The Salt Lake tribune. [volume], February 11, 1908, Page 10, Image 10

About The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current

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B '! 10 ' THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, TUESDAY MORNING-, FEBRUARY 11, 1908. :B
BAFFLEOFFICIALS
1 '. apparently It Is Not Yet Known
' How $43,000 Was Stolon
I . From Chest.
I STATEMENTS ARE SECURED
I - PROM BANK EMPLOYES
I Every Effort, Jt Is Said. Being
I . ' . Made to Run Down
Shaken by the news that over .?40.000
I :h in gold a currency 'has been stolen
Y from the vanll of the Utah National
I'M ' Bank, Salt Lake is now the scene of
, J a. .bank theft investigation that is Ihe
jk' . most intricate, sensational and baffling
M ' in the histor.y of the entire West, and
one that promises to be as difficult u
I'm case as lias over been handled by the
Ift .4 men of the Pinkcrlon detective agency.
fc ; But few fiction writers of the coun-
' try 'have given the public stones of
y? bank robberies with situations more
uL'5 puzzling, disconcerting or filled with
moro peculiar incidents than the situ-
( ation -which for the past four weeks has
I1 withstood the efforts of three of the
f ,w best detectives in the country and the
I i directors of the Utah National.
S3 At somo time sinep the middle of
II 3 ' last Septembor ono or more men. either
hf emploves of tho bank or aided by em
IIh ploycs" of tho institution, walked into
iW) " the main vault of the bank, opened tho
5 door of ihe big safe, operated n cam
ml binntion supposed to be known to but
jM two men in iho world, and after forc
i8 " ing" an entrance to a chest in which
,-. 13 , was kept close lo $200,000 as a reservo
.. fund, in gold and currency, carried
it " ft away $43,000. '
i' W " The gold was in. canvas sacks, each
Jr ; containing "i000. and the currency in
k. J ' . "packages, containing the same amouut.
Ill ' Employo" Suspected.
There is practically no question in
fft r- ihe minds of the directors ol the bank,
Ijf-' and, of-President. W. S. "McCornick and
I'm,, the detectives working on the case,
ji ' that ono or more employs of the bank
j , i;tolc tho money. It is considered barc-
jij ly possible that a man outside the in-
lb stitntioii may have done the actual
l -work of entering the bank of a Sunday,
jfl lhc only possible time such. S. person
IST could have committed tho theft without
Ml ' detection, entered the vault and safe
and opened tho reserve 1110110.3' chest in
j $ the latter. If such a person stole the
v money, he was furnished with the
& combination to the outer door of tho
I main vault, the combination to the scc-
j ond door of the vault. The combination
I . of the outsido door of the safe within
tho vault and the combination to the
! ' reserve money chest in this pafo by an
; employe of the bank. These facts have
! been unquestionably settled by the pro-
K o.css of elimination. .
0 Everv officer of the bank -was sern
5 by a representative of The Tribune
4!aS Sunday. President McCornick refnsod
fit : 'to discuss the situation to any extent,
;j I stating simply, in reply to one phase
ji; 0 of the published report of the robbery,'
Jffl that W. F. Adams, formerly first vice-
: i president of the bank, had never been
P. I given the combination of any lock or
Ej . door in the bank, to his knowledge,
, jL 1 there being mo occasion for Mr. Adams
ffitf to use t-hese combinations,
gjl Mr. Adams flatly refused to make
any statement other thau that he has
not at; anj' time known tho combina-
til lions of anv- of the locks in the bank.
3 M " Joseph kelson, formerly cashier of
l-m the bank, refused to make any atatc-
'J.SL-" 7ncnt in the premises, as did A. O.
,18 Strong and W. W. Trimmer, assistant
i' l' - cashiers. j
km ' President "McCornick. is extremely ro-
" luctant to discuss the robbery, as the
pB failure of the detectives to discover the
v 'fjm thief has placed every employe, of the
mM bank in an almost unbearable position.
' HJj No Outside Effect.
, Ptm Business men abouc town Sunday
.'Am ridiculed the idea of tho loss affecting
; in the slightest degree the Htanding of
' tffi ')an';- r.rHu money was replaced the
.4 day after tho robbery was discovered,
' 'ym and it is unquestionably; asserted that
k iho institution is ou far too sound a
, footing to feel the loss in any way.
Public confidence in the bank is cer
tain lo remain unshaken, declared men
close to its affairs Sunday.
Practically every employe of the
bank is under more or less suspicion
this being obviously unavoidable under
the circumstances. With the publica-
tlon of the news of the robbery- devel-
' opments have come rapidlv.
' ' Up to .January 14, ID OS", the officers
of the bank were as follows: President,
, W. S. Mct'ornick; first vice-president,
V. P. Adams; second vice-president. P.
J JI. Cutler; cashier, Joseph Nelson; first
1 assistant cashier, A, C. Strong, and
1 ?econd assistant cashier. William 1Y-
1 Trimmer, i Mr. Adams and Mr. Trim-
! .( nieri entered the employ of the Utah
, j National in February, 1907, coming
j from the National Bank of the Ttepub-
i 4 , He, where Mr. Adams had been cashier.
, H Tkeso were the officials in charge of
! j the bank at the' tiuto of the theft, as
" the date of the latter has been con-
'yj.' - . clusively shown to have been prior to
Tuesday. January 7, by circumstances
I sunrouuding the discoverv of the rob-
l bcry.
i W. F. Adams, as first vicc-prcsideut
A A of the bank, was the general manager
J of the institution, acting as President
MeCornick's personal representative.
. T. I. Cutler, as secoud vicc-presidoiit,
had nothing, practically, to do with the
. management or operation of the bank.
, Jo3cph Nelson, as cashier, performed
j the duties of that office and had
j charge of the mouey in the bank, lie
j ttss' assisted in this work by First As-
' siatant Cashier Strong and "Second As-
, 1 siatant Cashier Trimmer.
In a roporr. of the robbcrv published
I Sunday mormng, an announcement was
made that tlio recent changes ampnrr
V- Tl1'' officials of the bank wore regafdod
. a significant, the resignation of'Mr'-
Adums as first vice-president beiuii'
.1 spumicd. y j
Wm 4 Ecaiguatiou Voliuitary.
iB President McCornick Sunday declared'
Ibat any ,such construction put upon Mr.
, Adams8 '.i-osignattou was emphatically
H i 'no. poBifcivoly..-unwarranted and ur-
HH to neons.
' . Adams entered he bank early
PW last summer as first viife-presidcnt. Bp-
HH , ore the summer was over he had
i1?50'1 -in h,ls rcsianaliou to Presidcut
1 AlcCornick,-to lake effect at the end of
BIB7 s
thn banking year. January 14. Jt is
understood that Mr. Adnms handed in
his resignation because of tho fact, that
all was not harmonious among tho of
ficials with whom he was working.
President McCornick did not accept
his resignation, but wcntlo Europe,
leaving Mr. Adams iu charge of the
Utah "National during his absence. Upon
his return in tho early fall Mr. Adams
again tendered his resignation from tho
first vice-presidency. v become ofTcolivo
positively on January 14, on which date
was to have occurred tho annual elec
tion of officers of the bank.
According lo reports, President Mc
Cornick verbally accepted this Inst res
ignation. :To my knowledge. Mr. Adams as
yicc:prcsiuent of the bank never had
in his possession the combination lo any
Jock in tho bank," said President Mc
Cornick Sunday. "Under tho arrange
ment for handling the money in tho
bank, he, :us vice-president, had 110
necessity for knowing any of tho com
binations used iu the bank, and as far
as I know they were nover given to
him."
Never Had Combination.
Mr. Adams was reached by The
Tribune Sunday evening. ''During my
connection with the bank I have never
had" Ti5 mv possession tho combination
of any "lock to the vault or safes of the
institution," was his short but emphatic
statement, and the only one which ho
would make in tho promises. t
B.V Iho acceptance of his resigna
tion early in the fall, Mr. Adams's con
nection with the bank as first vice
president t'ndcd the day of the annual
eloH.ion. .January 14, and tho day on
which the theft was discovered.
The robbery was discovered at noon
fh.tt day. Tiio ballot box for the an
nual elect iop of officers had been opened
in. the morning and a number of voles
had been cast President McCornick,
who holds a majority of tlio stock of tho
bank and who is consequently the con
I rolling stockholder, upon learning of
fho robbery shortly after noon ordered
the election postponed until .Janu
arv 30.
rhc election hold on that day resulted
in Thomas R. Cutler boing elected to
the first vice-presidency, made vacant
bv Mr. Adams's resignation earlv in
tile, fall, and the election of It. T. 'Bad
ger of MeCornick's bank to succeed
Mr. Nelson as cashier of tho Utah Na
tional, the latter being made a second
vice-president lo succeed Mr. fuller.
Mr. .Badger has been since. January 30
general manager of the bank.
M.r. Adams was elected a director of
the bank and a member of the execu
tive committee. The other two mem
bers of this committee are President
McCornick and Mr. Cutler.
Mr, Strong and Mr. Trimmer have
been retained in their positions as as
sistant cashiers.
Interior Situation.
With this arrnugemoni. prevailing in
the bank's official family since .Janu
ary 30, interest renters about the situa
tion at the bank as to the vault, safe
and i-esorvp money chests that would
permit $43,000 in gold and currency be
Jiiff lugged out of the building in can
vas bags without detection and suc
cessfully concealed for nearly four
weeks from tlio eyes of shrewd detec
tives. The main vault of the bank is situ
ated at flic west end of the banking
room. Tt is-fitted with two doors, one
a massive outer door, which oporal.es
by a time-combination lock, and the
other a steel door operated by an or
dinary combination lock.
Inside this vault stands a big safe.
The door to this safe is operated by a
lime-combination lock also.
Inside the safe is a chest of stcol
divided into three compartments, one
above tho other. The door of each com
partment locks with a separate and
distinct combination. .
The lower compartment is known as
the reserve fund chest and i(. was from
this chest that the $43,000 was stolen.
But one man in the bank was supposed
to know the combination to this chest
and to be able to open it Joseph Nel
son, cashier of the bank.
The middle chest was devoted to tho
safe keeping of collaterals, 3iich as
notes, mortgages,, etc.
Thj upper chest was devoted to fho
safo keeping of tho funds used by tho
bank iu transacting ils daily business
and to this chest tho two assistant
cashiers, Strong and Trimmer, had ac
cess, though originally, before Mr. Trim
mer's advent info the bank, it was
known as Mr. Strong's box. To this
box and to tho one in -which the col
lateral papers were kept Cashier Nel
sou, tho two.assistant cashiers and sev
eral other employees of the bank Jiavc
access, as they wero kept open most
of the day.
To the lower chest, however, Cashier
Nelson alone held the combination,
tar. Nelson Goes East.
J'.arly last Septembor Mr. Nelson left
Salt Lake for a trip Jast. Before leav
ing, according to the report made of
the ontiro affair, Mr. atfclson took the
combination of the lower chest, in which
the reserve fund was kept, sealed it in
an envelope and guvu it lo Pirst As
sistant Cashier Strong, telling him if
he required funds from the reserve
money in the lower drawer to break the
seal of the envelope and open the door
of tho lower chest.'
This envelope was put into tho upper
chest by Assistant Cashier Strong.
Shortly after Cashier Nelson's depar
ture for tho East the Bnnk iixaminor
for the State visited the Utah National
and Assistant Cashier Strong had oc
casion to. open the reserve chest for
the examiner's inspection, lie broke
the seal of the envelope containing tho
combination and opened the reservo
chesty From the report of the Bank
Examiner, made subsequently, it was
evident that no money had been taken
from the fund up to that time. Mr.
Strong replaced the combination in the
envelope, but did not seal the latter
placing it in the upper cheat. '
With this chest open during the dav
and the envelope containing Ihe com
bination to the reserve chest below un
sealed tho combination was accessible
to practically every employee of the
bank.
Opened Several Times.
.Prom what can be learned, after Mr,
Nelson's return the reserve fund chest
was opened several times in the course
of the bank's business While, the of
ficials of the bank refused to discuss
practically every phase of the situation
Sunday it was learned from men close
to the affairs of the institution that
on January 2 and on January .!5 the re
serve chest was opened and" that from
the general appearance of the money
bags the fund was intact on both oc
casions. It was not counted, however.
The theft was discoered at noon
Tuosday. .January 14,
Seven days before, Tuesday. January
1, Ihe cashier of the bank had atiumpi
m to open the resei've fund chest and
had tound. Uic combination changed.
All of Wednesday, Thursday, FriTlnv
and Saturday; that week tho officers
of the bank tried to open the door of
the .reservo chest by the, combination,
rheir cfforiB were in vuin. Preeidont
MeCornirk ol the. bank had been noti
fied that something was- wrong, with
tho combination, and as the end of the
week approached and the chest could
Hofc.be oDoncd he became alarmed, and
: SUSPECTED OF THREE
BOBBERIES il OODEN
Hurt Williams Arrested at Short
Iine Depot and Lodged
in Jail.
Burt Williams, hero of Lhc lomanlic
marriage 10 'Minerva Reaves, would-bo
inurdeross and suicide, In the eounly Jail,
while both wero serving terms In the
county jail, respectively for petit larceny
and assault with deadly weapons, four
teen months ago, was arrested at the
Oregon Short Lino depot by Detectives
Chnso and Hurt Sunday evening on a
charge of burglary. Williams Is wanted
at Ogdcti in connection with tlireo bur
glaries committed there lecently. lie la
21 years of age.
The burglaries of which Williams Is
-suspected of complicity In -woro those of
Mrs. D. T-I. Pcory'B residence. 2430
Adams avenue; j. S. Jensen's residence,
Twcnty-serond street, and the Fash
ion roomlng-hou.se.
Mrs. Peory's residence was entered by
means of a pnsu kuy bclwncr. 0:30 and
7:15 o'clock Saturday evening and several
hundred dollars' worth of Jowelry, silver-,
ware and tablewares and ?I!0 in money
laken. The family wnn In HnL Lake at
the time of tho burglary.
The Jeiisrin resldc'ncu was broken Into
the evening of January 27. and clothing,
Jowelry and silverware valued at ?200 were
takon.
The Fashion rooming-houno wan en
tered Saturday night and several article:
of (Molding stolon.
Among tho stolen articles waa a safely
razor. When ho whs arrested and
searohod al tho local police station a
safety razor was found on Williams. Ilo
admitted Mint the razor does not belong
to him, but denied that ho stolo it.
Williams wedded tho Rooves woman,
who belonged to the underworld, while ho
wan serving a four months' sentence for
petit larceny. Ills fiancee at tin llnio
was serving a six months' term for as
sault with Intent to kill her sister, also
of tho underworld. Williams and Iho
woman first became acquainted while
serving thflr tonus, and became so in
fntuated they could not wait until their
sentences were finished. Consequentlv
they woro wedded In the sheriff's parlorn,
with officers and Jnllhlrds as guests of
honor. After IhHr roloase they left Salt
Lake, going, presumably, lo Ogden.
The Rpovoh woman's attempted mur
dor of her sister was a purt of a plot to
kill tho lnlter and destroy hcrHolf. but
tho -murder pnrt of the plot failed and
she did not carry out the suicide. She
fired one bullet dangerously, near her sis
tor's head, the Intended death missile go
ing wild of its aim by only ono inch, and,
failing iu tho attempt on her sister's life,
she gnvo up suli.ddo. She was arrested
and tried for assault with Intent to kill
and given tho Jail sentence.
Saturday, learning that a safe expert
was in tho city, ordered his services so
cured in opening tho door of the chest.
The export arrived at tho bank Sun
day morning, Jammr- 12. One twist
of the knob of the combination -with
the figures of tho latter beforo him
told him that something was wrong
that the combination had Ijcpii changed,
lie informed the officers of the bank
that he would have to break into the
chest through tho top, tho latter being
formed of three sheets of steel riveted
together.
Expert at Work.
The export began his task Monday
morning, January 13. At noon Tues
day, January' he hnd cut through
the three sheets of steel and pried them
up about four inches.
AY. F. Adams, first vice-president of
the bank. Joseph Nolsou, cashier, and
A. f. Strong, assistant cashier, wore
present with the expert in the vault
when the last sheet of the top of tho
chest was pried up.
One glance inside and the officials
declared tho cash had been tampered
with.
Instantly t ho- bags of gold and pack
ages of currency, each containing $5000,
were pulled out through tho opening
and counted.
The sum of $43,000 was missing!
A few minutes later President. lUc
(Jornick was informed of the theft. Un
hastened lo the bank from his office
in his private bank across the street
and another count of the money was
made.
Again the count shewed a shortage
of $-13,000.
Two hours lalor a roqucBt. Tvas on its
way to Denver for the best detectivos
in tho employof tho Pinkerton agency,
and an investigation started that in all
probability will develop disclosures of
a most startling nature if successfully
consummated.
If it is not, the robbery of the Urah
National will go down 111 tho histor3
of western financial institutions as one
of the most daring thefts ever com
mitted. Theory of Detectives.
It was rumored late Sunday night
that the officers of the bank and the
detectives are working on the theory
that the money was stolen from the
bank on a certain Sunday in January.
It is said several incidents lead up to
the belief that possibly the money was
stolen on that day, and possibly by a
man not connected with the bank but
who was acting for an 'employee of
the institution who had furnished him
with the combinations to the vault and
safe doors and the door of the reserve
chest. This, however, is only ono of
a hundred clues being followed by the
detectives.
Every employe of the bank has been
questioned time and again b" the de
tectives. ISvery possible manner in
which the money could have been
stolen has been gone over, for the so
lution of the case is manifestly to bo
accomplished largely by 'the process of
elimination.
That any man or set of men could
during a banking day, holiday orrnven
a Sunday, open the vault and safe of
tho bank" and carry out into the street
$13,000 in gold and currency in can.vas
bags and conceal or dispose of tho
money in such a manner that a fdur
weeks search has failed to 'reveal it
seems incredible to the officials of the
bank. A'et this is Ihe exact situation, -and
it forms a case mosfc difficult: to
solve, and one o.f the most extraordin
ary on record.
'.Meanwhile, the business oT the bank
is being conducted regularly, the loss
of the money having been made Jnp
weeks ago. The loss was carried with
out trouble hy Mr. "McCornick and tho
large interests associated with him iu
ihe institution, such an amount cutting
but little figuro ju so hlrgc and old a
bank as the Utah National.
SHOOTS LITTLE BROTHER
' WHILE PLAYING SOLDIER
BUTTE. Feb. 9. A special to the Mln- j
cr from I.ewistbwn, .ays John Walsh, j
aged 14. accidentally shot his twelve year j
old brother while playing Soulier on a I
ranch 20 miles from town. The vounger j
boy died . instantly. Tho two were alone
on the ranch. whcu the oceldent-occurrciL
- . -1 v,' ;
... ,
Characterizes as "False and
Malicious" Charges Made by
the Indianapolis Star.
ACCUSED OP AIDING TAKT
BY FEDERAL PATRONAGE
New York Evening Post and
Boston Herald Also Made
Same Accusation.
AYASJILNT.TON, Feb. 10. President
"Roosevelt has made answer to tho
recent public statements that ho ha:i
mado use of federal patronage lo fur
ther the presidential interests of Secre
tary Taft. The. answer is in form of a
letter addressed to William Dudley
.Foulkc of Richmond, Intl., and includes
a letter from Mr. Foulkc to the presi
dent suggcating the need oC such a
statement.
The president begins b3' characteriz
ing the charges as "false and mal
icious;."' lie follows thin with an an-alj-sis
of all appointments sent by him
lo the Senate for ils action to show
that in no easn ban the proximity of a
presidential contest influenced his ac
tion. Mr. Fulke's letter savs:
! "On January 13 T laid before you au
article in the Indianapolis News (a
paper supporting the candidacy of Mr.
Fairbanks) accusing you of lining tlio
federal patronage to secure thn nomin
ation of Mr. Taft, and naming the post
offices iu particular. I spoke of tho
fact that certain Taft men had been
nominated iu Ohio, and you answered
that that w;as true; that you would be
very weak if you allowed' the power of
appointment in that stato to be used
ONLY as a means of attack upon the
administration.
. Same Charge in Other Papers.
"On my return homo I observed
other articles making similar charges
in various papers, for instance, the fol
lowing in tho New York Evening Post
of Juiiiuuy 1G:
" 'We are now getting daily lessons
in civil service reform from tdo White
llouso which ought to attract national
attention. The appointment of Taft
workers lo postoffices in Ohio and of
Ihe totally unfit George AY. AYannn
makor as appraiser of this port is now
followed bv the President's refusal to
re-appoint a good Hughe's man as col
lector of customs at Plaltsburg. '
"On .January 17 an article charging
3'ou with a similar abuse of the patron
age appeared in tho Iiidianapolis Star,
a paper also supporting Mr. Fairbanks,
and reputed to be owned principally by
Daniel G. Poid, representing important
Wall street interests. This article I
enclosed in a letter to 3-011 in which I
said: '
Daugcrons If True.
" 'No man can be n more unqualified
supporter of Mr. Taft than I, 3ct I
reali.o that airy use of fho patronage
to aid him. especial' if coercion can
.be implied, is likely to injure you very
serious-. The use of an- public office
for this purposo is fraught with great
danger and subject to unanswerable
criticism.'
"To ihis 3-011 answered Jnnua'- 19:
" f Will you produce tho name of a
singlo man whom T have coerced or in
fluenced; will 3'ou give me tho name of
iiny official vrho has been controlled b3
the threat or implied threat of dismis
sal or. from Avhom I have demanded
support for Taft; in fact, will you give
mo ono particle of justification for the
fears von express? Name the man
whom I have rcmovod because he was
not for Taft, or threatened to remove
because he was not for Taft. You can
not do so; and as yon cannot, why do
not yon not repent this challenge to
the newspaper in question, assert that
their Avoids are absolutely false and
challongo l.hcm to make good?'
Charges Not Specified.
"T accordingly whole to the Star
asking it to name a singlo case of co
ercion referred lo in its previous Is
sues. Tt published an answer to 1113
letter,. biit failed to name aii3' instanco
of the kind. T then wrote again,
calling attention to this failure and
asking if I were not forced to conclude
from its own silence that its own
charges wore absolutely without foun
dation. This second letter, however, it
would not publish, though it still con
tinues to repeat its general charges ot
abuse of Iho patronage.
"Thcao charges also continuo to be
circulated bj other newspapers in all
parts of the country. Thus the Boston
Herald of .Tnnuarj -0 says:
Boston llerald's View.
" 'Federal office-holders mav be
commanded to use their influence and
their authority in behalf of a candi
date. Such a command has been is
sued and the President should know
of "it. Somebod3- has instructed post
masters that tho.y must obtain from
their subordinate's either their resigna
tions or their pledges of support for
Taft delegates to the convention. Even
iu Massachusetts efforts of this kind
have been made rceeully, but happily
thoy have been stopped, partly because
the postmasters on whom the attempts
wero made have the courage .to resist
and parth- from other causes."
"hi view of these reiterated com
plaints, would not a detailed statement '
of your recent appointments, the men
b3' whom they were recommended, your
reasons and the principles upon which
you have acted in making them, ao well
as a statement' in regard to I ho alleged
coori'ion, be the best method of exhibit
ing I lie. facts?
':' Yours respectfully,
" W M. DUDLEY FOU L KE. ' 3
Reply of the- President.
In his repl3' to Mr. Foulke, Presi
dent Itooscvelt says:
"Tlio statement that I have used
the offices in the, efforts to nominate
any presidential candidate is both
falsq and mahcioiH. Tt is Ihe usual
imaginative invention which flows
from a desire- to say. Something injur
ious. Remember that those now male,
ing this accusation were busily engaged
two months ago in asserting that 1 was
using the offices to secure ray own re
nomiiiatnon. '"Since Iho present Congress assom
bled two months ago, I have sent to
the Senate tho names of all the offi
cials I have appointed for the entire
ueriod ninc-c .Congreas. adjourned on the
. , '
fourth of March last, that is, for eleven
months. Excluding army and navy of
ficers, scientific exports, health officers
and those of the rcvenuo cutter serv
ice, I havo made during this period
about loo'J appointments, subject to
confirmation bv the Senate, 11(31 being
postmasters, The appointments in tho
diplomatic and consular services and
in tho Indian service have been mado
without regard to politics. In nomiu
nling judges T have treated politics as
a wholly sccondar3' consideration and,
instead of reding solcl3' upon the re
commendation, of cither Senators or
Congressmen, ha vo alwayB conducted
independent inpuiries myself person
al' through members of "tho bench or
bar whom I happen to know, or through
Attorney-General Eonapnrte, Secretary
Taft, who was himself a judge, Socre
laiy Root, because of his great, experi
ence at tho bar. or Senator Knox, who
was formerly attorney-general. Tn a
number of other offices, chicflj' assist
ant socrolnrics or heads of "bureaus
hero at Washington, but also governors
of territories or incii( holding peculiar
positions and also in a few othor
cases, notably those of marshals in cer
tain of the Western states, but inclin
ing various officers also hero and there
throughout the Union I have felt that
the position , was of such a character
that the initiative in Iho choice could
only with propricl3' come from me or
one of tho cabinet officers, or else I
havo happoucd personally to know, or
to know of, a man of such peculiar
qualifications thal 1 desired lo appoint
him on U13' own initiative.
Suggestions Not Filial.
"There remain the great bulk of of
fices, including almost all of the post
offices, tho colloctorships of customs,
the appraiserships, the land offices and
the like, numbering some 1250 or there
abouts. It is of courso out of the ques
tion for me to examine or have knowl
edge of such a multitude of appoint
ments, and therefore as regards them
I naturally accept suggestions of Sen
ators and Congressmen. tlie elected rep
resentatives of the people in the local
ities concerned, always reserving to my
self tho right lo insist, upon tho man
coming up to the required standard of
character and capacity, and also re
serving .tho right to nominate whomso
ever I choose if for an reason I am
satisfied that I am not receiving from
Senators or Congressmen good advice,
or if 1 happen personally to know some
peculiar' fit man. when the man
lins done well in office I prefer to re
appoint him, and do so when I can get
the consent of the Senators from his
locality; but if they refuse, the re
appointment cannot be made. Ordin
aril as a matter of convenience, the
appointment can best be settled by con
sultation before band, the advice of tho
Senator or Congressman, who is nlcctod
and has peculiar means of knowing the
wishes of his constituents, being taken, j
'But whore a Senator treats this not. as
a matter of consultation or mutual
agreement, not as a matter of conven
ience and expedienc3'. but sis a matter
of right on his part to nominate when
ever ho chooses, the custom is neccs
saril3' discontinued.
Southern Appointments.
"Tn the South At.lnnl.ic and Gulf
states which have contained neither
Senators or Congressmen o'f 1U3- own
part3 I have been obliged to seek ni'
advice from various sources. In these
states T have appointed a largo num
ber of Democrats, in certain states the
Democrats appointed out-numbering tho
Republicans. For 1113' advico in ap
pointing tho .Republicans 1 havo relied
wherever possible, not upon office
holders at all, but upon men of stand
ing . and . position who would not take
office and upon whose integmy T could
depend. Tn.?riJ) of these states T havo
done ni3 besC, when T came to appoint
ing Republicans, to put the best men
in office, and 1 have reason to believe
that the average of my appointees is
veiy high. At present various efforts
are being made to get up bolting dele
gations from the Southern stales, and
tho meetings at which these so-called
delegates are chosen arc u.sn.1ll3' an
nounced .is 'lon-officclloidertl, con
ventions.' As a rule this means onl3f,
so far as it means nnylhing, that the3'
aro held under the lead of persons who
wish to bo put in office, but whose
charactor and capactiy arc such that
thej' havo not been regarded as fit to
bo appointed under this administration.
In these cases bo it rememberod that
the failure to secure office is not the
result of the political action of the men
in question; on tho contrarj', their po
litical action is due to their failure to
securo office."
Discussing the appointmont of
George AY. AYau.1m.1ker aa appraiser for
tho port of New York, the President
says:
Wanamaker's Pull.
"Mr. Wanamaker's appointment was
recommended by tho throe Congress
men from New York county and I13' the
two Senators, the appointment being
made precise' as the hundreds of simi
lar appointments of postmasters, ap
praisers, internal revenue collectors and
the like, which are confirmed b3" the
Senate, aro made, and in conformance
with the custom which has obtained
throughout my term of service and
throughout the terms of service of Mr.
McKinlcy, Mr. Clovcland and 1113' other
predecessors. In this particular case,
as it happens, Mr. Wunarnaker is pe
culiar' fit for the position, being al
ready an assistant appraiser who lias
ruudorcd good service in that, place, and
his appointment is the promotion of a
proper man.
"The refusal lo appoint a good
Hughes man as collector of customs at
'Plaltsburg refers to the case of Walter
Witherbcb, and the accusation in this
case is particularly comic, because Mr.
Witherbee was an open and avowed
Taft man. the classmate of Secretary
Taft 's brother at Yale, and both Sec
retarj Taft and his brother requested
his reappointment the only Is'ow York
officeholder for whom th03'madc such a
request. The Congressman from his
district and the Senators have not
aqreed about his successor and he is
still in office.
As to "Taft Workers."
"There remain the allegations as lo
tho appointment of 'Taft workers' to
postoffices in Ohio. In Ohio T have
made fiftj'-cight postoffie'e appointments;
twcnt3'-seyen of these wero reappoint
ments, thirty-one were new appoint
ments' lhc last including the cases
where the incumbent had died, had been
removed for cause or had resigned.
Generally the appointment was-made
exactly as in other States, upon tin
recommendation of the Congressmen
from the district. In various cases,
howovcr, as at Maunee, BluiHon. Green
ville and Lcipsic, the nominations wuro
iipon recommendation of both Senators
1' orakor and Dick, or of oue or the
other. Tn two of these. Dcunison and
Vlhrichville. the nominations were made
upon the recommendation of the then
Congressman-, Mr. Sniyscr; in each case
tho incumbent had not been given
very satisfactor3' service.
"T call your at rent ion lo the fact
that the Senate withdrew itB opposi
tion to one of these four men and
confirmed him, &o that tho chargo re
lates to only three out of the whole
numbor, 1HM postoffices; tlmt of these
throe, two were nominated In the usual
fashion on the recommendation of the
. 1
WHISKY ill Mi
ABOUT PROHIBITION
In Open LeUer, Addressed to
Ministers, Emphasize Use ol"
Wine hy Christ.
I 1.0L-ISVJL.LB, Ky.. Feb. 10. The Na
1 lional Moral License loagrue through ila
prcFidcnt', T. JU. flilmoro, yesterday Issued
an open letter to the ministers of the
United Slates. After explaining thai the
object of the league 13 to have a uniform
restrictive saloon license adopted by nil
the states where prohibition is not in
force, tho lelter says:
"We lo not offer this law as a substi
tute for prohibition; that Is. It Is not In
tended to interfere with the passage of
prohibition laws If the people desire them
but 11 Ir, Intended to bring out obed
ience to law where Hie busincus Is 11
censed. "Tho prohibitory laws that are belns
passed in this country merely prohibit
the manufacture :ind sain, and do not pro
hibit the purchase and use, and all think
ing' men know that where a demand ex
ists, it will be supplied from oomo tionrco
if the protlt Justltlf.i tho rkk to supply
It. Witness the development of Ihe mall
order business nnd of tho moonahlno busi
ness and ug shown by the figures of tho
Internal revenue department, tho por cap
ita consumption of whisky hs not do
creased with tho spread of prohibition,
while iho per capita consumption of beer
has largely Increased.
Would Penalize Purchase.
"If tho antl-nnloon league will agree
to It. wo will favor having an amendment
to all prohibitory laws? providing n heavy
penalty for the purolia-so of alchollc
bovorages, or for having them In ponses
kIoii in prohibitory territory nnd this
would mean prohibition.
"Tho passage of laws will not prevent
tho use of alcoholic bovorages. that J3 a
matter of education and evolution.
"Those Interested are taking the ground
thai tho manufacture and distribution of
alcoholic beverages In wrong per se.
"If this be true, then there Is no ques
tion that iho Almighty was wrong In com
mnnclng tho ubo of wlno hi npoaklng to
Mis ohoson people nnd Chrl.t. was wrong
Iu making wlne'at Mi fenstH of Galilee
and Ho was wrong In selecting wlno and
bread to conseora to His death.
"Now If those interested In the ef
fort to establish prohibition prove to the
satisfaction of the American people that
Christ did that which woe wrong, that
Christ committed a sin and that Christ
sot a bad example to future generations,
then wc fear that they will have succeed
ed, (In so far .as tho American people arc
concerned) In destroj-lng the very founda
tion of tho Christian faith.
"This is a strange suggestion to come
from men connected with tho whisky
business to Ihoae connected with the min
istry, but 7e consider It a very serious
phaso of this question, and one that de
nervoa the onrncst thought of every man
connected with the church.
FORT WORTH BANKER
TAKES SUICIDE ROUTE
FORT WORT J I, Tex , Feh. 10. L. C.
Hutchlns, aecond vice-president of the
Fort Worth National bank, committed
fiilrldo yesterday by shooting himself
through head with a revolver. Air.
Hutchlns' body was found by
I tho porter in the toilet room
of his hanking house. Bank officials
declare Mint the dead man's business af
fairs aro in excellent shape. Ul-hcalth
nnd anxiety produced by the recent panic
1b glvo.n as the cause of tho suicide.
Brooding- over tho suicide of Banker
Hutchlns, a man he did not know, Eric
C. Gambrell, 3S years old, shot and killed
himself at a local hotel tonight. Gam
brell was a son of Rev. J.V. J. JC. Gam
brell, a notod Baptist preacher, and had
?rncticed law In Dallas for many years,
lo formerly edited several newspapers
In Mississippi. Yesterday ho called on
Hunt McCaleb, an old newspaper friend,
and discussed tho suicide of Bunker
Ilulchlns. 7Io later wont to a hotel and
wrote a note asking Miat McCalob bo
notified of what ho had done.
outgoing Conprcssman; and that the
third nomination was made on the re
port of the inspector and would have
boon made without the slightest regard
to whether there was a Presidential
canvass on hand or nor.
"The statements iu the editorial in
question are therefore untrue in over
particular." Taking up tho quotation from the
Boston llcrald, tho President says:
"There is nothing to sav except that
it does not contain the slightest particle
of truth, and that the misstatement is
so gross that it is difficult to believe
it other than a deliberate invention.
There is not the slightest foundation
for it, and no successful effort can be
made to show that there is the slightest
foundation for it. 1
'Ef such assertions as those of these
papers are mado in good faith, on facts
and with any other purpose than to
produco a political effect 113- false pro
tense, or by reckless statement with
out knowledge, let those making thorn
produco the specific cases to which thev
refer, ff in an3 such case the accusa
tion is found true, it will have occurred
without 1113' knowledge and I shall deal
with it; in the precise spirit of my in
structions lo the Civil Service commis
sion hereinafter referred to.
No Need to Name Enemies.
'In 2v;ew York. Pennsylvania. Illi
nois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, so far
as I know, an enormous majority of ap
pointees .are in oach case for the Presi
dential candidate from the State. This
has not been true in Ohio, and 1113- in
terference iu patronage matters in 'Ohio
has boon limited to my insisting, as I
should insist anywhere' else, that oppo
sition to the . purposes, policies and
frionds to the administration shall not
be considered as a neccssar3' prc-requi-site
to holding the commission of the
President.
"In my loiter to the Civil Service
commission of .Tune 12, 190ii, which now
holds good and will, be enforced, ofii'Jors
are warned not to use their places to
control political movements, nor to
coerce thein subordinates, nor to neg
lect their public duties for political
work, nor to cause any public scandal
1)3 their political activity: but outside
of the classified service they are not
otherwise limited in political activity.
No officer will be permitted to violate
the abovp injunction, with 1113' knowl
edge, no matter for what candidate he
may be working; and 1 mav add that
the ouh' officers as to whom" anv ques
tion of violation of this injunction has
hitherto arisen have been men whocare
not working for Mr. Taft.
"The above is a full statement of the
facts. Ivot an appointment has been
I made that would not have boon made if
there had been 110 Presidential contest!
impending and in no case has there been I
n deviation from the course that I
would have pursued had none of those
who acluallv aro candidates for the
nomination ben candidates: nor has a
single offieohplder boen removed or
threatened with removal or coerced in
nny way to secure his support for nu3'
Presidential candidate. Iu fact, tho
only coercion that 1 have attempted lo
exercise was lo forbid the officeholders
from pushing no- own ' ronominatiou,
this being done in the letter sent to the
members of 1113' Cabinet on .November
19. 1007."-
i
AND SET SKSP ARK
Brutal Crime C'oiniiiitte(1
Small Store in Residc"t
District. MU!
SHOOT AT EMPLOYEE C '
AND THEN ASSAULT M J
Prostrale Form Is F0ttn ,
Vacant With Pockots'jJ
Harold Arringlon, 20 yean JK
clerk employed by VrestwooT ftBjMlf
small groccra. 938 West Third iSf
street, was 8U at Jhreo timJ.KrtF
day morning about 32:30 o'cilBP
two unknown ihugs, who W.ffiM
saulted him and thou net fin fmW
store and escaped. Arlington J?. S
tempting to enter the store rJ&Bti J
the night when attacked "r""'pR,
The store was completely deitnnB-fc'
and Arnngton was sonou'slr ffiB
Ho was found about sislv fPIt f3B
storo with his pockets rifled SjB
tho third attempt in the past' v irW
rob the store, and ATrington isVi S
at once before. Mffffi.
Joe "Wcstwood, 25 voars old ri
partner in the store." hoard tha Ammflu
from his home, 934 "West Third v2tf,,l
street, and before he couia Wfifc'
dress and hasten lo the store ft y3K,'A.
flames. As he ran across th ruSI .
lot he found Arnngton, lyinij protH!
but did not stop to investieaU 'Sm
thought the clerk was In the iilimmV- E
had shot one of the burglars. HEh'
"Wcslwood attempted to break iVflB I'
front door of his place, and fauorK4-'
' get in went back to the bodv and mSB
nized Arrington. Tho police anaR1
departments were summoned, andiB
whole neighborhood was aroused .jfcwf
no attempt was made to pursui'Bil-
burglars. '7m9r'
Attempt Mystorioua. nB
The store was practically destroK''
when the 'firemen arrived, and thjBr
is estimated at $1000. Thoro WEl
insurance. The police aro at an afRo?
loss to account for the robbery 01 jlB ?1
aro many ni3stif3ing features eK
nee ted with it. !JHr':
No mone3' is cvor kept in tlie.itiHkOTf.
structure anr numerous attempUBl
boen made to rob the placo. How'flSui
burglars gained ingress is not k&nft
as the front door was locked sni'Hi'tK
rington, after he gained coiucioiifMBftR
said ho had unlocked the rear P'
"I had just got inside tat ("wcBf1?
said Arrington, "when somebody aHWp
me. Then-I .don't remember any nifcikl
I liadn't heard am'bod3' wri4sjBPj!?'
Dr. W. P. Beer, who wa3 called. lmMW-!
the bd3" was not fatally injurcolBW
had been struck a severe blow oa,tH7
front of the head. 1
Although the robbers were KeawHfcJ""'
ning wost on Third Norih, Arriofim
body was found east of tho store bM
tween it and Westwood's hou?. Etc
pocket in his clothing had hcn eaB'"
through and turned inside out, wflllJ
11 is thought the robbers had tfHjH
preparations lo burn the store faJjKJu
I hoy were discovered, becanse of iKT
rapidity with which tluy got IpBifiili
work, as it was less than live mmtlBBj
after' the shots were fired hefotu reaHtk.
were nmning to the sccno rotI1'jEMi
around tho neighborhood. Hu 1. '
Arthur Peck, who was calling s'-'inCiJ
"West Third North, said he rin foK T
door immediately after the shaU tmK
fired and saw two men running ""IHL?
on the opposite side of the BlrMLvEljf1
number of thn neighbors said (MHg
heard thrco shots. jmmml
A similar attempt to rob the Mil,
and shoot Arrington was mado itMR
four months ago. The 3'oudr mmH
who is a nephew of Joseph "WeslTrjFPi
the elder partner in tho store, 031
turning home from n buggy ride jjHttuu
the same time at night ana cntcrfd.flM
back door, which was locked. B-.
As lie came inside ho heard 3 ""JR"
and almost immcdiate'3' two shots Itoi
fired in his direction. Ono jB"
cracker box juat above his head jmVF'
tho other entbrcd the casing J163,
but the robbors made their tymmP
through the front door, which lb7BMj"
forced to gain ontr3nce. JSffcii"
Family Suspects Toud. :;Mhtt"
Joseph Westwood. her father,
Garfiold during tho day on bxuinus tigUWtts
was expected back about 2 0'dtjM '?
members of the family nro at a "
account for the persistent auempjB b 7
Tob tho store and tho efforts WiJWMS'l'i
Arrington. They have no enemies jftjir
thev know of, but they can ncc,onilVK?L
the" repented attempts in no otljcrBQ
Young Wcstwood said: 3BSft
"T dou't know of any one TBCS
havo it in for my fnther unloss .Mtta
be some of tho peoplo he might
dunned for bills. Wc havo been gBFVft
ning fhe store for about four jcjn j
Arnngton has been a clork fliute
time. When J hoard the shots I UovjBZW
it was he who was shooting, jrftt
knew ho was fixed for anybody aBU
that last attempt. , , . JjmWtiS?
"When 3 ran out of the oKW
saw the storo in names it fwWMfe
me thnt he was in thoro and ltlllimfk)
body J passed was that or .yMw B
else, and that is why 1 alteTmPif.tjy
get iu the store, because I
to get Harold out if I C0Uld'fflmJC;
"I think they must have lotemW WfSgi
firc the store, as they lad ""iSaEN
time after t heard the shots, MaMN5
J went as fast as I could. ivrnWCrty
Sergeant Hempcl of the ".rjHK
who was working 011 the cas5.sfli. -tMJ
"There aro a good many, th,nllfw'wL
this case wc can 't esplaim "V 3mWff&
those fellows take time to scar eia .
boy after they had shot three ujgM
and got overybody iM'' .;Yf5JJ3Hfr 2
Ihev want to burn a lll,lcif SE"
store? Ami did thev burn it DMfcw
or after tliev searched the or JgW.
did they drag him toward tlio "jKjy
wood house when there were no 1'"K,a
houses on the other side? iirSt
I Firo Was Planned.
"The robbers must have 'jWtSl.5
out because his overcoat was uLjW
I his head and his clotl.es wcr?,l0B$i
'but we can't understand S'lUf
lows would take all these "yB,
act as if they had two tbreeBj
to carry out their nlJnns'I,The
Pi re Chief Crosby said: 2St for
other way on earth to acco unt JJ TjW ,
rapidity of the fire e"0Pt,l,,rfln:3KVier
had planned to bum y'JHBlft.
preparations to do so. 0.ul?.Vth iB J'1
k frame building and fil led
cones, but. a house w.SSBj5l
into flames in five minutes ""'gJ.SBfe,
arations arc made to fcet it on nrBfe
! :B