Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, June 21, 1911, Page 1

ATLY PIONEER. WINNESOTA | HISTORICAL | SOCIETY. L | VOLUME 9. NUMBER 46. BANKERS COME IN 10 PALACE COACHES State Convention Opens Following Auto Drives and Trip By Power Boats on Lake, TAWNEY AND YOUNG CORDIAL Former, However Guarded in Talk, But Thinks No One Can Defeat Senator Nelson. TAFT “IT" SAYS IOWA EDITOR But Refuses to Predict Election, Al- though Democrats Given Jolt— Oppose Reciprocity. Carried on special trains of ten Pullman cars, 190 bankers of Minne- sota arrived in Bemidji at 6:45 this morning. Regular trains brought in 100 others, so that when the con- vention was called to order at 9:20 this morning in the Armory, 40 Minnesota men of money were pres ent. Chief among those who came, so far as public interest is concerned was former United States Senator “Lafe” Young, publisher and editor of the Des Moines, Iowa Daily Capi- tal and James A. Tawney, former congressman from Winona. Both these notables, enlivened by the pine perfumed air of Northern Minnesota, were ready to say things regarding polities and men. Taft to Be Renominated. “It i3 not for me to say whether President Taft can be elected in 1912, but I feel satisfied that he will be nominated,” said Mr. Young. Although Mr. Young is violently op- posed to reciprocity, which he says will pass the senate in an unamended form, he still has great confidence in the president. “The people are going to hesitate a long time, before they are going to turn the White House over to the Democrats,” said Mr. Young. “They may trust them for a while with the House, but the White House is a dif- ferent thing. Woocdrow Wilson is a good man but some folks don’t think so much of his party.” Of reciprocity, Senator Young said: “Yes, the bill will pass the senate, but it will be a blow for this coun- try. Canada never has prospered under the Liverpool market. Amer- ican farmers are prospering under the American market that has been built up after years of hard work. The farmer has just now come into his own and it should not be taken away from him, as reciprocity will do.” Tawney Guarded in Talk. Mr. Tawney, who never has been in the north part of the state before was guarded in his remarks, except so far as they related to the initi- ative, referendum and recall on which subject he addressed the bank- ers this morning, condemning these propositions as dangerous to good government. “Can anyone defeat Kmute Nelson to succeed himself in the United States senate by the popular vote?” Mr. Tawney was asked. “Well, no, but I can’t say anything about that. ,These hounds keep af- ter me all the time, and if I do say anything they garble it, and if 1 do not they accuse me of plotting. If I were to talk of the senatorial situation they would accuse us of conspiracy.” To Live in Winona. Mr. Tawney said that his new work on the Canadian board would not cause him to reside in Washing- ton, but that he would continue to re- side in Winona. The former congressman said he had just finished his work in connec- tion with the building of the Panama canal. “My labor for the canal has been completed,” he said, “although the appropriations made by congress by | the committee of which I was chair-"' man will not expire until July 1912.! The work there will go ahead and there will be ships passing from the’ Atlantic to the Pacific through the canal in 1914.” Out in Autos and Boats. Following breakfast on the spec- ial trains the bankers went for a "1 DEFECTIVE PA BEMIDJI, MINNESOTA, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE 21, 1911 TWO BLAMED FOR BANDIT'S ESC W. D. WILLIARD Cashier of Pirst National Bank of Mankato who presents report of delegates to the Los Angeles con- vention. spin about Bemidji in automobiles and power boat rides on Lake Be- midji. The convention was called to order by President L. A. Huntoon, Rev. S. E. P. White delivered the invo- cation and this was followed by the reports of Secretary Charles R. Frost, of Minneapolis and A. G. Wedge, Jr., of the Bemidji First National Bank. Mr. Tawney then spoke, reading his remarks from typewritten manu- script. He cited the initiative and referendum and recall as tried by Switcherland for several years and drew deductives to show that a ma- jority rule of the people is a poor rule. James A. Tawney of Winona was introduced by President Huntoon as one of the leading statesmen of to- day, a man “who knows as .much about the government of the United States as any man in the state of Minnesota.” Mr. Tawney arose amid loud ap- plause. Mr. Tawney condemned the refer- endum and recall. He referred to the method wused in Switzerland| where the referendum was in use, and recommended that the state of Minnesota should never accept such a law. In speaking of the referen- dum he told of how it was being used in Oregon, how four elections were held in that state inside of a month, for the purpose of satisfying unsatis- fied politicians. “If the recall should come into ef- fect it would mean that men of ability would refuse to accept office for the erason that there would be a fear that the minority would in some manner secure enough signers to the petition to meet the required per cent for dismissal from office, and thereby turn a faithful officer out of office, thereby ruining forever his good reputation and casting a re- flection on his family that can never be forgotten. “If .the people of this state insist upon the recall it will mean that we will have a less competent set of of- ficials,” he said. Mr. Tawney paid his compliments to so called “progressives” and in- surgents, whom he arraigned in scathing language. Kelsey S. Chase, state superintend- ent of banks spoke on “Registration of Commercial Paper.” Kelsey Chase Gives Advise, A few of the remarks made by Kelsey Chase, state superintend- ent of banks, follow. “The banker has not only been willing but anxious to do everything, to have every detail of his business examined throughly and in addition to the examination by state or na- tional bank examiner, every well managed bank has an examining committee selected from its board of directors to carefully go into the affairs of the bank. The bankers in the larger cities have gone a step further and employ a special examin- er. “If this painstaking audit and ex- amination is right and a proper safeguard, it would seem that honest merchant and manufacturer would encourage the same method whereby the men who loan him money could ascertain his true financial condition. Failures Open Eyes. “A number of failures in this ter- ritory during the past year or two have served to open the eyes of the bankers in the northwest. Up to a few years ago, Minensota bankers | Were generally carrying commercial paper as a secondary reserve, but today the number of banks which have any commercial paper at all is small. This, in my opinion, is to be regretted for the reason that commer- cial paper properly safeguarded is a very desirable asset for any bank. It is an ideal asset for it represents circulating capitol. That is to say (Continued on Page 4) 3 FUNKLEY, ANGERED, QUITS PUBLICOFFICE Resigns as County Attorney, Giving as Reason Snub and Intimation of Crime Combine. RESULT OF MAYOR DUMAS CASE Declares He Was Placed in Bad Light By Assistant Fire Marshal Sam Fullerton, SUCCESSOR TO BE NAMED JUNE24 Auditor George Assembles Commis- sioners m Special Session to Take Action on Saturday. Henry Funkley today resigned as county attorney for Beltrami coun- ty, as the result, he says in his offi- cial communication to County Audi- tor George, of intimations that he was unable to properly draw com- plaints in the Dr. Dumas case, and the intimation that he is league with criminals. The resignation was filed with the county auditor at 3:15 this after- noon. Mr. George at once sent out notices to the county commissioners for a special meeting on June 24 for the purpose of naming a successor to Mr. Funkley. The Resignation in Full. Mr. Funkley’s resignation notation follows: “To the County Auditor and the Board of County Commissioners in and for Beltrami county, Minn., and to whomsoever else it may concern: “I, Henry Funkley, County Attor- ney in and for said Beltrami county, do now and hereby resign said office of county attorney. “Signed: HENRY FUNKLEY.” “State of Minnesota) “County of Beltrami)ss “Be it known that on this 21st day of June, 1911, personally appeared before me,Henry Funkley, to me well known to be the person who exe- cuted the above resignation and he acknowledged to me that he exe- cuted the same as his free act and deed. and “Signed: J. 0. HARRIS, “Register of Deeds.” Funkley Explains Act. “In view of the fair and splendid treatment accorded me by the pub- lic in general I deem it my duty to submit herewith the following ex- planation, as the reason of my action. “I am informed by the Court Com- missioner that several warrants were recently issued by him at the insti- gation of Sam Fullerton, and that by special request of Mr. Fullerton I was to be kept in ignorance thereof and that said Court Commissioner was not to inform me about said war- rants until the parties were arrested. Deeply Resents Action. “I deeply resent such action. If I .am not competent to be consulted with in the matter of issuing war- rants I am not competent to try the cages after the parties are arrested. And since it seems to me, from the action of Mr. Fullerton, as stated to me by said Court Commissioner, that I am suspected of being in league with the criminals, and since I will not be county attorney in name only, I deem it but fair to the county and to myself that I resign. “Very Respectfully, Signed: HENRY FUNKLEY, “Dated June 21, 1911.” Notice to Commissioners. Auditor George’s official notice to the commissioners of the meeting for Saturday, follows: “To the members of the board of county commissioners: “You will please take notice that I do hereby call 2 meeting of the board of county commissioners of the Coun- ty of Beltrami, State of Minnesota, to be held at the commissioners’ room in the court house, at the county seat, in the City of Bemidji, in said county on Saturday, June 24th, 1911, at 10 o’clock in the fore- noon, to appoint a county attorney for said Beltrami county, to fill the vacancy occurring in said office by reason of ‘the resignation of Henry Funkley, and transact such other GE business as may be incident thereto, or connected therewith. Dated June 21st, 1911, J. L. GEORGE, Copaty Auditor.” Mr. Funkley did not"wish to com- ment on his action, other than to jsay: 3 “It seems good to be rid of the |office and to feel free once more. There is nothing but criticism for a man in office. I am good and glad to get out of it.” P MAIKI GETS LIFE FOR CHOKING BOY Brainerd, Minn., June 21.—(By Long Distance Telephone.)—Erick Maiki, was sentenced at 2:45 this af- ternoon by Judge C. W. Stanton to state’s prison for life for the brutal murder of Earl Reilly, nine years old. The case went to the jury at 6 p. m. last night and at 10 p. m., a verdiet had been decided wupon. When arraigned for sentence this afternoon, Maiki told the judge that he was innocent and that he should have a new trial. No formal motion was made for a new trial OLD VETS MAY COME HERE Petition Being Signed Asking for Next Park Region G. A. R. En- campment. BE PRESENTED AT MOOSE LAKE Bemidji may have the honor of entering the Park 'Region district encampment of the~Gtand Army of the Republic in 19140 A petition is being circulated’ by J. W. Sischo praying that the meet- ing of next year be brought here. More than 100 names already have been secured and they are being ad- ded continually to the petition. This petition will be presented at the encampment to be held at Moose Lake beginning today and extend- ing for three days. The Bemidji invitation will be in charge of K. W. Titus. Mr. Howe, and W. L. Hilliard all of whom left for the Moose Lake gathering last night. NEW BRICK HOTEL NEAR §00. Restaurant and Rooming House to be Erected on First Street. Bemidji is to have a new brick restaurant and rooming house build- ing within the next few months. This fact was made known today when it was announced that C. D. Herbert of Brainerd, had purchased the triangular lot between the North- ern Grocery company and the new union depot, on first street. The new building is to be 98 feet on the railroad side, 78 feet on the First street side and 38 feet on the side which meets the grocery company building, this being the exact size of the lot. The building will extend onto Beltrami avenue. The entire first floor will be use as the restau- rant, while the upstairs will be made into rooms. FEARS FOR POSTAL SAVINGS. Graton, N. D. Postmaster Here for Lesson, Somewhat Pessimistic. Fred D. Vibert and H. B. Grover, postmasters of Cloguet and Grafton, N. D. respectively, were in Bemidji yesterday for the purpose of making an investigation of the postoffice savings bank, as the government has established banks in Cloguet and Grafton. Mr. Grover said: “I have no doubt but what the system would prove a success in a city where there are numerous foreigners, but as Grafton is a town in which there are none of these men and its only sup- port being the vast farming district which surrounds it. [ am of the opinion that the Grafton bank will not secure any large extent of busi- ness, although I shall expect to show a satisfactory record. Williamson county, Tex., Wwill spend $200,000 in the construction of sixty miles of gravel road. New York city, with more than three times the population of Phila- delphia, has no more homes owned by their occupants than has the City of Brotherly Love. R OFFICERS QUAILED, SAYS PUPOSKY MAN Depot Agent, Who Witnessed Battle Declares Detectives Hide in Den At Last Moment . BARELY MISSEDBY BOLD BANDITS Invaders Flash Dark Lantern, Then Meke Break, Running Into Fielding and Helmer. The story told by A. E. Hodgdon, depot agent of the Red Lake road at Puposky, who is in Bemidji today and who had been told that there might be something doing and there- fore was on the alert, is hair raising and is the first authentic and con- nected account of the battle. Here it is in Mr. Hodgon’s own words: “The store which the robbers en- tered, also is used as a postoffice. It is a long building. Next to the main store is a feed store addition, partitioned off, and it was through this partition that Sheriff Hazen watched the robbers. Sees Robbers Make Survey. “Next to the feed store is a six foot alley boarded up with a roof over it, and connecting with the bank build- ing. In this crude room the Pink- erton men under charge of Fielding and Deputy Helmer remained for two days, with the sheriff in the feed store where the day previous to the robbery he saw, through his: peek hole, the robbers come in and make a survey -of the surroundings. “At that time the robbers casual- ly noted the postoffice department, which is half way back in the main store on the left hand side. The men purchased some tobacco and went out. Den Fixed up in Comfort. “During the 48 hours the officers were waiting for the robbers they were made comfortable in their al- ley retreat. They had beds, cush- ions, pillows, and all sorts of stuff to eat and drink. The officers took up their quarters in this den at . mid- night Wednesday. “Sheriff Hazen, who had been as- signed the duty of guarding the peep hole, had arranged a string on a tin can to signal the men in the alley den, who were to make a hasty exit from the blind door cut in the side of the den, and if they had obeyed the sheriff’s signal when it came, in the opinion of the people of Puposky, ‘Mike’ Davis, never would have got away, but the two Pinkerton men who were to respond to this signal appear to have got cold feet at the critical moment. Now For the Robbery. “Now to get down to the rfobbery. At 11:30 Friday night the robbers went to the railroad tool house, broke it open and took what tools they wanted. They proceeded at once to the postoffice building, being watch- ed by the village constable who had been told of the trap laid for the robbers. . “The robbers, and there seemed to be but two, went to the front door of the postoffice building, took out a key, unlocked the door and went in. Hazen Sees Them Enter. “Hazen was on the job at his peep hole and saw the men enter the building. They advanced at once to the postoffice part, laid down a pick, a mall and other tools. At this moment Hazen gave the signal to the officers in their den. The detectives started up and in their haste knocked over a box, which caused the rob- bers to stampede and they made a wild rush for the front door. “In the meantime Fielding and Deputy Sheriff Helmer ran out of their retreat to the front of the store where they took up a position, but by that time the robbers had come out of the front door. They then turned on the opposite side of the building from which Fielding and Helmer were running to the front. Robbers Peer Into Den. “The robbers proceeded to - the alley den, on the outside, where they had heard the noise and with their dark lanterns discovered-the blind door. “Within the den crouching in the DUMAS TRACED IN ST. PAUL. z St. Paul, Minn.,, June 21.— & (Daily Pioneer Special Wire Service.)—That St. -Paul was the headquarters from which robbery and incendiary depre- dations of the Cass Lake district were planned and that Dr. D. T. Dumas made regular weekly visits to this city for confer- ence with notorious criminals are the latest developments the Pinkertons and state officials say they have found in the Pu- posky affair. State Fire Marshal Keller to- day declared that Investiga- POOCPPPPPOOPOOO®S® @ 4 @ @ @ @ & @ K @ i @ @ 4 N4 @ @ @ © tions by the Pinkertons had © been made and brought to light © that a St. Paul saloon and @ gambling house was used by © men implicated in the Bemidji- © Cass Lake cases. ® “We have found that Dr. © Dumas spent much of his time © while in the Twin Cities at this ® saloon,” said Mr. Keller. @ Detective Fielding of the St. © Paul Pinkerton Agency and as- @ sistant Fire Marshal Fuller- ® ton did not return to Bemidji @ today. ® Mr. Ringdal, the Pinkerton © chief did not deny that all im- @ portant St. Paul developments @ in the case are taking place. @& While no public statement ¢ ¢ is given out, Fielding and Full- & & erton say that their mission to @ Stillwater yesterday to inter- ® view Fred Hunter, the Grand & © Rapids, Minn.,, convict, was & @ more successful than they had ¢ @ anticipated. @ POV 99900000066 corner were the two remaining de- tectives who were to have guarded the side of the building along which the robbers ran. “The robbers deliberately opened this blind door, flashed their lan- terns about, saw the rumpled beds and- eatablaihiit-overlooked the de- tectives less than 10 feet away. Realized They Were Trapped. “Realizing that they had been trapped the robbers ran back along the store and when they reached the front end they were greeted with shots by Fielding and Helmer. Helmer’s gun stuck on him, but he finally got it to working. Fielding and Helmer stood their ground and two shots were fired at them by the robbers, who were making for cover. The man ‘who got away left no blood marks behind him, and there was no gurgling of blood heard. “I live close to the postoffice build- ing and stood on my porch in my barefeet and saw the battle. After- ward I went over to the store with the officers and from what they told me and from what I saw I believe what I have said to be the actual details of the fight.” Wires Were Not Cut. “There is one other correction in the first published story. The tele- phone wires were not cut. I am a lineman and I tested the wires im- mediately after the firing and they were working all right.” The crowd which searched the Puposky woods yesterday returned to Bemidji last night convinced that Davis has made his way out of this district. A systematic search ex- tending over an area of thirty square miles explodes the theory that the robber is hiding in a shack in the woods. “Doc” Adamson who admits having driven the robbers to Puposky, but who has not been arrested as an ac- complice, says he took the men to within a short distance of Puposky, and when they got out, told him it was none of his business where they were going and to “beat it,”” which order Adamson said he obeyed when they thrust an automatic savage re- volver in his face. This confirms the detectives, assertion that Davis did carry a Savage, said to be the per- sonal property of Dr. Dumras, Farmer Saw Admanson. Admanson’s story is corroborated by Gil Peterson, a farmer who lives on the road to Puposky. He says he saw Admanson drive by with two men and return alone. Four postoffice inspectors have ar- rived in Bemidji and have taken up the search for Davis with the Cana- dian authorities and the Canadian mounted police have joined in the search aiong the border. Detectives here say that a third robber went to Puposky on the after- noon train the day of the robbery. Photographs of Bean have been taken at the jail here. One of the pictures is of Bean as he appears fully clad, while the other is of his bored limbs showing them to have been peppered with shot. POOODPOPOVOPOVVIVVVPOVVVVPOOOOVOPOD OO @ TEN CENTS PER WEEK APE; DUMAS NEAR RE-ARREST. DUMAS FACES NEW ARRESTLATE TODAY Reported Postoffice Inspectors Will Take Hand to Have Accused Man’s Bail Raised. NEW AND SERIOUS CHARGES Warrants Said to Have Been Sworn Out Here Before Court Commis- sioner H, A, Simons, Postoffice inspectors, Pinkerton detectives and Bemidji officers con- nected with the Dumas case are active here today. They admit that more warrants actually have been igsued which may be served at any moment and they involve “men higher up” to whom the officers have referred so often when giving out their interviews since the Dumas affair was started. Asked as to whether Dr. Dumas would be rearrested on a more seri- ous charge the officers would neither affirm nor deny, but it is believed that he will be rearrested before the day is over. Postoffice Men After Him. It is understood that the postoffice authorities wish the Mayor arrested on charges which involve complicat- ing crimes involving the department and that the warrant that will be served on the doctor will charge him with such complicity. The warrants all have been issued by H. A. Simons, court commissioner, who fixed the bail in the first Dumas charge at $5,000 and which has caused widespread comment as belng small if the accusations made by Sam Fullerton, deputy state fire marshal, and J. C. Fielding, chief of the Pinkerton forces, are true, which charge the doctor with complicity in blowing several postoffice safes, bank safes and arson cases. Cass Lake Has Many Fires. A Cass Lake business man in Be- midji today says that for the past seven years there have been several fires there which were of incendiary origin, and that suspicion was ' di- rected towards three or four lawless characters who traveled between Cass Lake and Deer River and Grand Rapids. . This informant, who insisted ‘that his name be not divulged, asserted that representatives of insurance companies had worked on these sus- picious fires. Robbers Have a Row. Frank Brown and Hank Smith two old robbers, it is said, were the men who were originally wanted by Dr. Dumas to do the job at Puposky but when wanted had gone and Le- Clare and Davis were picked. Sam F. Fullerton, from the state fire marshal’s office, asserts that LeClare and Davis had a falling out and that Davis came alone; and that when Dr. Dumas came from Cass Lake Wednesday afternoon to attend the now famous alleged robbers’ meet- ing held in Larson’s saloon in this city, he told the go-between of the row between LeClare and Davis, whom the doctor referred to as “Mike,” but that he was lucky in having Mike in Bemidji and could easily get another man to go with Davis, who was “one of the best safeblowers in the United States and one of the most desperate criminals,” showing that Davis’ record was well known to the man who has been of late alluded to as the ring leader of northwestern cracksmen. Capture Seems Certain, ‘With the dragnet which the many interests involved in the Dumas case stretched over half of the United States and through the postal authorities into Canada, it seems im~ possible that Davis can keep in hid- ing much longer and that his capture is almost certain, Bean, the captured robber in jail here, who three years ago worked in Bemidji as a bartender, keeps up his nerve, despite his painful wounds, He laughs and jokes with Sheriff Hazen and Deputy Helmer, whom he has known for several years. He says that he is certain that Davis has gotton out of this immediate section going by way of Turtle River and Cass Lake and that he is probably in hiding in some of the larger cities of the state, presumably (Continued on Page 4)