The Express Company Accused Him of Stealing $3,000—Now He Wants $10,000

The loss of a $3,000 sack of gold from a safe of the Northern Pacific Express Co. on April 7 has led to an action for $10,000 damages against the company by Charles H. Squires, the agent at the depot in this city, on whom the officials fastened their suspicions without any evidence to support them. The complaint was filed yesterday in the superior court for Skagit County, at Mount Vernon, and is brought against the company through its superintendent, M. G. Hall, of Portland.

It alleges that after the package was lost or stolen while in the hands of the messenger on the midnight express, Superintendent Hall locked Squires in a room at a hotel, accused him of taking the money, tried to force a confession from him by threats, threatened to arrest him and to put detectives on his track, and then discharged him, without bringing an action so that Squires could clear himself.

Hall, it is claimed, has refused to issue a letter of discharge so that Squires could secure employment elsewhere, and he has since been out of employment and unable on account of this to secure the same. Squires says the superintendent has had two chances to prove him guilty and has failed to do so, and his refusal to reinstate him has made Squires feel justified in bringing action to clear his name, to prove his innocence, and to recover damages for the injury to his character.