A Russian Immigrant's Alleged Property Fraud
A local man sues his lawyer for allegedly abusing his trust to seize his Washington Street property.
The story, cleaned up
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Edward Fehre filed his complaint in the superior court yesterday against Ella White Peterson and Fred H. Peterson, her husband, asking for $5,417 for the alleged mismanagement and fraudulent seizure of his property on Washington Street. Fehre, a native of Russia who does not speak English well and suffers from impaired sight, claims he hired Fred Peterson to secure a loan after his contractor ran off with his money. He alleges that Peterson, knowing his client’s inexperience, persuaded him to execute a warranty deed to his wife, Ella White Peterson, to be held in escrow. Fehre claims the deed was recorded without his consent while he was searching for funds. The defendants allegedly forced him into a contract to pay them exorbitant amounts while allowing him to live in his own property for a pittance, eventually leading to the loss of the property via foreclosure.
“Knowing his ignorance and inexperience in business affairs, [the lawyer] advised and persuaded him to execute a warranty deed.”
This case reflects the vulnerability of non-English speaking immigrants in 1890s Seattle, who often fell victim to predatory legal and business practices. The intersection of language barriers and real estate acquisition remains a major point of advocacy in the modern city's housing debates.
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