A Veteran, a Fake Opium Deal, and a $2,000 Swindle

Another one of the jobs of the bunko thieves who have so long infested this city came to light yesterday when Detective Cudibee arrested Charles P. Bishop and C. H. Phillips arrested H. H. McLean for swindling John Tilley, a veteran, out of property worth about $2,000. Bishop is a musician in the Patriot army band and lives at 1313 Third street, and is well known to the police, while McLean is the well-known timber land man. Tilley, the victim, is a man of about 56 years of age and has lived in Seattle for two and a half years, with the exception of six months, which he spent at the soldiers' home.

The story of how he was swindled, as told by himself, is about as follows: "On May 22 I met a man who said his name was Brown. He told me that if I had a little money I could make $900 or $1,000 by purchasing opium.

"We met by appointment in a saloon south of Yesler avenue, where I was introduced to Charles P. Bishop by Brown. Bishop said he could get the opium and that there was big money in it, as it was to be sold at a sacrifice for certain reasons, but that it would take considerable cash to make the trade. I gave him $20 in cash and a gold-filled watch and chain. He said that this was not enough, and then I turned over to him a mortgage for $1,500 as security for $750, which represented the amount I was to put up to purchase the opium. The mortgage was given me when I sold my ranch at Flathead Lake, Idaho, and bore interest at the rate of 8 per cent per annum and was to run two years from next September.

"The next morning I met Bishop at 7 o'clock and we rowed to West Seattle in a small boat to get the opium. Bishop could not find the opium after we got there, and said he did not know where it had gone to. Then I told him that the whole business looked like skulduggery.

"We parted then and I returned to this city alone, and have been on the lookout for him ever since. I did not meet him until today, when he came up to me and asked me how I was. Then I told Detective Cudibee that he was the man who had swindled me out of $2,000, and he at once arrested him and brought him to the police station."

Chief Rogers is certain that McLean is implicated in the case, although he is not sure that he is the man who gave his name to Tilley as Brown. This is one of the bunko cases that occurred before Mr. Rogers was chief of police.