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THE BfORNING OREGONIATf, MONDAY, DECEMBER 2 V 1920
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DARK PARKERS
i"T0
BE JIT DOCK TDDA
Lightless Autos Are Tagged
by Wholesale.
j VIOLATION GENERAL ONE
Tolice Decide to Make Examples ol
Some Negligent Dozens and
Do so With a Vengeance.
IT the downtown patrolmen of the
first night relief did their work well
last nigh, there will be about S00
automobile drivers In court this
morning to explain io the hardwork
ing Judge why they turned" off their
lights when they parked their cars
and left them.
This is the reason: Last night Cap
tain Inskeep, chaperoned by a re
porter, made the rounds of one down
town beat. The captain called the
reporter's attention to long lines of
machines, with only an occasional
light showing. v
"Doggone that man," said the cap
tain. "I'll have to find out who is pa
trolling this beat tonight and give
him hail Columbia."
The expedition counted 250 ma
chines, when the sport palled and by
rough estimate the captain agreed
that probably there were 800 ma
chines parked In direct violation of
the law.
Traffic Ordinance Forbids.
"Every motor vehicle," says the
traffic ordinance, "during the period
rrom one hour after sunset to one
hour before sunrise, while stopped or
parked on any street, shall display at
least two white lights to the front
and one red light to the rear, or dis
play on the side nearest the center of
the street upon which It is parked or
stopped a red or white light, which
must be plainly visible from the front
and rear of such vehicle for a dis
tance of not less than 100 feet in
either direction."
According to traffic officers, there
has been no modification of the fore
going to permit "dark" parking on
well lighted streets, although at one
time such parking was permitted.
Several person were interviewed
jn eacn case they said they were
nnder the impression that it was law
ful to park near street lights or on
well-lighted streets, without leaving
ineir llgnts burning.
Numerous accidents have resulted
within the past month as a result of
dark parking. These accidents, how
ever, are' as much the fault of drivers
as of those wbo leave their cars dark,
cay the police, else the lights of the
moving automobile would reveal the
stationary machine.
Many Arrents for Dark Parking.
On December 24 there were 20 ar
rests for dark parking. On the police
record the entire 20 were shown to
have put up fl bail. The bail is tan
tamount to a fine, as few drivers ever
appear in court to talk the judge out
of keeping the dollar for the city.
After the tramp through the down
town streets, during which the re
porter took numbers on his own in
itiative, violators were found right at
tome, so to speak. In front of the
main door of police headquarters an
suto, used for an emergency car by
plainclothes officers, stood - without
lights. From sixth street to the doors
of headquarters on Oak street, there
vwere 8 dark cars. Five of them were
clustered in the shadow of the station.
"He did too," Many Cry.
Drivers, when hailed to court for a
minor infraction of the traffic laws,
are prone to point out to the officers
the fact that dozens of machines were
violating the same provision at the
same time and place and In the same
m.'.r.ner.
Here are a few numbers which were
taken between 10:30 last night and
10:45. The owners, if they did not
find the police card in their machines
upon return, will know that by some
elip of luck .'. patrolman did not find
thtm. If the numbers were not pub
lished they would never know of their
fcood luck. Every car was carefully
examined to see if lights were out at
toth front and rear.
Fourth street, 91398. 23727, 96835,
97695, 33176, 42338, 2866, 88543, 3585;
Alder street, 1198, 52467, 19628, 41185,
3f467; Fourth street, 83006, 56910,
33581, 64937, 67598, 3768, E5738, 42618,
13600, 24399, 59201, 103701; Washing
ton street, 96079, 33662. 11802, 19856,
29101, 87191; Fifth street, 36744, 45745,
S2165, 77034; Stark street, 3S376, 99595,
11.649, 71159, 102089, 82198; Broadway,
B9S84, 96499, 81032, 9979. 53090, 101051,
35425, 41005, 97423, 41451, 88544, 65670;
Oak street to police headquarters,
3796S, 63622, 6534, 39840, temporary
license 216 '(police car), 49782, 66528.
68633, 42553.
These numbers were taken without
fear or favor as they came. Sometimes
they were taken from both sides of
the street, sometimes just from one
eide.
But the average citizen will wonder
what the judge will do in the case of
temporary license 216.
to make good than I gave Mr. Ether
idge, and never was there an oppor
tunity finer than he had to build up
a bond business but he threw 1
away; just threw money away every
where, to any cause that was pre
sented to him. He had no judgment
whatever and so he brought rain to
the business and, I am afraid, miser;
to many others."
When Mr. Ethertdge turned over
the afafirs of the corporation under
pressure to Mr. Morris, he ws,,lt was
declared by those who saw him, prac
tically a physical wreck. With M,rs.
Etheridge he left Portland in an au
tomobile that night, and was driven
to Tacoma by Roy Flke, a friend and
employe, who returned yesterday
morning". When asked regarding the
whereabouts of Mr. Etheridge, ie de
clined to make any statement, except
that he left the Etheridges in Tacoma
after Mr. Etheridge had obtained
$75,000 of certain bonds which he had
promised Mr. Morris , to express to
him here. Mr. Morris has. received
these, he said last night.
Interim Certificates TTaeO.
The city of Edmonton. Canada,
bonds, which were sold by Morris
Broa, Inc., extensively throughout the
coast states, under what is technical
ly known in financial circles as the
interim certificate system,, were the
feature of Mr. Etheridge's operations
that precipitated the revelation as to
the methods he pursued in handling
them, and eventually brought about
his downfall, and with it the wreck
ing of the bond firm.
Interim certificates are absolutely
legitimate when used in good faith.
They are merely receipts for money
paid in by clients, and such funds are,
by all sound financial Institutions,
placed in trust until the actual deliv
ery of the bonds. In this instance, it
was alleged, the moneys received for
these securities were not so deposited
at least, not to exceeds so far as is
now known. 100,000. Whether the
balance paid In had been misappro
priated remained unknown, but it had
not been accounted; then, and Mr,
Morris expressed the '.fear that the
missing amounts would run into more
than $1,000,000, although, he declared,
he was not at that time in a position
to say.
Cash Not on Hand for Bonds.
It was when the city treasurer of
Edmonton reached Portland with the
final issues of . the gold notes, which
had come from the presses mean
while, that the beginning of the end
was precipitated. That act made it
necessary that the bonds be paid for
in cash or its equivalent and at once,
for there was no other way out and
it was then that Mr. Etheridge, who,
up to that time, had stood his ground
even defiantly when approached on
the subject by outsiders who were
interested, gave up the game and,
under force . of pressure from Mr.
Morris and the Portland Clearing
association, turned over affairs and
left the city.
Mr. Morris, still having sufficient
faith in Mr. Etheridge to trust him,
allowed him to go his way in ai
automobile, merely accepting his
that period of his career, he surprised
everyone by telling about having been
arrested at one time on a charge of
bigamy. He denied, however, that
that charge was true, and so far as
has been learned, he was telling the
truth.
After Mr. Etheridge's recital the
vote was taken for delegates and Mr.
Etheridge was not among the victors.
Following that meeting, with the
rumors pressing harder and harder
and the known facts having been in
creased from time to time in the tell
ing, the Portland Clearing-House as
sociation began an Investigation of
the affairs of Morris Brothers, Inc.,
but met with little encouragement-
the hands of Mr. Etheridge. He ob
jected that several member banks had
bond departments and would there
fore obtain information of value to
them as rival institutions. He con
sented to an Investigation by a single
bank, but before it was undertaken
Mr. Morris took charge and Mr. Eth
eridge left the city.
word forN his destination. At the
time, Mr. Morris gaVe out a statement
announcing the Etheridge resigna
ion, saying he had quit because of ill
health, and that be had taken over
the affairs and that he knew where
he could locate Mr. etheridge for a
few days."
He said last night, however, that
he did not know where Etheridge
was. but that he believed he would
be picked up by the authorities in a
short time.
Shrine Candidacy Factor.
"I will have, him brought back,"
said Mr. Morris, "for I want him to
elp out in straightening this tangle
and to pay any penalties he may have
coming to him."
Next to the Edmonton bond feature
n bringing about the undoing of Mr.
Etheridge was his candidacy for the
position of one of four delegates to
he imperial council of the Mystic
Shrine. Rumors which for a long
time had been circulating, and a deal
with the state treasurer's office,
whereby it was said that Morris
Brothers, Inc., received: preference
over all competitors of tjhe house in
regard to state bond sales, combined
to bring matters to a head.
Facts as to Mr. Etheridge's prison
record had been gathered by trained
investigators and the evidence was
laid before him prior to a meeting of
Al Kader temple of ' Portland, held
Saturday, December 18, but he re
fused to budge and went before the
temple as a candidate and. there took
the floor and related, in his own way,
the story of his life.
It had become quite generally
known throughout especially the bus
iness districts of the. city that Mr.
Etheridge had served terms in a peni
tentiary, but in addition to detailing
- Career Here Remarkable.
Mr.' Etheridge'9 career In Portland
constitutes one of the most remark
able chapters in the city's history,
Coming here in February of 1917 as
an auditor, he was soon promoted to
be vice-president, then acquired Mor.
ris Bros.' interests and became presl'
dent of the corporation. Prior to
his advent, the business had run
along about as is customary with
such an institution, but with his ex
ceptional aggressiveness, he soon
geared up the affairs of the house
so that it had a big sales and buy
ing staff and branches were opened
in San Francisco, Seattle and Ta
coma, with managers in charge, with
their own staffs.
The Etheridge stylo of conducting
a bond house was not of the . con
servative kind and, from time to time,
there, was much comment on it, but
until dealings with the state treas
urer's office became the subject of
a grand jury investigation at Salem
no formal notice was given to his
actions. In that instance, no in
dictment was returned by the grand
jury, but recommendations were made
relative to a tightening up of the
purchase of securities with public
funds.
All along, Mr. Etheridge had de
clared that he was being persecuted
and) this very fact caused many peo
pie to rally to' his standard and to
stand by him through thick and thin.
He "often commented on the case and
said! it was but the penalty of leader
ship that had caused jealousy among
his competitors and that tney, in
turn, had attempted to ruin him and
the business of Morris Bros., Inc.
If Mr. Etheridge had laid claim to
being Portland's best dressed man,
no one could have denied him the
title, for he was always attired in
fashion's latest, scarcely ever wore
a suit or overcoat more than one day
without a change and) he was equally
"swell" in his other expenditures.
He lived in a fine home on the east
side and had a palatial country place
on the Clackamas river, in Clackamas
county, and drove a fine automobile,
which he frequently loaned to char
itable organizations or sent on er
rands of mercy, such as taking sick
persons for rides and conveying peo
ple to ohurch and to places of enter-
inment. etc., and to every cause
presented he was generous with
funds, not only in this city but
throughout the state as welL
War Drives Also Headed.
When there was a war drive to
put on, .Mr. Etheridge always offered
his services, and he was at the head
of many of the financial campaigns,
including the liberty and victory
loans, and was credited with having
aided greatly in their success. He
had a remarkable organizing genius
and a peculiar power to get others to
work hard in any enterprise whlcn
he undertook.
His efforts In behalf of various
organizations won for him life mem
berships In several of them, includ
ing the Kwanis club, which was
grateful to him, as was stated upon
the occasion of its presentation, for
financing their big national conven
tion last June. For various services
rendered, he received similar hfinors
from others. .
Known to his intimates as "Jack,"
he gathered about him a set of well-
known men of the city, wis wite.
whom he met while in prison while
she was a nurse engaged in uplift
work at the time, attracted to herself
a large circle of select friends among
Portland women. She, too. took a
deep interest in war-time affairs and
lent her services gladly whenever
they were needed. '
In his early life Mr. Etheridge was
reared for the ministry of the Epis
copal denomination, and when he
came here he exhibited unusual inter
est in Grace Memorial church, of
which he became a very generous
supporter. When it wae desired by
Rev. Oswald Taylor, rector, that
'James Moore Hickson, the world-famous
divine healer, be brought to
Portland to heal the sick and crip
pled, Mr. Etheridge supplied suffi
cient funds to guarante the expenses,
and It was then that he put his auto
mobile at the disposal of the local
committee to carry the afflicted to
the church. .
Etheridge came to the United States
in 1903 from England and located in
New Jersey. In England he had
studied for the ministry and, it was
related, left there under a cloud.
Upon his arrival in this country he
filled pulpits in small churches at
various times.
Records of the New Jersey state
penitentiary at Trenton showed that
he served 'a term of 18 months there
for forgery, having been sent there
on October 21, 1905, from Asbury
Park, N. J., for obtaining money un
der false pretenses. It was said he
confessed having forged a check for
50. .
Bigamy Later Is Charged.
Upon his release from prison Ether
idge,went to Bridgeport, Conn., where
he was arrested several months later
on charges of bigamy and obtaining
money under false pretences. He was
taken back to Asbury Park to face
these charges, where the' bigamy
charge was dismissed. He was con
victed of the other charge, however,
and sentenced to two years in the
penitentiary. ' He was imprisoned on
this second charge from December,
1907, to November, 1909.
Upon his release from the second
prison term, Etheridge went to Chi
cago, where he operated a public ac
counting agency in partnership with
another accountant. He had been
there less than a year when his prison
record became known and he was
forced out of business.
It was then . that he went to
Philadelphia and entered the employ
of Morris Bros. Fred Morris-knew
of the two prison records, and) knew.
too, of the bitter but losing fight
Etheridge had mad after his re
lease to regain the respect and con
fidence of his acquaintances and the
RUblic generally.
Entire Story Is 'Learned.
Mr. Morris heard the entire etory
and gave Etheridge a chance. In
the Philadelphia bond house and else
where in the employ of Morris Bros.,
Etheridge commanded the confidence
of his employers to such an extent
that he was brought out to Portland
less than four years ago and placed
in charge of the Portland) bond) house.
Those acquainted with the early
New Jersey record of Etheridge said
it was generally understood that his
second' conviction and sentence to the
penitentiary were founded npon evi
dence which was never clearly proven
to be authentic The bigamy cha,rge,
according to local confidents, was
dismissed immediately aft.r ne had
been arrested) for the second" time.
as there was no evidence or a dual
marriage.
Snn Francisco House -J Open.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 26. The
San Francisco office of Morris Bros.,
Portland bond house, will open to
morrow as usual, despite statements
that the headquarters! office in Port
land will not open, it was said to
night at the home of H. R. Eaton,
local manager. '
BLAST ROCKS M0NTESAN0
(Continued From First Page.)
MORRIS BROTHERS CLOSED
(Continued From FlrM Page.)
hounded because he had the misfor
tune in his younger days to serve
terms in the penitentiary. But, when
I went to the office last Thursday
night and took over affairs and the
audit began, I soon discovered things
that revealed his duplicity and now
it is apparent that the whole business
Is ruined; it can never overcome this
blow and it is now nly a question
of what can be done'o straighten out
the tangle.
"I do not believe as yet that Mr.
Etheridge actually took the- money,
-whatever sums It may run intoj and
made away with it, but I know that
he recklessly spent much of It and
that he had no business judgment at
all. The books of the firm prove to
be so mixed up that it has been im
possible thus far to tell how much
deficit there will be and until we
have time to work further and can
locate whatever sums of cash and
other securities he may h1lve, no one
can tell what the true situation is."
Future Action in Doubt.
What action may be taken toward
Safeguarding, so far as is possible,
the interests of the large numbers of
clients of the corporation throughout
the Pacific coast states, where sales
were effected on various issues of
bonds, particularly 12,135,000 of city
of Edmonton 6 per cent gold notes,
Mr. Morris said last night he had
been unable to ascertain during the
day.
"Whether a receiver can be ap
pointed in a case like this, I do not
know," said Mr. Morris, "but I want
to take whatever action is possible
to protect, just as far as I can, all of
the Interests concerned. This is a
terrible blow to me. and I know it
will be to many others, and I cer
tainly shall do everything I possibly
can to keep the losses to the mini
XDum. "No man ever ted a greater chance
You know the men
.
who direct this
bank
A.H. Averill
P. S. Brumby
Chas. H. Carey
Louis G. Glark
E. S. Collins
James Danaher, Jr.
F. I. Fuller
John A. Keating
Leslie M. Scott
C. F. Swigert
Chas. F. Wright
have been, heard at the October ses
sion of supreme court, had it not been
hat an-extension in which to prepare
and file Its statement of facts was
granted the defense. The supreme
court will consider the motion for ap
peal at its January session, the Cen
tralia case being tentatively set for
January 12 or 14.
Pending the hearing of their mo
tion to appeal, the I. W. W., convicted
of second degree murder, may not be
removed to the state penitentiary at
Walla Walla.
Seaside Has City Tree.
SEASIDE, Or., Dec 26. (Special.)
Seaside had its first successful com
munity Christmas tree at the public
Now
Before You Spend K
deposit your Christmas and v
New Year's Gift Money in
TheLadd&Tilton
Christmas
Savings Club
Let it be the nucleus of the
savings account which you have
so often planned. Nothing would
please the giver more. Have 1921
find you started at last on
thrift's highway.
Chapters Small Enough for Baby
Large Enough for Big' ' .
Business Men
lc opens an account in the $ 12.50 Chapter
2c opens an account in the $ 25.50 Chapter
5c opens an account in the $ 65.75 Chapter
10c opens an account in the $127.50 Chapter
Make 1921 a. year to be remembered' by starting an account, no matter how email,
for each member of the family.
Originals of the explanatory letter and pass book reproduced here were
sent to 26,000 prospective members, hundreds of whom have taken advan
tage of this opportunity to start a SYSTEM OF BANKING REGULARLY.
If you did not get your copies call for them here at the bank, and let us
explain.
Savings Department Open Saturday Evenings, 6 to 8
LADD & TILTON BANK
' Oldest in the Northwest
WASHINGTON AT THIRD
lEMst ir-
FEDERAL RESCRVI
library Saturday night. The tree, a j furnishings except an electric wash
triant evergreen, was beautuuuy
lighted and decorated, and each child
attending was remembered. The tree
was under the auspices of the Break
water association and Woman's club.
...
Molalla Residence Is Burned.
MOIiALLA, Or, Dec. 26. (Special.
Fire of unknown origin early today
destroyed the residence of Otis Engle
here with an estimated loss of $3000.
Thefe was no insurance. The house
was owned by G. Marts. Mr. and
Mrs. Engle lost all their household
ing machine.
Road Meeting Will Be Held.
MOLALLA. Or, Dec. 26. (Special.)
A road meeting will be held here in
the Lyric theater tomorrow night.
when citizens and members of the
county court will diHcuss and deter
mine the kind of pavement to be laid
on the road running from this city to
connect with the Pacific highway.
The new unit to be paved will pass
through one of the oldest farming
dictions of the stte. I.Hylng of the
pavement ha been made pomlble by
the action of the state nupreme court
In validating the Clackamm county
bond issue.
& A II. greeb
Xlolman Fuel Co.
Adv.
tamps ror el.
llln 151. IKI-JL
Resources -over $3,500 ,0 0 0
LUMEZKMEHS TLTUGT
' COMPANY
Broadway and Oak
The Most I
for Your Money -
Mathis Suits
& Overcoats
40 Off
Blue Serges and Full
Dress Clothes y3 Off
MEM'S WEAR
Corbett Bldg., Fifth and Morrison
- V
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My
20t-2-S MORGAN BLD4 :
PORTLAND .
; OKCCON
-BU. - mm w W W
is our highest price during this sale
FL0RSHEIM SHOES
to20,NOW
Formerly 16
WORTHMORE SHOES
Formerly $12
to 15, NOW
Every pair of shoes in this sale
is part of our regular stock
FLORSHEIM
SHOE STORE
350 WASHINGTOX STREET
Near Park
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