The Oregon daily journal., January 26, 1904, Page 1, Image 1

VOL. II. "NO. 276.
PORTLAND, OREGON, TUESDAY EVENING JANUARY 26.' 1904.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
ECTMUIIR CAREER
STARTLING
the fnnr catd
1T1E 17VJ 1H11V
DEN
CLOSED SUNDAYS?
.
SP
CO A T T
DE.
ENDS
IN
TNT" A TP TJf
Whitaker Wright, the Pro
moter of Schemes,
Falls Dead.-'
SEVEN YEARS SENTENCE
After Receiving Sentence, Promoter
, Calmly Walked to the Anti
Room of the Court Sat
Down and Died.
(Journal Special Herrlce.) v
London, Jan..) 2.Whltaker Wright,
fes spectacular promoter a the cen
tury has seen, was found guilty of
wrecking the London-Globe corporation
and was sentenced to serve seven years'
Imprisonment ' ,
The ex-multi-millionaire was given his
sentence at 10 o'clock this morning. He
took the ordeal calmly. ' . - .
' At 4 o'clock this afternoon he was
seized with heart failure and died five
jninutes afterwards. : '
The death closes a ' chapter 7 relating
financial exploits that have never been
excelled In Interest for daring.
Sombre, 1 almost -morose, . Whltaker
: "Wright came Into court this morning.
He listened to the verdict without say
ing a word to his attorneys, and began
preparing for t final settlement, of bis
affairs prior to his life in prison. ,
Many of his old employes, - who- had
sided in building up his marvelous es
tate in Avonshlre, which has long been
attached, were present In court.
It will be recalled that Whttaker
"Wright after launching the London
Glob comoanv from which he secured
millions, , undertook to establish an es
tate which had his failure not occurred,
would have been as magnificent as any
on the continent Personally he super
Intended the leveling of 300 acres. He
employed, lroe .laborers ana-movea a
hill from the domain where ha desired
an artificial lake. The crash came and
the mortgaged property wentf to his
creditors.
It was believe that Wright would
never survive a. sentence of more than
ji few years, but his sudden death was
pot expected.
He hob-nobbed with the nobility of the
, British isles, and lords as well as more
modest subjects were his victims.
Bora Poor.
He was born of poor parents in Amer
ica and for a "number of years lived In
New York City. He was an experienced
accountant and from early manhood con
nived at scheming.
The London-Globe company was es
tablished for gigantlo speculations in
real estate In mil parts of the world.
- Among its directors wrere many promi
nent men of Great Britain, who at the
trial of Wright, proved that they .had
been swindled. Thousands of persons
of modest Wans were called upon to
buy stock, which they did, only to find
they had Invested in a bauble.
At the trial great Interest was mani
fest and the following exemplifies the
Jact: .
nr rat wmrtsi box.
London, Jan. " -There was a con
siderable crowd in court and a bun of
anticipation when Whltaker Wright, the
company promoter, on trial ' on the
charge of fraud, entered the witness box
today. : The former financier was com
posed and answered Questions firmly.
He nrst reiaiea ine-eiory ui mo earl
ier life in America and then told of the
foundation of the London and Globe
corporation, which, i he decla red, was
prosperous until the end of, 1889. after
the South African war had started,
When matters became disastrous.
The witness added that he assisted
the company out of his private pocket,
lending it between $2,000,000 and 2,
600,000. Previous to this, he had pre
pared a settlement of 11.600,000 on his
family, giving $S00,000 to each of his
children, but one day, In 1899, the com
pany's accountant Informed him that
lie must have 11,500.000 or the com
pany would be obliged to suspend. The
witness Said he supplied the money, and
consequently the settlement' on his fam
ily was never carried out.
Wright admitted that he only had
2, BOO shares of the London and Globe
' corooration at the ; time of the crash,
and said he tried to induce the late
Marquis of Dufterln to resign his di
rectorship because the newspapers at
tacked him over Lord Dufterln's shoul-
ders. The witness had Intimated to Lord
Dufferin that the position of chairman
of a speculative company was not dig
nified, but Lord Dufferin replied that he
was well satisfied and that he wished
to retain the position,
w Wright had been on trial laydays,
btft the jury, was out but a short time.
Thw court in passing sentence severely
'criticised the promoter and gave a max
imum sentence. Wrights, showed no
signs of weakness or illness and said
coolly, "I am Innocent of any intention
' to do wrong." and was led away to an
ante-room when suddenly he sat down.
Doctors were sent for, but their efforts
were unavailing. He died five minutes
after sentence was passed.
He is regarded as the greatest swin
dler of the age. His victims lost in ex
cess of $100,000,000 lit the collapse of
the various companies he promoted. He
organised 41 companies with a total
capitalisation of nearly $112,000,000 and
all failed. He was a magnificent spend
thrift and had resided in Amerlra fo
many years where he was born. .
. IrWKTEEJr MX1TEKS XIUUBS.
(Journal Bpeclal BcrTtce.)
, Victor, Col., Jan. 28. Fourteen men
were Instantly killed this morning at
Btratton's Independence mine bya fall-
lug cage. - -i
"WHITAKER
HAVE
. (Journal Special Serrlce.) '
"Hongkong," Jan. -26." A correspondent
has been Informed by a high Chinese
officer '-that an' arrangement has been
made between China and Japan in Peking
In accordance. with which Chiua is rais;
lng 200,000 well, equipped troops to place
at Japan's dtaposal. Troops ere being
raised in different provinces, and each
province Is guaranteeing equipment. The
southern Chinese are highly Indignant
over the Russian occupancy of Mukden,
which, they regard as sacrilege.
THS EMFXKOB TAXiXS. ,
St Petersburg, Jan. 28. The ex
change of communications between the
foreign office, the members of the peace
committee in the far east. Viceroy Alex
ieff and Baron DeRosen and the Russian
minister in Toklo Is still going on... There
is no official indication, when the conclu
sion will be reached, but a diplomat who
Is in close touch with the negotiations
expresses the opinion that the .Russian
reply will be ready this week.
- KETE&B TEVSIOH. .
Paris, Jan. 28. Considerable tension li
observable in government quarters con
cerning the Russo-Japanese situation,
especially the fact that efforts toward
a .pacific-adjustment bave not madetha
progress which officials hoped . and ex
pected. A general view of those in high
est authority summed up the' statement
that negotiations have . now reached : a
point where practically no progress is
f
J
JAPAN
' i&2!2&
Rarely hat such a group of multimillionaires been taken in one flash light as shown above. August Belmont, head of the Interborough Railroad company, took his Wall street friends on a -hand
car tour of inspection through his great railroad under the Hudson river, Navy York. All of Mr. Belmont's guests are rated ai millionaires. The mora prominent are numbered in the picture as
' 'follows: No.-1. Gtorae Gould; 2, A. J, Castattl 3, John D. Rockefeller, Jr.) 4, August Belmont; 5, Perry Belmont) 6; Cornelius Vanderbiltt 7, Alfred Skitt; 8, Alfred' Parsons) 9, Contractor
McDonalds 10, J. W. Alexander)
America. ;
' '
WRIGHT.
AND CHINA
AGREEMENT
being made in any direction, Whether
this means that Russia's latest answer
does not make any concessions which are
likely, to, bring about a settlement it is
impossible to say, as the, delicate stage
of Aie negotiations prompts t officials to
withhold the precise details.
. j The only statement is that negotiations
are- Virtually at a standstill;- It appears
that one, of the' most difficult features is
the mutual distrust and hatred which
have grown up htween the belligerent
parties. It Is said that every statement
(n the present exchanges develops Japan's
suspicion of Russia's good faith and Rus
sia s antipathy to Japan. It is under
stood that Russia is now seeking to ob
tain a neutralization of' the strait' of
Korea. The Russian view as made
known here is that Japan's fortification
at xaasampno ana Aldan constitutes - a
menace to the worlds, commerce since
it gives Japan full control over the nar
row strait .
... WASJunoToxr subitt. .. .
Washington, Jan. 28. A-special says
that while no information will .be given
out at . the state department regarding
this country's views of the situation in
the far East It is known that it is be-
lleved war must come, as Japan real-
isea her hopeleaa-Bltu
ws
Russia to postpone hostilities ' till that
power will crush the little nation. Jap
an must fight now while she is strong or
be bowled out of existence by Russia
(n the future.
MULTIMILLIONAIRES TRAVEL TOGETHER
. ' r ft
-f, "V. ft..
'5
or?
r
11, Valentino Snyder; 12, William Molntyre; 13, James Hyde; 14, Mr, Schiff, and
- '- - ' , '
4., ' . A . ,. ,
No More Mysterious Kill
ing Has Occurred in
Annals of Oregon. -
MURDERS YOUNG WIFE
School Teacher After Cutting Young
Woman's Throat with Razor
Ends His Own Existence
with Revolver.
(Special Dispatch to .The Journal.)
Pendleton, Or., Jan. 26 A horrible
double tragedy . was committed here
some time during last night, When John
T. Brown, a school teacher, cut his
wife's throat and then blew out his own
brains with a revolver.- The two em
braced in death were found about noon
today in a little field south of this city.
A note which i they had left in their
room was the . cause of finding their
bodies.
The . double deed was ; premeditated,
but so far no cause has been ascer
tained. A number of letters have been
left, but up to 1 o'clock none of theru
have been opened.
Brown, after the two had gone to the
field, a short distance from the, home of
Edward L.' Smith, where the two were
boarding, cut -the woman's throat with
a razor and then shot her through the
left breast, directly over the -heart; "un
doubtedly killing her. instantly. ;
He then placed the revolver to his
right temple and fired a, shot which
killed him Instantly, and .ended one of
the most sensational tragedies that has
been enacted in -this city for years and
years. , . . f
" "" When found.
'When they were found tills forenoon
they were in each other's arms, he hav
ing laid down . beside his dead young
wtr oeiore ne iook nia own lire. Mrs.
Brown would have been 35 years old to
day, as this is her birthday. Brown
has been teaching . school on McKay
creek for some little time and is 35
years of age. The two were boarding
with Mr. ' Smith, Brown walking the
distance each morning and night. Mr.
and' Mrs. Brown went to the opera last
evening to see Human Hearts, and the
deed was committed after they returned.
Just how the deed was coir-nltted Is not
known, but officers think i. was as fol
lows: t
Tha Theory. .
' After the show the two went to the
little field, where the wife was killed.
Brown then went back to Smith's house
and left the following note;
"Mrs. Brown and I have got tired of
life and you will find us on the hill
- Ueutheast - of - wrer yieaafr-see-that-mrtte to pockt-ati--feea-or--aervi
effects reach my mother at Relnbeck,
Iowa, address Mrs. M. A. Brown."
Mrs. Smith awoke about 2 o'clock
(Continued on Page Two.)
V'
t
m
, Shall the Lewis andv Clirk exposition to- be held in Portland next
year be open to the public on Sunday? , ,
- .In view of the interest stirred up
4 Piatt amendment to the Lewis and
congress, The Journal has undertaken to learn public opinion on the
; subject.'' The Northwest Sabbath association is actively campaigning
, against the opening of the fair on
, have'; frequently been 'presented by
' hers were Included in the 80 persons
day. '
A majority of the small number seen Is in favor of the opetv-door
policy. , They are from all, lines of business, ' Their general impression
was that by closing the fair on the Sabbath many who are working dur
ing the week would not be able to attend without loss of time and
money, Again that it would afford recreation like a visit to a public
park, and those ,that did not feel like going could stay at home. Other
arguments were that the people back of the venture had put up a large
sum of money, and It would not be good, business sense to close when
the opportunity presented itself to increase the receipts.
Only a few of those seen refused to express themselves, ,
MANY SEEKING
COUNTY OFFICES
Upon the issue of the Republican pri
maries this spring hang the hopes of
an unusual number of aspirants for pub
lic offices. The Republican majority in
Multnomah- county Is ordinarily suffi
cient to give the regular nominees of that
party considerable confidence of elec
tion, although past experience . has
shown , that his confidence - is sometimes
misplaced. . The chief topic of Interest
among the candidates is therefore the
probable: Issue of the. bitter struggle
between the two factions of the Re
publican party, which Is to be settled
at the primaries. .The triumph of either
wing of the party will eliminate many
aspirants for office who are now en
gaged in the still hunt for nomination.
The majority of the county offices are
to be filled at the June election". Th
terms of the county, clerk, the sheriff,
the treasurer, the assessor, the superin
tendent of schools, the coroner, the
surveyor and one county commissioner
expire this year, and each, of the four
justice of i the peace districts will have
one justice and one constable to elect.
Three state officers. Circuit, Judges Cle
land and Frazer and District Attorney
John Manning, also go but of office this
year, and . their successors must' be
chosen by the voters of this county,.
Salary 94,600 Worth 910,000. .
The biggest two prizes are the of
fices of - sheriff and district attorney.
For both the competition is keen and
the woods are full of candidates. The
salary of the sheriff is 14.600, but this
is commonly reputed to be but the minor
part of the emoluments of his office.
Sheriff Storey is said to make over flO,
000 a year, Including "perquisites" and
"Bide graft." Like his predecessors in
the office. Storey has made it his prac-
process from other counties, despite the
fact 'that the law . provides that these
fees shall be turned into the county.
The feeding of prisoners in the county
jail is another source of large profit to
10
) .
No. 15, Mr. Clartnoa Mackay. The
' ,
, . t - ,
'
In that question by the Hawley-
Clark appropriation bill now before
the first day of the week. Its views
The: Journal. 'Kqne of Its mem-,
Interviewed by The Journal to
the sheriff. He charges the county 35
cents a day for each prisoner and for
government prisoners he gets 70 cents
a day, while the actual cost to him is
said to be less than 15 cents. It is con
servatively estimated that Storey makes
at least $3,500 a year out of this con
tract alone, The graft derived from the
legal printing which passes through the
sheriffs hands Is probably nearly or
quite as large. This printing Is placed
with two or three weekly papers, which
charge exorbitant -rates and are said to
divide with the sheriff everything above
a certain percentage of their receipts,
Gamblers' Tribute,
These are known sources of profit to
the sheriff. In addition, according to
the commonly accepted belief about the
courthouse, a handsome sum finds Its
way Into the sheriff's -office every month
from the gamblers,, as a testimonial of
their gratitude for' exemption from ar
rest and as an inducement to 'further
immunity. , ' - :
The gambling houses in Portland are
enjoying a period of . unprecedented pros
perity. They are absolutely unmolested,
the business they are doing Is enor
mous, all the "sports" of the Northwest
having flocked to Portland to enjoy the
opportunity of unrestricted . gambling.
The monthly fines' Imposed by the city
are but a fraction of the tax that the
traffic could bear. As it is in the power
of the sheriff and the district attorney
to close every gambling place In Port
land on an hour's notice, "the supposition
that the gamblers pay handsomely for
the Immunity they are enjoying finds
very general credence. It Is said that
the contributions for "protection"
amount to several thousand dollars a
month in addition to the fines paid to
the city. :
-qTirtnikeiy-tnaf-Bnerirr TStorey
Is obliged to "cut up" the profits of his
job with one or two of the Republican
bosses who put him Into office, but even
(Continued on Page Two.)
7
rprent the almost greatest wealth of j
. , " ' 4
. a- ,ir f
What Some Prominent
Portland People
Think.
ANEDUCATIONALEXHIBIT
Most of Those Interviewed by The
. Journal Urge That the 'Gates
Be Kept Open on the
First Day.
Following are some expressions ' of
opinion on the subject of closing the
Lewis and Clark fair on Sundays:
Thomas C. Devlin, city auditor I be
lieve that the fair should be open on
Sundays. There are a great many peo
pleincluding all of the laboring
classes, and a large majority of those
who work for wages -who will find it
impossible to attend on week days.
Much has been said about the fair as
an educator, and the good it will ac
complish in that line. I think that tha
working man is just as much entitled
to that education as anyone else.
Judge ; Alex. Sweek I do not think
the fair ought to be closed on Sunday.
Many people will not be able to attend
the exposition on any other day except
at a loss of wages and an expense they
cannot afford. The fair will be educa
tional and broadening. I can see no
moral harm in permitting those people,
who want to to see the fair-on Sunday.
V. IC Strode! ant for an open fair
on Sunday. It is vastly better for man
to spend Sunday at the fair than In
many other places. .The fair will be
educational and elevating, . and - many
people will not find It convenient 4o go
on any other day.
J. Thorburn Ross I am for a closed
fair on the Sabbath day. It is reason
able to think that the idea for an open
fair on Sunday is for the purpose of
financial gain. That would be wrong
for the Sabbath day and is opposed by
that large class of people who are the
mainstay of s the community. If any
other course 1,1 taken I think the Mid
way features should at least be closed
on the Sabbath day anT the other at
tractions made free on that day and
even no charge should be made for gen
eral admission.
G. W. Bates I am one of the board
of directors and do not feel like ex
pressing myself at this time. The fair
would be largely attended on Sunday,
there is no doubt. This will be dis
cussed at a meeting of the directors. "
Director General Goode The mat
ter will be taken up in due time. The
first- thing Is to secure the national ap
propriation. I think the men who ai-e
back of the proposition are in favor of
keeping the fair open. It la a matter
of business and the venture should bu
treated as such."
8. M. Mears I am In favor of keep
ing the. fair open on. Sunday It Is a
venture for the entertainment of the
people and every opportunity should be
given them to enjoy themselves. It is
also a business venture, which requires
the outlay of great capital, and it Is
not business to close when there Vl a
chance to get gate receipts."
IL C. Wortman, of Olds. Wortman &
King I believe that the fair should
remain open on Sunday. In the East all
of the business .and manufacturing
houses have a rule that provides for a
vacation on Saturday afternoon On.
the coast this is not the case, and the
people who are compelled to work
Bhould have a chance to visit the fair
on Sunday." '
Ben Neustadter I am on the fence.
There are two ways of looking at . the
matter. By closing on Sunday the peo
ple identified with the fair would have
a chance to rest. Again, by keeping
open the general public would have
some place to go eta Sunday that would
afford them recreation."
I.' N. 'FlelschnerKeep the fair open
on Sunday by all means, - This will
gtve the laboring classes a chance for
recreation. Those ' that do not want
to go on that day can stay away."
R. Livingstone--I belong to a church,
and of course am In favor of observing
the Sabbath." '
W. J. Burns Close the fair on 8un
day." ' . -
G. Y. Harry Let the fair- remain
open on Stinday, and give the people of
Portland and the surrounding country
Borne place to go on that day."
Phil Metschan. proprietor of the Im
perial hotel The Lewis and Clark ex
position should remain open on Sundays.
It. Is about the only time the average
worktngman has an opportunity of at
tending anything or finding amusement,
and I say leave the gates open on Sun
day by all means,
II. C. Bowers, manager of the Portland
hotel The fair should not be closed
on Sunday. That is the only , time a
great majority will have to see the ex
position. , , ,
RESCUING PARTY
AND ALL DEAD
. (Journal flpecld Bwt1c.)
Pittsburg, Jan. it. Of the ISi en
tombed men in the mines at Chewh'k bt
one had been rescued , up to o'clork
(his morning. All the others are be
lieved, to be dfftil. The entire rowuUtg
party was also killed by gas.
THTBTT MnrilM ZNTOMBEO. '-t.'
,.' (Tiinrunl Hpe-Ul gcrtli-,)
Berlin. Jan. 28 A lanii slldo at V r
rowlts Silesia today entonit-ii i't ,,.,-t-ers.
Ten corpses have pevn rt-tuvere i.