme in local news.
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