C.P. Davis was considered a respected member of the community and owned several businesses in town. He is exposed by someone who knew him for his other crimes of fraud in Portland and Chicago when he was known by the name Probert. Once exposed and under risk of being arrested, he left town suddenly and was supposedly on the East Coast. Creditors sought restitution and most of his business dealings closed. His wife, who was unaware of the fraud, took over the newspaper as she had some experience in newspaper work.