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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 14, 1903)
W. W. Naughton,7 Sporting Expert, Will Report the Big 'Frisco Figlit for The Journal inv "wwrrt?!? rrr t c THE OREGON" occasionally threatening: aouthwt je- io nortnwest wina. 0 Edition : & VOL. II. KO. 135. PORTLAND, OREGON. FRIDAY EVENING. AUGUST 14. 1903. PRICE FIVE CENTAL 5S! l - - I.. :zzzzzzzz: FRESH ii rivi-,i i VC7 mm 'till lei OF FRAUD ications that Taxes Were Il legally Compromised and the Sums Paid Pocketed by Bood- lers. Tell-Tale Typewriter Calls At tention to Unindexed Entries of Cancellation of Levies or Property, Firms and Individuals Affected Add Their Testimony to that of the Clearly Juggled Coun ty Records, roRGEnrBirrmEs: Positive proof has at last been obtained that during the terms of H, H, -Holmes and L. Q,' Swetland as County Clerk of Multnomah County an organized-ring of boodlers existed In that department, which systematically robbed taxpayers and the county, concealing its frauds by the most brazen falsi fication of the records. Thousands of dollars were collected by the boodlers on pretended compromises of the county's claims for taxes, and the money was pocketed by them. v ' - . . False entries were made on records of the County Court (n order to give an appearance of regularity to the operations of the ring, and the tax rec ords were shamelessly juggled to conceal the stealings. Petitions for compromise of taxes which the County Court had denied were falsely entered on the journal as allowed, the petitioners were thereby induced to pay the sums named in the pretended compromises, and the money was pocketed by the ring. - W, G. Stimpson, now deceased, was one'of the leading spirits in. the boodling ring, and conclusive evidence has been discovered that he col lected large sums of money from taxpayers by means of these fictitious entries and by means of certificates issued by other deputies in the office based upon those entries. ' Fisher, Thorsen & Co. were induced to pay $250 to Stimpson upon such a certificate Issued by L, 0- Swetland, then a deputy In the County Clerk's office, and who is now being sued by the county to recover the amount of a shortage which arose during his subsequent term as County Clerk, Not a dollar of this money paid by Fisher, Thorsen & Co, reached the county treasury. The Portland Cracker Company paid $250 to Stimpson on the strength of a similar certificate issued by Cord Sengstake, another deputy in the County Clerk's office, and the payment went to swell the ill-gotten gains of the ring, By means of false and fraudulent representations, made to him by Cord Sengstake, D, W. Stevens says he was induced to part with valuable prop erty for one-third of its actuaal value, and a petition for compromise of taxes, which haa been denied by the County Judge, was entered upon the rec ords as allowed, J, F, Boothe, as attorney for Mrs, Mary Phelps Montgomery, paid $239,09 in settlment of delinquent taxes and a receipt t : that amotmt was Issued to him by Cord Sengstake. Subsequently the entry on the stub of the receipt was changed to $139,09, and that sum was entered on the records as the total amount of the paymerit, The evident purpose was . to conceal a stealing" of $100, Many similar cases occurred, They are now being investigated by The Journal, but it is impossible now to estimate the full extent of the stealings, The evidence now at hand is sufficient to warrant immediate criminal proceedings against the members of the boodling ring, I REPLY SENT TO EAGLES When the report of the expert, George Black, Into the conduct of the County Clerk's office wai nied last April, public amasement wai excited by Its revela tion of waste and extravagance In the management of the county affairs. The expert' Intimations that deputies in the office had been guilty of fraud passed comparatively unnoticed. Facta have no com to light which hpw that the expert was far within the truth. Following the lines suggested by Mr. Black' report. The Journal ha been making Independent Investigations and has secured convincing evidence that during the Incumbency of II. H. Holmes and L. Q. Swetland an organised gang or Dooaiers existed in the County Clerk's Office, which systematically robbed tax payers and the county. They resorted to the grossest frauds in order to accom plish their ends, falsifying the books and entering fictitious order on the records of the County Court. One member of the ring of boodlers Is dead. His death occurred only a short time arter the publication of the expert's report. The others who aided him In hi rascalities and shared In the spoil are till within the reach of the law. me tasK or unearthing the fraud 1 difficult and the full extent of the opera tlons of the rln' mav never h kmwn Enough, however, ha been ascertained Ho k rfmSlirPfl tnr ark fit r- to show that the swindling went on for r . a -t! A:il ' Tormauon mwiuii win dc Grand Worthy President Del Cary Smith Dodges Demands Made by the Defunct Aerie of This City, Letter Received This Morning Shows Him to Be Ignorant to True Conditions Existing in Portland. LORD SALISBURY IN POOR HEALTH Si TV tax a several years, and all the details of many or me Doodling transactions have been laid bare. How the Fraud Was Managed. The case of Fisher. Thorsen A Co. Is conspicuous example of the methods pursued by the boodlers in the County Cleric s omce. The personal property tax of this firm for the year 1897 amounted to 1523.30, and as this was considerably excess or the assessment of the pre- s year, the Arm refused to pay. The ecame delinquent, and so remained tsnthfjthe spring of 1901. W. O. Stimn- on, then a deputy under County Clerk Holmes, called several times at the office of Fisher, Thorsen A Co, representing that he was authorized by the County Board to effect a compromise. The firm offered' to pay 1225 in settlement of the tax, and. Anally agreed to pay J260, Stimpson stating that the County Com missioner would accept that amount The Arm refused, however, to pay over the money until assured that it would Be accepted in full settlement of the tax, and on April 13, 1901. Stimpson called again and presented the following certificate: State of Oregon, . tity or Multnomah, ss.: H. H. Holmes, clerk of the Dunty Court of Multnomah Count v. for the State of Oregon, do hereby certify that I am the custodian of the delinquent tax rolls for state and county taxes for 1897, and city taxes ror ms, and do rurtner cer tify that the personal tax of Fisher, Thorsen & Co. for said year appears satisfied on said roll, by order of the Board of County Commissioners. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seaL . this 18th day of April. 1901. '( H. H. HOLMES. Clerk of the County Court By L. Q. SWETLAND, J ... Deputy. Attorney Thought Xt Bafnla. We wanted to be sure that the cer tificate was all right" said Mr. Thorsen, In describing the transaction, "so we submitted the paper to our attorney. He said it was regular, ao we, paid toStlmp- Bon the amount agreed upon. 1260." The pflyment was made . by check, drawn to the order of the Arm and In dorsed by It It also bear the indorse ment of Stimpson, w0 cashed It . ,No part of the money was paid into the county treasury - v . . ' The certificate given by L. Q. Swetland says that the tax "appear satisfied'' on the roll.. -This statement was untrue, for nowhere on the county records does the tax appear as satisfied, but on the Sher iffs return of delinquent taxes unsold Is Taken at Meeting to Be Held Tonight. Willful misrepresentation of condi tions which existed in Portland Aerie, No. 4, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Is claimed to be proven by a letter received this morning from Grand Worthy Presi dent Del Cary Smith of Spokane. The communication was in answer to a de mand made upon Mr. Smith Borne time ago for a statement of his authority for expelling certain members of the local lodge, and Anally withdrawing the char ter altogether. While the reply to these demands Is considered evasive and far from establishing the president' posi tion 'as either right or Just it shows that the head of the fraternity acted wholly without accurate information concerning affairs of the lodge which he so uncere moniously ushered out of existence. According to the letter. President Smith believes that Thomas B. McDev itt, Jr.. who recently resigned the secre taryship of the Portland lodge, after a somewhat sensational investigation pf his accounts and records, was removed by order of the Orand Aerie, and was j later reinstated by the lodge witnout consent from the National organisation. A Mistaken Idea. As a matter of fact, nothing could be farther from the truth than this. The Orand Aerie, according to those promi nent in the local lodge, was never called upon to act In the matter In any way. (Continued on Page Two.) 111 ,4 III 1 I UVt'K r'J ilk . -5 '. ' i Ar "Si i ! ACT OF A WISE COUNSEL OF PRESIDENT LYNCH MADMAN While 5,000 People Were As sembled Enjoying Band Con cert a Partially Demented Fellow Fired Into Them. Discharges a Shot Gun Loaded with Slugs and Deadly Mis sils Point Blank at the Gath ered Thousands. Ex-Premier of England Ex hausted at His Home and Physicians Are in Constant Attendance at Bedside, -our Persons Dead, Three Dy ing and Others Seriously and Fatally Injured Crazy Man Was Shot Dead, Illustrious Patient Never Recov ered from Death of Wife Which Occurred Nearly Fou Years Ago. (Journal Special Service.) LONDON. Aug. 14. It Is reported to day that the rumored serious illness of Lord Salisbury Is correct, and that great statesman and ex-Premfer of England is in a precarious condition of health. At Hatfield House there are three physicians in attendance, and while the family will not give out the exact con dition of the Illustrious patient It Is aid that his Illness is of a serioua character, which was superinduced by a cold taken a few weeks ago. Lord Salisbury's health was seriously shaken by the death of his wife In No vember. 1899. The ex-Premier never recovered from the shock. Since that time he haa kept himself in great se elusion. EVERYBODY WELCOME Ev'ervbodv 4S interested in the great fight, which will be pulled off in 'Frisco tonight. It involves the heavy weight championship of thy world, Who will winJeff or Corbett? , Everybody wants to know before he goes to bed to night. The result, by rou.ids, will be flashed from The Journal office by the Independent 0rdeVof Lions' machine. : W. W, Naughton, the great authority on sport, will report the fight for The JournaLexclusively in Portland. Watch tho paper tomorrow . v.-': ' ' ' (Journal Special Service.) WINFIELD, Kan., Aug. 14. Had not several well-meaning but ill-advised peo pie protested against sending Gilbert Twlgg ' to the Insane asylum several months ago, a fearful tragedy would not have occurred In this city last night. As matters stand today, there are four persons dead, four more dying and 23 wounded, several of the latter so seri ously that physicians express no hopes of their recovery. All this Is due to the act dt a half-demented fellow who was recommended for the asylum early this year. Weekly concerts have been given here every Thursday nlgnt on Main street In the center of town, and last evening at 9 O'clock, when fully 5.000 people were assembled about the bandstand, Twlgg suddenly stepped from an alleyway half a block from the musicians and deliber ately began firing Into the crowd the contents of a double-barreled shotgun loaded with slugs and other deadly mis sile. At the first shot four persons fell mortally wounded, and a dosen others were seriously injured. The crowd was mytlfled.' The greater number of people did not know what had occurred, but believing that an accident had happened, thousand citizens ran toward the soumP'of the shooting. mred lull In Xt face. A Twlgg was approached- by the crowd he again fired full In Its face. The result of this shot was that three persons fell fatally wounded and a dozen more were hurt Then a panic ensued and those nearest the maniac saw him deliberately reload ing the weapon he held In his hands. It seemed impossible to stop the car nage until umcer ueorge XNicnois ran boldly up to the Infuriated man and shot him In the head. On seeing the approach ef Nichols, the murderer drew a revolver and fired point blank at him. but the bullet almply r rased the officer right ear. Before, he could fire again Nichols had accomplished his purpose and the lunatic was .lying st his feet The shot administered by the officer, although fatal, did not at once render the man unconscious, for he turned the II i f ' ( ' ' I . '--74 vl, fx-;-:. A - s HI Bf- .1 i ; - M V 4 ACTIONS OF TURKS Two Tnousand Insurgents Scat tered After Which Soldiers Begin Ruin to Villages and Death to People. Fearful Atrocities Committed by Brutal Men Women and Girls Killed After Being Hor rible III Treated. Four Hundred Young Women Led as Captives by Followers of Sultan and Made to March with Troops, ROBBERS ACTIVE AT BAKER Three Masked Highwaymen Holdup Gambling Saloon and and Successfully Get Away witn uooa Amount or Money, Forty Men in Place at the Time Who Failed to Interrupt the Desperadoes at Their Bad Game. One Man Has Nerve Enough to Hurl Cracker Jar at' Thief While Latter Was Busily En gaged at Work. A Central Figure at the Na tional Convention of the Typographical Ljnion Inter esting Discussions. (Journal Special Service.) WASHINGTON, D. C, Aug. 14. The central figure of the International Typographical Union convention. In ses sion here. Is President James M. Lynch, of the printers' great organization. Many have been the perplexing ques tions that have come before the body, and In the disposition of them Mr. Lynch has always led with wise coun sel. (Probably no more interesting occur rence could have been expected than that which followed the motion yester day to distribute the pamphlet prepared by the Newspaper Publishers' Associa tion, which waa printed without a label, and which pamphlet was- a criticism on the printers' actions In regard to the strikes in Seattle and Spokane, Wash. Long and earnest were the discussions over the allowance of the circular to be distributed. Finally President Lynch advised that the distribution be al lowed, and by his suggestion an even vote was secured. - (Continued on P Two.), CHRISTIANS ARE , . SOME TO BLAME (Journal Special Service.) LONDON, Aug. 14. In the House of Commons today Balfour said one of the deepest sources of mischief tn Macedo nia 1 the .dissension between Chris tians. The Turk, deep la his guilt un doubtedly is cannot be' blamed entirely for the Macedonians' miserable condition- It will be the policy of Great Brit ain to support the Austej-Russta, move and endeavor to reform matter.. BAKER CITY, Aug. 14. Three masked men robbed the Miner's Cabin saloon and gambling-house last evening at 9 o'clock. and, besides causing all kinds of excite ment, they were successful iti getting away with (380 In cash. Forty men who would have sworn they were brave and nervy at supper time last night are saying today that it all hap pened because "I didn't have a gun." At the time in the evening when the games were the best patronized, three men with handkerchiefs drawn over their faces entered the back door of the Min er's Cabin saloon, and two of them cov ered all in the room with a revolver tn each hand, while the third passed on Into the barroom, which occupies the front of the building and is divided from the gamlng-room by swing doora. J. H. Troy, In charge of the gambling-rooms, was the first man to be ordered to throw up his hands. Val Blldner, the proprietor, and his bartender were in the saloon section at the time, and Immediately threw up their hands. J. T. Donnelly, cashier of the First National Bank, and Bela Kadlsh were eating lunch In the barroom, and both men made a rush for the door. The rob ber prevented them from leaving, but had too much on his bands, and Mr. Well, who was also eating lunch, was al lowed to escape. The thug then ran be hind the counter and began robbing the cash register. Mike White, an archi tect, pulled down his hands while the thief waa at work, and, picking up a cracker Jar, threw it at him. The heavy piece of crockery struck the robber on the shoulder and Interrupted his work, for" he quickly ran into the back room and joined his companions, who at that time had finished robbing the games. All three desperadoes escaped Jnto the darkness by the back door. Not a shot was fired, and the men were successful in getting f S00 from the gam bling games, and the fellow who did the work in the front room secured about 180. ' . ? t (Journal Special Service.) ' VIENNA, Aug. 14. An authentlo re port reaches Die Zelt today from It) correspondent In the turbulent Monastlr Province that equals In horror the ter rible atrocities perpetrated during the Armenian massacre by the Turk three years ago. Probably not since the Dark Ages hav more fiendish characteristics been shown by a people than Is laid to the credit of the Turk today In the reports received from the districts stained by the life' blood of his victims during yesterday' and last night's outrage. At sunrise yesterday morning 1,000 In surgents had assembled near Monastlr to await the approach of Turkish troops. against whom the Insurgent had deter mined to make a stand. The soldiers of the Sultan, who hail been camping five miles from Monastlr. broke upon the Insurgents from all aide and soon completed their overthrow. It Is not reported tha. number slain In tho carnage, but It is believed that nearly all, with the exception of a few mora than a hundred, managed to save their lives. Their Toroe Scattered. But their forces were scattered beyond any chance of reassembling. Then began a series of the; greatest atrocities. Village after village fell prey to the rapine of the Turkish soldier. Houses were looted and robbed, not alone ' of everything of value, but the virtu q the unprotected women, girl and chil dren were confiscated to the savage na tures of the vile soldiery. Fourteen villages were destroyed In the districts of Uskub and Velese. Un speakable were the deeds done at each of these unfortunate places. In one small village nearly 100 women and children bad gathered In a publlo hall for safety. Soldier took them Into the streets and killed many after heap lng all kinds of indignities upon them. , It was after sundown efore the car nage subsided. Today It I said that fully 400 young girls are held as prison- " ers by the soldiers and are made to march with them. During yesterday another body of In surgents robbed a Turkish post near Vo dena and secured $12,000. Insurgent also captured 80 wagons loaded with meats as supplies for the Turkish army near Oshrlda, MOB LAW NOTHING LESS THAN ANARCHY Chief Justice Lore of Delaware Severely Criticses Methods , of Judge Lynch. . , TOUT1JT TASKS STBAXOXT. (Journal Special . Service. ) : ' GEORGETOWN, Ky.. Aug. 14. The cross-examination of Youtsey was con tinued this morning. So far the defense ha failed to elicit -any confusing testimony. CHAUTAUQUA, N. T Aug. 14. Th feature of the assembly today waa th address by Chief Justloe Lore of Del " ware, who 1 charged with having caused the recent lynching at Wilming ton by refusing an Immediate trial to the slayer of Mlsa Bishop. HI addr waa on the subject of mob law, which he severely arraigned, characterising it as anarchy, which sooner or later would , overthrow the nation unless stopped. , - DEVASTATION 0N J MARTINIQUE ISLE i (Journal Special Service.) " WASHINGTON. Aug.; 1- Tho Stat Department . received a dispatch from Consul Jewell at Fort D Franca. Mar tinique, saying- that the cane, cocoa ami coffee crop ara total loss. Fruit and vegetable are all positively destroyed. Every town and village la injure. 1 ml thousand of house .. are down l.t : death are few. Communication Is !';. cult : Breadstuff, provisions an ! . n vanlsed roofngs hare reft'ly sv!-. A.i ; th result of recent cyclonic ft . "(CoBtlxmed on Page Two.)