190S.
MURDERED PAWNBROKER AND SCENE OF BRUTAL CRIME COMMITTED FRIDAY NIGHT
LADD 8 TILTON BANK
PORTLAND, OREGON
Established 1859 Incorporated 1908
1 1
"7 Capital Fully Paid . . . $1,000,000.00
Surplus and Undivided Profits $400,000.00
STATEMENT OF CONDITION MAY 2, 1908
THE. SUNDAY OREGOXIAX. PORTLAND, MAY
r ix& - 1 t$X x . i " ' :
S4CJRG7?X ""
MURDERER SEEN
IN WOLFF'S SHOP
Concluded Prom First Page.
mind, that he was a new clerk. At the
time I did not pay any attention to his
appearance, but now that the murder has
been discovered the man's appearance and
attitude have struck me forcibly.
"Watched Me Intently."
"His eyes were fixed on mine and he
was watching me Intently. His ex
pression was one of suppressed and
startled surprise. . His attitude was as
if he had suddenly paused while walk
Ins and had remained Just as he had
stopped.
"I got a good look at the man, be
cause tho door was open. Neither the
man's appearance nor attitude struck
me as strange; not until afterwards.
"Then, thinking that Wolff was not
In, I decided I would not talk with a
cleik about the price of the pin, so I
turned and walked to the corner of
Morrison and First streets. I noticed
the time here by the clock over the
peanut stand across the street. It was
just 6:2" o'clock. I stood on this
corner until the clock pointed to 8:SQ
and then reported for, my work.
"As near as I can remember the man
I saw was about i feet 9 Inches high,
He wore a coat of light gray color and
a dark hat. He was clean shaven, of
regular features, and medium build,
if y
Ax anil Hlfle X'nrd la Murder of
Nathan Wolff.
4
5 1
weighing, I should judge a. a guess.
about ltio pounds. He was neither a
decided blonde nor a brunette.
Was Behind Counter.
"I couldn't see either his trousers or
his hands, because he was behind the
counter. He looked as if he had
walked from the rear of the store to
the front behind the counter, had seen
me and paused to watch me. My de
scription is not of the very best, owing
to the fact that my glance perhapB
lasted only the fraction of a second.
I am sorry now that I did not enter
the store, as my first impuuse had di
rected." DuBois has been a resident of the
city for a long time. He Is personalty
known to Chief of Police Gritzmacher
and, while the Information he Jias fur
nished the police is meager, it is the
most important evidence which has
been brought to light.
Beginning. . early yesterday morning,
Acting Captain of Detectives Baty and
the other members of the Department
took every step that would aid either In
locating the murderer or in preventing
his escape from the city. Satisfying
themselves that the assassin sustained an
injury, probably to the hand, the police
notified every physician and drugstore
in the city and requested to be notified
should any man so injured apply for
treatment. Officers were dispatched to
the terminal yards and the boat landings
to watch all outgoing trains and boats.
Search Cheap Hotels.
The police authorities at Oregon City,
Vancouver and The Dalles were notified
of the murder by telephone late Friday
night and this was followed up by the
same instructions which were sent to
practically every town of importance both
in Oregon and Washington. During the
day every rooming-house and cheap ho
tel was searched and every suspicious
looking character was taken to the po
lice station. Not an arrest, however, was
made.
The collar and necktie ' which were
found In Wolff's store, where they had
been left by the murderer, may prove
essential in fastening the crime on the
guilty man if he should be apprehended.
The collar carries a laundry mark which
was submitted to every laundry In the
city yesterday for purposes of identifi
cation. Clew Is Worthless.
Three laundrie.3 were found where the
same mark was employed and, although
the officers traced the number in each
instance to the particular patron so
listed, suspicion was not attached to any
of them and the authorities have been
unsuccessful altogether in profiting any
from the only clew left by the murderer.
No effort has been made to have the
necktie Identified, the trademark and the
name of the firm from which it was pur
chased having been removed.
Hold Another Theory.
Another theory of the murder is en
tertained by many who visited the
store and witnessed the disordered
condition of its Interior. They are tf
the opinion that the fiendish crime
may have been thje outcome of a quar
rel between Wolff and a customer,
either over the redemption of a
pledge or a misunderstanding over an
extension of time for payment. By
such persons It Is deemed possible that
the enraged borrower may have shot
at the money-lender, -who, dodging the
bullet, rushed into the rear room and
seined the ax, his only available
weapon of defense, since his revolver
was afterwards found, fully loaded,
hanging on a nail on the opposite side
of the store. "
Returning to the main storeroom,
Wolff, it is thought, may have met his
assailant, who overpowered him and
with the same ax felled the broker,
after having first shot him through
the neck. Then, it Is argued, the
prostrate body of Wolff was dragged
into the rear room.
Explains Ixng Stay.
This theory of the crime, it is al
leged, is further strengthened . from
FALLACIES Of SINGLE TAX
SAYS CONFISCATION IS ITS IN
TIMATE OBJECT.
General Thomas M. Anderson Criti
cises Henry George's "Prog
gress and Poverty."
PORTLAND, May 2. (To the Edi
tor.) The orators of the Oregon Tax
Reform Association are asserting that
the arguments of Henry George in fa
vor of a single tax on land valuations
cannot be answered. This is urged
more confidently because no one an
swered their statement in the refer
endum pamphlet.
It may seem presumptuous to answer
the unanswerable, yet I submit that
we may concede their statement of
facts and not admit their conclusions.
"Progress and Poverty" Is a great
book. It was written In excellent
temper and with a noble purpose. It
states with clearness the miseries re
sulting from existing economic condi
tions. It abounds with beautiful and
eloquent passages, yet it does not
prove, nor can it be proved, that all
the ills which flesh is heir to can be
cured by the specific of the single tax.
When Adam and Eve received their
donation land claim, thpy lost it be
cause they failed to pay the single tax
Imposed upon them. Since that famous
ejectment, their descendants have
been subject to but one economic tax
that they should make their living by
the sweat of their brow. But there
have been no exemptions in favor of
any form of labor. This planet of ours
is a paradise lost, but not as we are
told in "Progress . and Poverty," be
cause all. the miseries come from rent.
There are certain penalties Imposed
by a higher law on pride, luxury, envy,
anger, avarice, laziness and lust. Call
It eradicate these deadly sins? If not,
one will have to find some more po
tent exorcism than a land valuation
tax.
It is admitted by Henry George that
a communism of lands would not rem
edy economic evils. The equalizing
must be done by leveling down. That
must be done by taxing the thrifty for
the thriftless.
The ultimate object of the single
taxer is confiscation, or what amounts
to the same thing such a reconstruc
tion of our social system as will make
us all bid against each other for what
land we wish to hold. I acknowledge
this power of the people to confiscate
and reconstruct.
I pay taxes on several hundred acres
of land, but do not claim to own an acre
in absolute right. As a tenant at will I
pay a rent to the Government which it
calls a tax. If it is not nigh enough. It
the fact that the murderer is believed
to have remained in the store fully
two hours. That he should have re
mained "so long, it is reasoned, was
necessary in order for him to locate
the pledged jewelry over which the
dispute may have occurred. While
the robber was thus engaged it is ex
plained that Wolff probably revived
from the blow he first received, when
the desperate visitor again seized the
ax and silenced the merchant by beat
ing his face and head into an unrecog
nizable pulp.
Having added murder to the crime
of robbery, it is asserted that the
assassin, in order to give the affair
the semblance of a premeditated rob
bery, proceeded to steal the most val
uable jewelry in the "pledge" safe
and showcases.
One Man, Police Say.
The police refuse to accept this ex
planation of the crime as being plausi
ble, 'and .adhere io the belief that the
merchant was assassinated by one
man, whose motive, unquestionably,
was robbery.
The Inquest disclosed no additional
facts that could aid the police. Night
watchman Robinson told of visiting
Wolff's store three times between 6:45
and 9 o'clock, when the body qf the
broker was found In the rear room City
Physician Zeigler testified that the bul
let wound in Wolff's neck in
itself would not have proved fatal.
He said Wolff had been dead at
least two hours when the body was
discovered. A Chester Keel, a news
paper reporter, told of some measure
ments he had taken of the probable
course of the bullet that struck Wolff,
from which he had concluded that the
murderer must have been a man about
6 feet tall.
Members of the Jury.
Deputy District Attorney J. H. Stev
enson and Coroner Fipley questioned the
witnesses, and the verdict of murder by
persons unknown to the members of the
jury was signed by the following Jurors:
A. B. Stuart, William J-.. Higglns, P.
Murray, Adam Zorn, J. - M. Gilbert and
Patrick Holland.
Funeral services for the dead broker
will be conducted from Finley's chapel
at 2 o'clock this afternoon. Rabbi Wise
will officiate, and the services at the
grave will be private.
It was impossible for the police yes
terday to get any definite information
as to the actual amount of cash and
jewelry that Is missing from the store,
but the estimate of $1800, as published
yesterday morning, is considered rea
sonably accurate. The actual amount of
booty carried off cannot be determined
unt.il tomorrow, when relatives of the
deceased will make an inventory of the
stock.
Wolff's large stock of diamonds Is be
lieved to be intact, the safe In which
the gems were kept having been locked
at the time of the robbery. It has not
been opened.
is the fault of the assessment. The right
of eminent domain remains in the people.
The people give and the people can take
away blessed be the name of the people!
We have pretty strong evidence that
the people, or at least a large proportion
of them, do not want land. The pro
letariat in our cities cannot be Induced
to accept work In the country. They are
held in the cities by the cohesive force
of habit, laziness and sensuality. They
neither wish to buy or rent land on any
condition. And yet Mr. George tells us:
(P. & P. p403) "That the single tax will
raise wages. Increase the earnings of
capital, extirpate pauperism, abate pov
erty, give just remuneration to all, lessen
crime, elevate morals and purify govern
ment." But In refutation of his theory
that as rents rise, wages must fall,
wages have been steadily rising for a
hundred years, without the single tax.
Certainly, we will have "a paradise
regained" If we can abate all the evils
Mr. George enumerates.
But how came these evil land laws to
be made which have led to woes un
numbered? Not going beyond our con
tinent, history tells us that our first gov
ernment of the people and for the people
had more land than money. As it had
no money, it gave land for sen-ices ren
dered and sold it to obtain an urgently
needed revenue. It sold in good faith,
conveying a fee simple title to its vendees
and to their heirs and assigns forever.
We. the people, can take back thene
lands, but we would only have an equity
of redemption, unless we should proceed
upon the theory that might Is right. We
have the.arbitrary power to do this thing,
but can only find an assumed justification
in the socialistic theory that all value
comes from some one else's labor. But,
of that, anon!
Now, let me go back to squatter sov
ereignty and possessory rights. The gen
tleman adventurers who came to Virginia
with Newport proved inefficient colonists
and the Iohdon Company sent over 13
sets of mechanics, and among others
some shipwrights who were given land
for a shipyard at Gloucester Point. The
colony extended, and In time a mill was
needed on the Little Anna River, and a
grandson of one of the shipwrights was
given some land there to Induce him to
build and run a mill. Had these men been
told that the state would only lease them
land on the single tax theory would they
have been willing to brave the dangers
and hardships of frontier life?
The ragged continentals of the Virginia
line, after fighting through the War of
Independence, were given land in recog
nition of their services in Virginia mili
tary land districts. These lands were,
uncleared, 500 miles from the nearest set
tlements, and the occupants had to fight
the Indians to get possession. Was It
not right and Just that these men should
have the privileges to transmit their hard
earned lands to their children? Our
homestead and donation land laws have
made this Western country what It Is.
Who does not know how eagerly the
first settlers of Oregon awaited the time
when they could take advantage of these
laws? Was not the right to transmit
Total
OFFICERS
W. M. LADD, President.
EDWARD COOK1XGIIAM, Vice
President. W. H. DUNCKLEY, Cashier.
R. S. HOWARD, Jr., Asst. Cashier.
J. W. LADD, Assistant Cashier.
WALTER M. COOK, Asst. Cash'r.
their homes to their children a strong In
ducement for them to beautify and im
prove their homesteads? And what in
ducement can there be under. the single
tax rule, to make a home anything more
than comfortable and convenient? What
public Improvements would have been
made If the land value single tax method
had been put in operation 60 years ago?
What industrial corporation would have
accepted a lease-hold land grant? It
would be hard to estimate tne number
of colleges.' benevolent institutions and
works of public utility that have been
benefited by land grant appropriations.
If we carry out the single tax to its
legitimate results, we should Rive up
protective tariffs. Unquestionably it
would be better for us to have less
wealth and a fairer distribution. If
protection brings in its train the arro
gance and corruption of wealth, then
let us have free trade and direct taxa
tion; but not the injustice of a tribute
levied on one species of property.
- Let me go back to the fundamentals
of the proposition: In the Georgian
philosophy it is assumed that land is
the whole universe outside of man.
(P, & P. p. 32.) Is this true? "I. N.
R. I." are supposed to stand for fire,
water, earth and .air. Why should one
of these elements be made the subject
of taxation and not the others? Are
not light, heat and electricity salable
commodities? Why should you exempt
stocks and bonds when they represent
them in value, from taxation? And
shall we tax oil as land, and fisheries
as real estate value? Yet one of the
fundamentals laid down in "Progress
and Poverty" is the proposition: "That
representatives of exchange value, as
bonds, mortgages, promissory -notes,
bank bills and stipulations of transfer
are not wealth and should not be
taxed." This assumption is founded on
the proposition that land is the only
thing we can hold in common, and is
therefore the only thing which can be
equitably taxed. I do not see the logi
cal connection of this, nor the rele
vance of the other proposition that
land, labor and capital are the factors
of production. What has this political
platitude to do with releasing from
taxation the untold millions of con
structive wealth, or what Mr. Lawson
called the made dollar? Po not our
curbstone philosophers realize that all
FRIENDS HELP
St. Paul Park Incident.
"After drinking coffee for breakfast
I always felt languid and dull, having
no ambition to get to my morning duties.
Then in about an hour or so a we;
nervous derangement of the heart and
stomach would come over me with such
force would frequently have to lie dovn.
"At other times I had severe head
aches; stomach Anally became affected
and digestion so impaired that I had
serious chronic dyspepsia and constipa
tion. A lady, for many years State
President of the W. C. T. U., told me she
had been greatly benefited by quitting
coffee and using Postum Food Coffee ;
she was troubled for years with asthma.
She said it was no cross to quit coffee
when she found she could have as deli
cious an article as Postum.
"Another lady who had been troubled
with chronic dyspepsia for years, found
immediate relief on ceasing coffee and be
ginning Postum twice a day. She s
wholly cured. Still another friend told
me that Postum Food Coffee was a God
send to her, her heart trouble havi g
been relieved after leaving off coffee and
taking on Postum.
"So many such cases came to my no
tice that I concluded coffee was tne
cause of my trouble and I quit and took
up Postum. I am more than pleased to
say that my days of trouble have disap
peared. I am well and happy." "There's
a Reason." Read "The Road to Well
vllle," In pkgs.
F.ver read tbe above letter? A new
one appear from time to time. Tbrj
are ' srnuine, true, and full of bunion
Interest.
RESOURCES
Loans and Discounts
Overdrafts
Bonds and Stocks
Cash on Hand and Due from Banks.
Total $13,606,670.08
LIABILITIES
Capital Stock Fully Paid $1,000,000.00
Surplus and Undivided Profits 400,000.00
Demand Deposits $5,995,798.97
Time and Savings Deposits 6,201,029.90
Letters of Credit 9,841.21
$12,206,670.08
;
DIRECTORS
EDWARD COOKING1IAM
HENRY L. COR RETT
WILLIAM M. LADD
CHARLES E. LADD
J. WESLEY LVDD
S. B. L1NT1IICUM
FREDERIC B. PRATT
THEODORE B. WILCOX
INTEREST PAID ON TIME DEPOSITS AND SAV
INGS ACCOUNTS
Accounts of Banks, Firms, Corporations and Individ
uals solicited. We are prepared to furnish depositors
every facility consistent with good banking.
forms of Inflation by absorbing an
undue share of money, levies a heavy
tribute on all forms of Industry?
An attempt is made . to convert the
farmer to the single tax theory by
promising not to tax his betterments.
Intelligent farmers will pot object to
a fair assessment on their betterments,
provided all forms of wealth pay their
fair proportion of taxation. The value
of land and permanent improvements
upon it Is estimated at $55,000,000,000,
or about one-half of the aggregate
wealth of the country. Why should
the other half be exempt, unless by a
puzzle of words and figures it can be
given a land valuation?
But the most serious objection to the
single-tax proposition is that it elimi
nates land Inheritance. If this eco
nomic and social revolution Is neces
sary, the simplest remedy will be the
repeal of our statutes of descent and
distribution. But. before this Is under
taken, our single-tax theorists should
take warning and not rush in where
angels fear to tread.
THOMAS M. ANDERSON.
Goes East on Vacation.
Miss Mary Welsh, superintendent of
nurses for the Good Samaritan Hospital,
left yesterday for the East on a trip
which will probably occupy the entire
Summer. During her absence she will
visit New York and other Eastern cities,
besides the larger seaside resorts. She
will go via San Francisco, where as a
delegate from Portland dhe will attend
the National Convention of Nurses.
Revolution In Peru.
RIO DE JANEIRO, May 2. News has
been received here by telegraph from
the West t'oast of a revolutionary out-
WHAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW
The STANDARD TRUST CO.
is now ready for business in its offices in the Chamber of Commerce
building, Stark-street entrance, No. 203-267.
Transacts a General Trust Company Business
Acts as trustee under mortgages, tru.st deeds and in all fiduciary
capacities and prepares papers therefor.
Certification of bond issues by this corporation assures protection
to the public and investors and increases the market value of bonds.
It offers an absolutely safe investment in
Gold Coupon Real Estate Certificates
based on Portland Business Property, in units of $25.00, drawing 4
per cent interest annually, payable every six months and cashable
under contract; in addition, they participate in the profits. Principal
and interest absolutely safe.
It deals in gilt-edge bonds.
THE BANKING DEPARTMENT
will be ready for business in the near future just as soon as its safes
and literature are ready.
OFFICERS
Vm. H. Garland, President. H. P. Davidson, Loans.
I. W. Lane, First Vice-President. K. L. DeKeater, Cashier.
A. J. Dillon, Second Vice-Pres't. C. M. Scherer, Tru.st Officer.
John B. Moon, Secretary. A. E. Clark, Counselor.
$-1,434,518.27
2,431.51
5,419,621.63
3,750,098.67
; . .$13,603,670.08
break in Peru. The movement ia said
to have started at the town of Choslca,
near Lima. The revolutionists, under the
command of Augusto Duran, cut the
wires that carry the current for the elec
tric, lighting of Peru and they also took
possession of a railroad train. Govern
ment troops were at once sent out
against them, but dispatches do not give
the outcome. There was said to be much
excitement at Lima.
MUTUAL ItKSEIlVE IHSSOLVKJt
Its Policyholders In Oregon and
Washington Organizing Loeul
Company.
The leading insurance journals publish
the statement that the Mutual Reserve
Life has been formally dissolved by the
Federal Receivers, and that the State
Receivers will fight for the spoils. The
Oregun and Washington policyholders will
form a company here and keep their
money at home.
Western business men will no longer
patronize Eastern financial Institutions
as they have in the past, because they
realize now more than ever that this Im
mense outgo of money from our state
constitutes a tremendous drain upon the
financial strength of our section. I did
what I could In the last ten years to help
the new management put the company
upon a solvent basis, but the mistakes
of the early history were too great to
be remedied. All assessment Institutions
must come to the same end. because of
a financial error In the rates charged.
MARK T. KADY.
Raphael considered that a meat diet was
5" "J??, vrBVVlinh ! anS
ralBtnn, with brwart. ,
i