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About The morning Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1899-1930 | View Entire Issue (April 25, 1905)
k . ... ' ,'. C ' . . ; T 41 ft , mm 'UlUtHft rUU. AtSOOIATID PRMtZMPORT OOVCR THE MORNING FIELD ON THE LOWER COLUMBIA VOLUME LVIV. NO. 15 ASTORIA, OREGON. TUESDAY, APRIL 25. 1905. PRICE FIVE CENTS AN EMBEZZLER Frank Bigelow ofMilwau kcc Arrested. CONFESSES TO CRIME Admits That He Is a Defaulter in Sum of Nearly a Million and a Half. REMOVED FROM PRESIDENCY Bigtlow Wa President of the First National Bank of Milwaukee ana Confesses That Ha Loit tho Money In Speculating In Stook and WhaaL Milwaukee. April 24.-Frank 0. Ulge low, until today president of the First Nullonnl bank of Milwaukee, waa ar rested today, charged wlih embexxle ment of over 1109,000 of the bank's fund The arrest of BlgeUiw followed hl ronfesiiluii 1o the board of director of the hntik llwt he was a defaulter t the, extent of 11,450,000. Following ltlglow'a muff-union he was removed from the presidency of th bunk and the facta at once laid before the fed eral authorities. The complaint waa worn to by I'nlted Htates Plwtrlit Atorney Hutter flfld.. It charge Frank O. Ulgelow. na ' president' of the First Nutlonal bunk, hue embessled a sum of nmniy exceeding llOO.fWio. The complaint and warrant ere Identical with those In the tllgelow case made oit for Henry II. CIoll, assistant bank fcashler, but Ooll baa not been found up to 7 o'clock tonight. Ulgelow wus taken before Unte. Stale Commissioner Hluo.lKOod to. night.' He waived a hearing and waa held to tho federal grand Jury undei 115.000 bonds, pr. Horace M. Iirown and Arthur MrGnoch certlllid as sure ties and Blgetow was released. The next federal grand Jury has not been summoned but vls expected to meet some time this monih. Ulgelow' confession was made at n special meeting of the bourd of direc tors Saturday evening and continued yesterday and all last night. In ad dressing his fellow directors lllgelow said he had a painful statement to moke; a confession that he had mis directed the funds of the bank and an examination of his books and n, com parison of flguri-s would show that he wns indebted to the bonk to the amount of over $1,450,000. This money, he said, had been lost In speculation In wheat and Blocks. Not a dollar of ' It. could be recovered and the only aum he could offer toward recompensing the bank were personal securities valued approximately at $309,000. The confession of Blgelow astounded the bank directors. Blgel&W was rec ognlxeJ as one of the foremost finan ciers for many years. He had been as sociated with the First National bonk In various capacities for morethan 18 years and his business connections with trust companies, manufacturing concerns, real estate deals and other similar ventures numbered scores. He was honored a year ago by the election to the presidency of the American Hankers' Association. In making the statement to the di rectors of the bank, Ulgelow Bald, he bad been Involved In speclatlng sev eral months ago. This was inWall street. Later he had been a persist ent bull In the wheat market end his recent losses there had added to heavy reverses on Wall street. From small manipulation of bank funds he had extended his defalcations until his ' shortage hud reuched Its present Btage. He saw no opportunity or possibility to make up the amount and, therefore, confessed. ' It Is stated that at the meeting of the directors, which waa almost continu ous for 36 hours that it was stormy at times, Several plans were 'suggested for protecting the interests of the bank. One was to accept the resigna tion of the president and permit him to go to Europe and the directors make good the shortage. This 'would ef fectually protect the bonk, The pro posul met with a determined opposition from the directors who demanded that tht defaulter be punished. The plan to makV up th ahortable waa ap proved and Ulgelow removed from the presidency of the bank and referred to the federal authorities. ADD KIOELOW .. .. Blgelow Is left a poor man by specu lations and ho surrendered his se curities to the bank. At on time he waa rated as a millionaire and this for tune ia lost ft well as the sum taXeti from the bank. HU total losses In speculations of various kinds In two years la estimated at more than 13,000. 000. He hat a magnificent home on Astor street, and his family la on of the most prominent socially In this city. Tho board of directors late today Issued a alatement declaring the bank absolutely solvent. They announce that Ulgelow andttls associates will be prosetutod to the full extent of the law. SHOUTING IN TEXAS. aMMsshie Three Men Killed at a Loeal Option Mate Meeting. Hempstead, Texos., April t4,r-Con- re. man John M. rickney and three other men were killed at a mass meet ing here tonight, called for the pur pose of petitioning the governor to send rangers ber to enforce the local option law. A relative of J. N. Drown, a leading lawyer and leading anti-pro-hlbltlonlnt, It Is suld began the shoot ing which became general In an In stant. The dead are: j. x. nnowN. ... CONttUKSHMAN J, M. PICK N BY. JOHN E. MILLS, a prominent farmer. TOM riCKNET, a brother of the con- grcssmnn. fttx. Tbompklns, private secretary of Congressman Pickney, and Rollln it , . . ' ' : ji- L Knian--i- liuiririm jniia Rrown, Botj, of J. N. Brown, are badly wounded, but hbw seriously cannot be learned. Many armed men are on the streets tonight but it Is not be lieved there will be any more trouble. The governor haa been notified and will send rangers here. When the trouble began Tompkins was making a speech. Brown had the floor. He used language which was objected to and at the aame time grasped Thompklns by the coati Congressmen Pickney sprang forward and the shooting be gan. - No one appears to know who fired the first shot, though it is said that a kinsman of Brown fired and Congressman Pickney; was the'i first to fall. A number of men appeared to have been engaged In the shooting and something like 100 shots were fired. CRUISER RALEIGH AT CAVITE. Sent to Protect Philippines from Rus sian Squadron, Washington, April 24. The United ..States cruder Rulelgh, which some days ago sailed from Labuan, Borneo for Cuyos islands In the Philippines, has arrived at Cavltv, according to a cable report to the navy department. It is assumed here that the Raleigh's captain had reason to believe that some ships of hostile fleets might en ter the Philippine waters in the, vlcin-, lty of Cuyos island. The navy department haa been ad vised that the gunboat Vlllaloboi soiled from Shanghai for a cruise. While not 'stated In what direction the vessel has gone, it is believed her mis- slon la to observe the movements of hostile fleets In the event that they turn toward Philippine waters. COURT HOUSE CASE DECIDED The Oregon Supreme Court Has Reversed Judge McBride's Decision. THE LEGISLATIVE ACT Constitutional Prohibition Forbidding Counties to Contract Indebt edness in excess of $5,000 Upheld by the Court. PERNICIOUS EFFECT OF A The Court House Will Be Built, Provided th Next County Court la of the ,8sme Opinion as the Present One, as There isNto Ooubt it Meets With the Approval of the Largest Taxpayers, and Is an Absolute Necessity for the Growing Needs of the County, Salem, Ore.,, April 24. The supreme court of Oregon hanjed down an opin ion today in the ClaUop county court house case In which It reverses an opinion rendered by Judge McBrlJe at the February term of court. The,de- ctnlon Is In effect a construction of section 10 of article XL of the coiwtl tutlon of the state which provide; "No county shall create any debta or . , i. ' , it I -4: I, : I'V - rial 'i r 'i - a y. ,''. THE PROPOSED CLATSOP COUNTY COURT HOUSE. liabilities which shall singly or In the aggregate exceed the sum of $5000, ex cept to suppress insurrection or re pell Invasion." The decision was In the case of A. Urlx et a vs. Clatsop county on ap peal from Clatsop county, to restrain the county from letting a contract for building a court house and levying a special tax for the same. The opinion was dcllverel by Judge Bean and is a construction of an act of the legis lative assembly authorizing Clatsop county to levy a special tax running through a series of years fur the pur pose of building a court house. The opinion states that the act was de signed to enable the county to avoid the constitutional prohibition, andxthat a contract to pay a special or certain sura of money, although to be col lected by an annual tax In the future ia creating an indebtedness contrary to the provisions of the constitution, and therefore void. The act of the legislature referred to is aa follows: "The county court of Clatsop county Is hefeby authorlxed and empowered, at its January term, A. D. 1905, to levy a special tax upon all the taxable prop erty In said county, not to exceed 6 mills on the dollar, for the purpose of constructing, erecting, completing and furnishing a court house in said county to be continued thereafter through such a series of years as the said county court shall order at sold term. That the order of said county court) levying such tax s)iall be spread at large upon the Journal of the court and shall specify plainly: (1) the amount of such yearly levy; (2) the' number of years the same shall run, and the last year the same shall IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL MOSSBACK CONSTITUTION be collectable, and (3) the purpose foi which said tax shall be levied. That thereupon, and without any further order, to be made thereafter by such county court, euch levy shall be held to be good, valid and existing levy, and the tax thereafter shall be col. lectcd each and every year thereafter for and during the series of years which the same shall be levied by said Lil I hi Ik 3 i 4 -; ! -..?mmmmmmwt court at said term, in the same man ner that all taxes are collected, but ail moneys collected thereon shall be kept separate and deposited with the county treasurer, at the same time and In the same manner that all taxes are by law required to be paid to and deposited with the county treasurer, and the same shall be by such treasurer saf;ly kept In a separate fund to be known and designated aa the "court house fund." That it shall not be necessary at any subsequent term of said court, or at any subsequent term thereof when taxes are by law required to be or shall be levied, to again levy said spe clal tax, but the same shall continue a good, valid and existing levy from the date thereof, and during each year thereafter until the full aeries of years designated by eald court at said term In January, 1S05, shall have expired, without any further order In the pre mises and the same shall be collected accordingly" The above la the part of the act which the supreme court holds uncon stitutional and in direct conflict with the constitution of the state. There Is no question but the act was framed to get around the constitutional prohibi tion, being the only way In which the county could enter Into a contract for the completion of ' the court house without waiting until the entire tax levy could be . collected, which under the present low assessment of prop erty In the county would require about 15 years. If the property of the coun ty were assessed at Its actual cash value, as the law requires shall be done, but which ,1s not observed, suffi cient money could be raised within three years to build the court house. The constitution of the state of Ore gon was adopted September 18, 1857, nearly 0 years ago. and might hav been sufficient for a young state with about 20,000 population, but It has out grown the old mossback Instrument, which ha retarded the growth and prosperity of the state and placed it behind Its sister atafe of Washing ton and In Ave year will be behind Idaho. ' Several attempt have been made to have a new constitution com mes urate with the growing needs of the state, but It has been opposed by the Oregonlan and cow county repre sentatives In the legislature. County Judge Trent-hard was seen yesterday and asked what the county expected to do for a court house. He stated that it waa a title early, to map out any definite plan of action, but pre sumed that the county would have to wait .until the annual taxes could be levied and. collected and a sufficient sum realized to complete the court house. The county may pcmibly have to lease a building for court house purposes, as it Is impossible to fix up the present old shack, and impossible itr use It for any length of time. . Several large property owners were interviewed end all expressed regret at the decision of the supreme court. If there was the same amount of en terprise in Astoria aa obtains in Seat tle, there could be sufficient money raised in one week by subscription to build the court house. One promi nent gentleman has suggested the or ganisation of a joint stock company, with sufficient capital to complete the court house under the contract here tofore made, and wait until the taxes are paid in for reimbursement Whetn er there are sufficient enterprising cit izens In Astoria to do this is not known, but the citizens and tax pay ers ought to hold a meeting and de vise ways and means for completing the court house this year. There Is no doubt the county court would be willing to pay 6 per cent interest on h":;:r1 fi'i t.fi l iii:- the money advanced. It is to be hoped that the citizens will come forward and show the same energy and determ ination as exists in other cities and towna. v - - SNOW IN COLORADO. Two Feet of Snow Falls In Twenty Four Hour. Trinidad, April 24. Two feet of wet, heavy snow cover thl section and the Indications tonigth are that the storm Is not yet over, a the weather Is still treatening. Purgator river, which over flowed it banks last fall and caused damage to the Santa Fe road of half a million dollars, Is raising rapidly and grave fear are entertained that the devastation will be repeated , Owing to the destruction of the- wat er mains supplying Trinidad, the busi ness section of the city is entirely without water. The mains cannot be repaired until the river recedes. LOTTERIES SUPPRESSED. Mexican and Honduras Lotteries Raid ed by Officer. San Francisco, April 24. Acting, under Instructions from Washington, the federal authorities today began what U declared to be an active com- palgn against lottery companies. Officers connected with the United State marshal's offlcefl secret service and postoffice officials, raided the local agencte of the Honduraa and Mexican lotteries and surprised the employe in the act of handling a large quantity of ticket. A large amount of paper and package were also necured aa evi dence. A number of employe were arrested. U SINNERS Sermon By Rockerfeller's Pastor. SCORES MILLIONAIRES More Time Given to Drawing Room Politeness Than to Christianity. ' ' CARD PARTIES AND CHURCHES Fashionable Women Go to Card Par ties in the Afternoon and Theater in th Evening and Churches to 8how Stylish Garments and Create Talk. Clevelanj, April 24. The most hope less people in Cleveland are the mil lionaire. They are sending their son and daughter to perdition. They rear a boy, send him to the dancing master; be learn how to enter the drawing room properly, and how to aay empty things properly, and he 1 lost This Is the most appallng spectacle in tho world, declared the Rev. Charles A Eaton, pastor of the Rockefeller Euclid Baptist church, at the noon meeting for men, yesterday. The theological seminaries, he' con tinued, are complaining that they can not get students. Tears ago mother, knowing that they were to have chil dren, prayed to God that they might be boys and that they might be preach ers of Christ's gospel. Can you con ceive of a modern mother making that prayer? - If the parent have ordinary mean. the mother now goe to card parties in the afternoon, the mother and fath er go to the theater at night, and In the morning the' father wakes up with a scheme to skin hi neighbor. The nurse takes care of the children all day. The son of modern wealthy pa rents is a fool you may gave him a million dollars and an automobile and . he Is a fool still. With ten millions he is a consumate fool, and with SO millions he a fool described by an adju tlve I am not allowed to use. All over Cleveland there are home with fine servants, fine furniture and the members wear fine clothes, but there are no souls. Father, mother sons and daughters with no soul. There is nothing In these houses. They are working to crucify themselves. Oh, my God! Somebody has got to do the work. SUITS FOR DAMAGES. Colorado Mining Companies Sue We-t ern Federation of Miner. Denver, April 24. Suit for Jam ages aggregating $1,000,000 were filed in the ' state and federal courts by the United States Reduction & Refining Company and a number of Cripple Creek mining companies against the Western Federation of Miners and its officers! The complaints all charge that the defendants, with unlawfully conspiring to injure plaintiffs, prevent ed their mining and shipping of ore. DECLINE IN WHEAT. Big Break In the Chicago Wheat Mar ket Reported. ' Chicago, April 24. Wheat for May delivery sold down to 92 cents a bushel, a decrease of 7H cent, com pared with Saturday's closing quota tions. At the close the market rallied to 93 cents. The sensational decline today, fol lowing the big break of last week, re sulted in a general liquidation, partici pated in by John W. Gates, the erst while bull leader. Millions of bushel of May wheat changed hands , and ownership during the day exciting session.- At the close of trading, it Is claimed by close observer that all the enormous line held by the Wall street clique had been liquidated. The mar ket steadied late in the day on im proved demand, Armour & Co. being credited with heavy purchase of both May and July option.