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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (June 24, 1903)
COUNTY TAX CASES '', THE LATEST MARKETS p UP-TO-DATE SPORTS 'tt: i 'V THE. OREGON " vf&Sji WBATMXB.. ''v jft Mjn Tonight and -Thursday,, showers; ... fcftaf southerly winds. . . g8 VOL. .11. NO. 01. PORTLAND, OREGON. WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE 24, 1903. PRICE FIVE CENTS. L OREGON IS URGED TO ASSIST IN1 WORK ADVERTISING LEWIS AND OLARK EXPOSITION AL k OF The improvement of Portland's streets is a long step toward putting the city in proper condition for the Lewis and Clark Fain The next step to be taken is the erection of hotels. The time growing short and enterprising citizens should see that this is not neglected too long. Portland will make but a sorry impression upon her visitors if they cannot find comfortable accommodations during their stay. 4! COUNTY 5CANDAL IS NOW UP TO CAKE AND EX-SHERIFF FRAZIER -v i i i . uunng tne i-ormers incumoency system atic Grafting Was Permitted in Mat ter of Transportation of the Insane. Two of Beneficiaries Were Deputies Frazier's Office and Advice of the District Attorney Was Ignored. in DISMISSED POSTOFFICE SUPERINTENDENT William M. Cake, former County Judge of Multnomah County., and . William Frailer, former Sheriff of the coAifcty, are among the ex-officials whoae acts wilt coma under close scrutiny before' the present Investigation is concluded. Both Cake and Fraaier were Identified with the Mitchell wing of the Republican party in this county, and as that faction is still m power its Influence- has been expected tp shield them from unpleasant Inquiry. Those who are conducting the Investigation declare, however, that will be absolutely Impartial and un biased by either personal or political considerations. This assurance gives ground for the belief that both Mr. Cake and Mr. Frailer will' be called upon (tv explain some extremely questionable transactions which occurred during their terms of office. Mow far Judge Oaks was responsible for the notorious "tax settlements" which ars bow under review by the county board is yet to be established. It baa been asserted that ha was praotH cally In sola charge of the business or compromising the county's claims fer taxes nd that bis colleague on us eeonty board wars guided throughout by bis advice, but this h denies, n appears certain, however, that in other casts expenditures of county funds were made with Judge Cake's offloiai sane tion, which were clearly unwarranted, If not Illegal. Mr. Trailer or deputies In his employ were the beneficiaries of these expenditures, which are strongly suggestive of a oollusive understanding between the county conn ana us Sheriff's offloe. The full extent of these unwarranted expenditures cannot be known until the pert now "Hi wvrii vii me vuuuiy :ord has completed his labors, but an maepenueni. examination pi nigs iu light some matters that will demand ex planation.' ' THE OrriCXAZ. RBCODS SHOW THAT DURING JTXDOB CAKE'S IW- ctntsExrcY of the couwty bench SYSTEMATIC) GRAFTING WAS FBAC TX8EO IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSFORATION OF INSANE FER- SONS TO THE STATE ASTXTTM, THAT THE ATTENTION Or JUDGE CAKE WAS FORMALLY CALLED TO THE MATTER BY THE DISTRICT AT TORNEY, WITH THE SUGGESTION THAT STEFS BE TAKEN TO RE COVER THE MONEY THUS LOST TO THE COUNTY, AND THAT THE SUG GESTION WAS DISREGARDED. XT ALSO AFFEAXS THAT THE BENE FICIARIES OF THIS GRAFT WERE TWO DEFUTIES IN , SHERIFF F RASTER'S OFFICE (ONE OF THEM BEING HIS SON) AND THAT JUDGE CAKE, FOR A FERIOD OF THREE YEARS OR MORE, APPROVED THE EXPENDITURES BY WHICH TUT OFITED, DESPITE THE CLEAR ROYX8ION OF THE LAW WHICH WOULD HAVE ENABLED HIM TO SAVE THE MONEY TO THE COUNTY. Tho records show the direct payment of $100 to Sheriff Frazler out of county funds, by order of the County Court, for services which the law specifically di rects that he shall perform without any compensation other than his salary, It would have been Just as legal for Judge Cake to have thrown tho money Into the Willamette. In how many other Instances illegal payments were simi larly made can be determined only when the expert has completed his investiga tion. , Grafting Cost County $1,470. The grafting which was practised In connection with the transportation of the insane to the state asylum was con tinued far a period of over three years and was the subject of a special In vestigation by the grand Jury1. But for the complaisance of Judge Cake it could never have occurred, and It cost the county, according to the grand jury's . i . i inn . Under the law relating t the In stfne, the state pays" the expenses of transporting them to the state asylum. Including a per diem of $3 to the person appointed by the County Court to con vey tnem there. The law expressly pro- vldes that In counties of more than 60, 000 population, if the Sheriff be desig nated by the court to convey any Insane person to the asylum the per diem al lowed him by the state shall be turned over by him to the county and shall go into the County Treasury. All that the Sheriff is allowed to retain In such cases is the actual amount of his expenses while conveying tha patient to Salem and returning. Under the Jaw, therefore,, it was in the bower of the County Court or Mult homah County to designate, the Sheriff to convey all persons adjudged insane to Salem, and in every such case the county would have received the sum of 13. per day for each day that the Sheriff was so engaged. ' On tbe other hand, if tha court designated any private in dividual to convey the patients, such individual would be entitled to receive and retain the per diem. '6waJe""StoddIh.'-"" From the time when Judge Cake took office in July, 1901, he uniformly pur sued the course, for three years, of ap pointing persons other than the Sheriff to transport Insane persons to Salem. From July 1, 1898, to June 8, 1901, the number of patients so con veyed was 246, and the number of per sons appointed by Judge Cake to trans port them was 291. Through some bar rain or understanding to which Judge Cake was apparently a party, practically all per diem allowed by the state went into the pockets of Charles R. Frazler and James Stott, who Were deputies under Sheriff Frasler. Stott is now chief deputy under the present Sheriff. During the first ten months of his term it was Judge Cake's practice to appoint one of the deputy sheriffs to convey In sane patients to the asylum, but in April, 1899, the Attorney-General ren dered an opinion that deputy sheriffs so employed must turn Into the county treasury' the per diem received from the state. The effect of this decision was to compel the grafters to mask their operations, and thereafter one Bob Thompson, an employe in the customs office, was usually designated to act for them. Thompson's family lived in Sa lem and he was always ready to escort an Insane patient to the asylum in con sideration of receiving his railroad fare and expenses, turning the per diem over Frazler and Stott. Judge Cake was obligingly ready to appoint Thompson whenever desired. Grand Jury's Findings. The operations of the grafters were brought to the attention of the grand jury in June, 1901, and a thorough in vestlgatlon was made. As a result the grand jury addressed a letter to Oeorge E. Chamberlain, then District Attorney setting forth the following facts: "From tho first day of July, 1898, un til about the 26th day of April, 1899, Hon. W. M. Cake, County Judge, (Com mitted to the Insane asylum 78 persons, and in nearly every instance designated a deputy sheriff as the person to eonvey the patient to the asylum. The deputies conveying the patients left Portland on the evening train for Salem, returning on the early train the next morning. For this service In each In stance a claim was presented to the Sec retary of State by the deputy conveying the patient as follows: ; Per diem, two days at $3 ......... 6.00 Railroad fare, for officer ...... 3.16 Railroad fare for patient ....... 2.16 Carriage hire, Portland. 2.00 Carriage hire, Salem i 2.60 Expenses of officer at Salem .... 1.60 by the Attorney-General, already men tioned,, which interrupted this open graft, and the communication con tinues: . Grafters Resorted to Evasion. "After this decision by the Attorney General, and 1n Ordef to avoid its effect, the method of conveyance was changed, and the County Judge from that time on to and until the 8th day of June, 1901; designated in the commitment some person who was not a deputy sheriff; the claim against the state for the ser vices was made out in the name of such person, then' usually assigned by such person to. one Busey, a hack-driver at Salem, the money collected by him, re mitted to Charles K. Fraxler, who paid the actual expense of the person con veying the jjat lent, and divided the sur plus between himself and James Stott, both deputy sheriffs. The person most frequently designated by . the County Judge and who conveyed the greatest number of patients from April 26, 1898. to Jne 8, 1901, was a person doing business in Portland (Bob Thompson) but whose family lived In Salem, and all he got for his service was his actual fare to and from Salem to visit his family, and whatever sum he might oc casionally have to spend en route to keep his patients quiet." THE REPORT FURTHER RECITES THAT OF THB 891 PERSONS AP POINTED IN THREE YEARS BY JUDGE CAKE TO CONVEY INSANE PATIENTS TO SALEM, "842 WERE DEPUTY SHERIFFS OR PERSONS MOST GENERALLY ACTING UNDER THE ARRANGEMENT MENTIONED BY WHICH THE MONEY RECEIVED OVER AND ABOVE ACTUAL EX PENSES WAS DIVIDED BETWEEN CHARLES R. FRAZIER AND JAMES STOTT, DEPUTY SHERIFFS." Facts War Confessed. mis exiraorainary narration con cludes with this significant statement "There was no dispute before ths rraud jury as to the facts herein set forth. Mr. Charles B. Fraaier himself stated tho whole arrangement as to the division or tho money as hereinbefore stated." In conclusion, the grand jury ob served: "We submit these matters to vou. feel ing that the best interests of the county nave noi c-een suDserved by the Count v Judge in falling to designate the sheriff or the county as the person to carry the Insane to the asylum; nor by Deputy nnertirs unaries H. Frazler and James Stott in not accounting to the county for the' moneys received by them over and above the actual expenses of con veyance." If these officers had pursued the course Indicated the county would have received from the state $1,470, whereas it actually received nothing, and the grand jury, recommended that suit be brought to recover the money. Acting upon this suggestion. District Attorney Chamberlain appeared before the County Court to suggest appropri ate action. Such scant attention was accorded him by Judge Cake that Mr. Chamberlain resorted to a written com munication addressed to the Countv Court, in which he again suggested that suit be brought against Sheriff Frazler to recover the moneys lost to the county. He set forth at length the findings of tfMf ! ' l"t iHJ .""5 i ,.1 MUH it f n 1 f 1 n fi 1, ffflW h6 Ij ?iiA m ! t ''Hi; 4 i I J J f f 'hi L- 8 w,wi , ii'u v 1'. ' i'?ifwps, si, r 17 FEW HAVE HEARD OF THE PROJECT Telegrams Sent to All Parts of the Country Bring Forth Some Significant Replies that Should Arouse All to Action. v Benefits that Must Accrue from Publicity Should1 Be Sought at Early Stage, Says an Ex pert Who Helped Boom St, Louis, Postofflce officials declare the Intention of the department to prosecute to the bitter end the case against August W. Machen, the dismissed Superintend ent of Free Deliveries. Now that President Roosevelt has taken a personal hand in clearing the grave sensational postofflce scandals,. It . is expected that startling details will be brought to light In Mr. Machen's forthcoming trial. Now Is the time to start advertising the Lewis and Clark Exposition. The St. Louis Exposition commenced to let the people of the country at large know that they were going to have something worth seeing three years before the date set for the Expo sition. Portland and Oregon must be gin hammering away at the doors of publicity from now on and for reasons that are obvious to all men of busi ness. "Expositions are not of so rnuch value to communities In which they are held," said a well-known St. Louis writer, "but for the benefits that ac crue from the constant advertising of the undertaking prior to its consum mation. In the space of time Interven ing between the origination' of the scheme and the date of the opening of ths fair a state . and city la offered great opportunity to tell of all that it has undertaken, and as the press bu reaus and local newspapers bring the matter, to'publie attention from day to day the fact that a fair is to be held at a certain place is slowly but surely impressed upon the public mind." wXtiand has no time to lose in ad vertising the Fair. Months of .work are required to let the people of other States than Oregon know what is being done here. The colonists who would be attracted will not begin to make up their minds to come this way until next season and If the advertising of the Fair Is put off much longer a whole year of opportunity to bring settlers here wilt be lost. Portland should understand that the Lewis and Clark project Is scarcely ever mentioned outside of Oregon and few people In other cities of the coun try know that there is such a fair about to be prepared for. That some idea of the lack of knowl edge outsiders have of the Fair, and with the object of giving the scheme some publicity The Journal wired its correspondents In various cities of the East, West and Middle West thus: "Find out by Inquiry in business circles and among all classes, selecting persons to be interviewed at random." whether they have ever heard that a Lewis and Clark Centennial is to bo held in Portland in 1905, and that', already $1,000,000 has been appropri ated to make it a success." Here are some of the answers: Philadelphia. June 21. Never heard of the Fair hero. New York, June 23. One or two busi ness houses doing business with Oregon have heard of it, but the people have no recollection of having read anything about Fair. Kansas City, Juno 2S. No one hero has heard of the Lewis and Clark Fair. Salt Lake, Utah, June 23. State of. ficials know of it; no one else. Butte. June 23 A few travelers know about Fair. 8.t. Louis, June 23. Too busy with our own fair. Don't 'think- it Is ver ' talked of, but St. Louis will help you. St Paul, June 2S.--Nothlng known of It here. . Chicago, June 23. No. Send out somo advertising. Never heard of it New Orleans. June 23. Very ltttlo known of the Northwest here. , San Francisco, June 23. Never men tioned since legislative appropriation briefly told about in papers. Los Angeles, June 23. Some of tho business firms have been told about Exposition. Tucson, Ariz., June 23. Never heard of it in Tucson. r This Is a very poor showing for tha Fair, but it is well for the people to know these things and for1 all to put their Shoulders to the wheel and shout for the Exposition. To each of tho cities mentioned in the dispatches Tho Journal has sent , information about tho Fair through its own correspondents with the request that tho data be fur nished the Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade and tho newspapers. , . the grand Jury and enclosed a complaint against the sheriff, requesting that It be verified by the County Clerk so that suit might be brought at once. Cako Refused to Act. This letter was unanswered for a num ber of weeks, but finally, on December 18, 1901, Judge Cake wrote in reply, curtly saying: "There was no action taken In the matter, except that it was deemed unad- vlsable to Institute a suit against the sheriff for money which he has never received." THAT ENDED THE MATTER. TV IS NOT STRANGE THAT JUDGE CAKE DEEMED IT "UN ADVISABLE" TO PURSUE ANY FURTHER THE IN VESTIGATION OF THB GRAFTING; WHICH HE HAD PERMITTED. Btu there was another ease in which the sheriff himself, and not his deputies, was the direct beneficiary of Judge Cake's bounty, a bounty which was al ways unstinted when he was dispensing the taxpayers' money. In March, 1902, Sheriff Frazler pre sented to the County Court a bill for $100, "for executing the death warrant upon Joseph Ewing and B. H. Dalton." In other counties in this state the sheriff Is allowed certain fees, among them a fee of $50 for each execution of the death sentence, but the law- fixing the compensation of officials of Multno mah County explicitly provides that the sheriff shall receive no fees and no com pensation save his salary of $4,600. Any other charge for performing his duties was therefore clearly Illegal. Never theless Sheriff Fraaier, whose record bristles with evidences that he was in office "for all there was In it," saw an opportunity to make $100, and he presented his demand. V The county records show that on March 6. 1902, the demand was ap proved by Judge W. M. Cake and Com missioners Mack and Showers. It was passed by the County Auditor, W. H. Pope, and paid. I Even If Commissioners MacK ana WEALTHY OLD LADY FOUND DEAD BY BED Showers were unaware that the demand was an. illegal one, the plea of Ignorance cannot be advanced by Judge Cake. In this case, as well as in that of the graft ing, already related, he must be pre cumed to have. known the law. In both na una 4Via to vr-n vara a t a ff apaH In r plaP that judge cakes political associates Had Evidently Been Dead at the expense of the public. SHOT TWO MEN THEN MAKES HIS ESCAPE Month Old Servant Dis covers Her. A Game of Cards in Kentucky Results in hatal Quarrel at Caney. (Journal Special Service.)' WEST LIBERTY, Ky June 24. Dave Purcell shot and killed Mack Nickell and Gordon Wells In a dispute over a game, of cards near Caney this morning. He escaped but officers are pursuing him. All the men had been drinking at the time of the tragedy, but It is not thought Purcell will make any fight after ho sobers up. The parties are well known In tho community, which is about divided over the fatality. (Journal Special Service.) SAN FRANCISCO, June 24. Mrs. Emma K. Lorlng, an aged widow, and very feeble, with considerable means but very eccentric, has been living In her home on Sacramento street or months. She was found lying on the floor this morning beside her bed and had evidently been dead a month. William Martin, colored, of Oakland, who had done work for her occasionally, brought some nowers ana rruit as a present to the old lady this morning and was unable, to gain admittance to the house. He saw a light in the kitchen and suspected that all was not right. He called a policeman. Bank bonks and Jewelry show that Mrs. Lor lng was well off. She was 70 years of age and a widow of D. Lorlng, formerly of New York. TWO PEOPLE KILLED IN KANSAS WRECK CHERRYVALE, Kan., June 24. By the derailing of a passenger train on tho 'Frisco system near here this morn ing two people were killed and several injured. Total . r.. ....... $17.80 "The amount was- sometimes a little less, when no carriage was charged for this end of tho line, ana was sometimes at a little' larger. when. In addition to the officer, a separate guard was required to safely convey the patient ; These claims were audited anJ allowed by tho Secretary - of State s,nd the money was paid to and received by tho persons, con veying ths patients, and no part thereof was ever paid to ths county, the deputies claiming that Inasmuch as they were acting after office hours, they were during that time not officers, and were entitled to retain this money on their own account" The .report' then recites tho decision NO GRAFTER WILL BE SPARED The expose by The Journal of the abuse of office, that has occurred in former years in Portland is only the preliminary step in an extensive investigation of the methods of misconducting the affairs of Multnomah County and of the City of Portland. A good deal of old ground has to be gone over, for the reason -that while the tax ' payers were being given the worst of it by officials, there was'iio newspaper that dared tell the truth 'about their ' actions, probably fearing to step on the toes of "prominent citizens." The Journal will pursue Its course of showing up the work of grafters in municipal and county affairs, regard less of whom it may hurt. The rascal who poses in the guise of a "prominent "'citizen" is a dangerous person to be at large In a community. ' The Journal feels confident that right 'thinking people will stand by it in its effort to rid the county and Portland of the set of political mountebanks that have brought it to its present condition of poor municipal service and a looted county treasury. The reports .published elsewhere are complied from of ficial records and no matter what excuse the apologists for offenders may make, the papers are on' file where every honest citizen who may choose to Investigate for himself may do so and draw his own conclusions. There is no malice intended in The Journal articles. In any case where It finds that it has made a mistake, H will gladly make reparation. ' , i '.:' ' v 'But there Is no chance of making a mistake when the records speak for themselves., r - . - . v . v--. . '- -. v. mmm .nmyi. A BENEFIT FOR SEAMEN Entertainment .at SC. C. A. for Sea man's Institute Was Pleasant and Every Boat Was Filled. An enjoyable entertainment for the benefit of the Seamen's Institute was given at the Young Men's Christian As sociation last night. Every seat in' the room was occupied. On account of the illness of A. F. Howell of Boston, who was to have given a series of readings from "David Harem, the program was changed and William Lee Greenleaf of San Francisco consented to take Mr. Howell's place. Mr. Greenleaf shines as an Impersonator and monologist. Mrs. Rose Bloch Bauer sang two vocal soIob, her. selections being "Das Zauber- lied" (Heilmund), "Ah, to Remember," and "A Song of Life" (Hawley), . In these she was so pleasing that she was forced to respond to two encores. Miss Leonora, Fisher was the accompa nist, . WANT DOCUMENTS' " ,. (Journal Special Service.) ' ROME, June 24.T-Tha Vatican has been requested- to- loan the St. Louis Expo sition all the ' documents and maps in the .Vatican library, pertaining to the discovery, of America. . . , BITTER CONFLICT IN CZAR'S COURT: The Ruler of All the Russians Scathingly Comments on the Conduct of Affairs in KishM neff Province. . f Minister of Foreign Office Tells Gzar that Intrigues in Govern-, ment Offices and in Palace Are Responsible. (Journal Special Service.) LONDON, June 4. A letter receive from high authtority here from St. Petersburg tells of a conflict between the Czar and high dignitaries ot Russia. The Minister for Foreign Af fairs last week resigned because tho Czar scathingly commented on tho : Klshlneff massacre. The Czar refused to accept the resignation, but insisted that the Minister should, keep his min isterial colleagues under belter control. The Minister replied that ho was un able to do this, frwing to Intrigue not only in government offices but in tho Palace itself. It is suggested that tho Czar will dismiss two members of . tho cabinet and'' sensational developments) ' are expected. , t xl-" SENATOR LODGE TO BE THE CHAIRMAN Han na's Attack On , Roosevelt 'Y Has Left a Scar On that ' Ohio Senator. ; - - , XT3 . (Journal Special Service.) -r WASHINGTON. Juno" 2. Sena.tftf Hanna's effort to prevent ths Ohio con vention from endorsing .Roosevelt Inftf Its scar and It U now claimed in wi-'i Informed circles that Senator Liii 1 to b chairman of the -next " Committee. Foraker and Pf'.-f ! of the President -a-m cr-':,i t - "js-;-