The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 29, 1905, Page 1

L Lne = \ 'MORE NEWS THAN ANY OTHER PAPER THE QALCPRINTS THE WEATHER. | 1005 Francisco lght | to brisk west A Forecast made at San Francisco for | thirty hours ending midnight, April 29, | and south winds changing | District Forecaster. Victnity—Fair G MCcADIE, in Flowe inine.”” | GrRAND— ORPHEUM— Matimees at all " SN I THE THEATERS. ALCAZAR—“When Knighthood Was CALIFORNIA—"The COLUMBIA—"Red Feather.” | CENTRAL—*Robert Emme: | CHUTES—Vaudeville, TIVOLI—Comic Opera. FRANCISCO Eternal Fem- theaters to-day. PRICE FIVE CENTS GRAND JURY S TRACING ALLEGED CONSPIRA According to evidence now in the hands of the Grand Jury, large amounts of the city’s money alleged to have been stolen by Edward J. Smith last year were used in private nvestments. Foreman Andrews is investigating the story of the shortage of $165,000. r C jnot made by grafters in the License Office arn estimated at over $300,000. Several municipal employes who are implicated with Smith will be indicted to-day. INDICTMENTS MAY BE RETURNED TO - DAY/|VENEIUELA AGAINST EMBEZZLER'S CO-CONSPIRATORS. | Young Has Evidence of Extensive Stealing. ENSE Bonds Furnished As- serted to Be In- sufficient. E WATCHING A\LL THE SUSPECTS POLI Startling Developments Are Now Hourly Expected. SOER S AR s w ands N s Grand ked out to a conclusion He expects an astounding i manipulated pivate in- r Smith > news of The shock of n her by the ndition temporarily ear ago. John th maintains stoutly that such did exist and that it was his brothe James B several per- Treasurer’s of- ROTTEN/ no change for | | vestigation, it is probable that others | city’s tax money was used in private money in the vas completed vas all there | 5 given lector by rdered @ | safe where the s records are kept warned to do this. An inci- occurred > O’Brien s this they brothers of the defaulter will be | F sh complete proof of this | - e Grand Jury In the course - vestig ey will be made what ities were given to money Andrews and Foreman ‘clock to-day meet at 2 o'clock TS DA RS A DOZEN MEN VICTIMS OF MINE DISASTER Tweive Meer Death at the Aleanora Shaft and Another Is Fa. | schu will resume the investigation ! The Grand Jury | schu will continue their investigation | of | Smith’s co-conspirators will probably | tally Injured. DUBOIS, Pa., April 28.—In the | mine djsaster that occurred st the | Aleantra shaft last night . twelve miners were killed and one had both legs &nq both arms broken. He will probally die. The bedies have been recoverq, | fuses to give details of the manner in K Rve 7o THE La3T Sr777% ORLEREL w7 ANE HEY THENT areosD ” & S DD 7 TMEN W LME ’f/ 0 {'1(} URt PROMINENTLY IN DISCLOSURES IN TAX COLLECTOR’S OFFICE Andrews Says Bombshell Is Ready to Explodé and Smith’s Accomplices Cannot Escapeé. As 2 result of the Grand Jurv in- than Edward J. Smith will be impli- cated in the stealing of public funds. Behind the shortage of $165,000 is the story of a startling conspiracy. Foreman Andrews is in possession of information that tends to show that the enterprises. Andrews, however. re-| | which the funds were used. I can say nothing now,” he de- | lared, “but bombshell is almost ready to explode.” Particular attention has been given to investigating the license office. The | graft unearthed in this department is said by Expert Young to be enormous, reaching over $300,000. The jury will probably find at least one indictment in that office to-day. l The conduet of James McCabe, who was appointed to succeed Smith, is under rigid investigation. Foreman Andrews did not have him on the grill yesterday, as such action might destroy the chance of indicting him, if such action should be deemed Foreman Andrews and Juror Bund- the Tax Collector's office to-day and Expert Young will straighten out figures for them. At 2 o'clock the jury will be summoned and some of be behind prison bars before long. EMPLOYES ARE QUESTIONED. Every employe of the Tax Collec- tor’s office was called before Foreman Andrews yesterday. He sat in the office formerly occupied by the de- fauiting official and questioned the clerks one by one. “Why, the office is absolutely rot- } found no fault. ten,” was Andrews' comment while taking a breathing spell. There were men on the payroll who did no work and Smith made dummy demands upon the treasury for em- ployes who did not exist. This petty graft ran into the thousands. Regarding the real working force of clerks, however, Foreman Andrews ‘While the office car- rled a number of “employes” who did nothing for their salaries, the others accomplished as much work as the clerks of any other municipal office Recalling an incident of the, O'Brien regime, when some records that con- tained damaging evidence were burned, Foreman Andrews placed a guard over the safe where the records of Tax Col- lector Smith are kept. When O'Brien was under suspicion, books containing evidence that might have convicted him, disappeared. James McCabe was one of O'Brien’s trusted elerks and it was charged that he destroyed them. Foreman Andrews was told of this incident and will take no chances. Handwriting Expert Theodore Kytka, who has been working for three weeks gathering evidence in Smith's system of making dummy demands upon the treasury, was called by Foreman An- drews. His evidence is complete and will be presented ‘to the Grand Jury at the meeting to-day. It is reported that employes of ‘the Treasurer's office are implicated in this graft. KYTKA GETS EXEMPLAR. Kytka asked for a good exemplar of Edward J. Smith's handwriting and was shown the personal check which the defaulter cashed at the Treasurer’s office. This was identified by, McCabe as a perfect sample of Smith’s writing. Supervisor Brandenstein was an- other of the witnesses summoned by the Grand Jury. He and District At- torney Byington consulted over the loss sustained by the Treasurer’s deé- partment and agreed that it would amount to about $30,000. For this loss Treasurer McDougald and Chief Dep- uty Louis A. Devoto are to be held personally responsible. Devoto’s bond, according to Frank L. Gilbert, who represents the National Surety Com- pany, is only for $10,000. While investigating along these lines Foreman - Andrews disecovered that bonds for clerks and deputies in both the Tax Collector's office and the Treasurer’s office were ridiculously in- sufficient. The city’s funds, he = de- clared, were almost without protection in this regard. In the evening Foreman Andrews and District Attorney Byington held a secret consultation with Captain Bur- nett. In view of the fact that several | indictments will be found to-day they asked the captain to make sure that the people wanted do not leave town. The men who will be indicted are now being carefully watched by detectives. John R. Smith, brother of the de- faulter, hung around the Tax Collec- tor’s office all day. He held frequent whispered consultations with McCabe. Young Smith’'s nervousness increased as the investigation proceeded. He reasserted that there had been a shortage of $165,000, and that it had been made good by his brother, James B. Smith. He declared that there were people In the Treasurer's office who could prove that the shortage ex- isted and that the money had been re- stored. Foreman Andrews will insist upon absolute proof -of this. Where and how James R. Smith got the money must be shown. The Grand Jury will demand to know what securities were pledged to raise the sum. In fact, the minutest details of the transaction must be shown. % Among the - other witnesses exam- ined were Deputy Treasurer A. W. Hebro and W. Cole of the license of- fice. Foreman Andrews asked the Chief of Police for assistance, and De- tectives Tom Gibson, Ross Whittaker and, Harry Reynolds were detailed to help him. —_— CAPTURES SUSPECT WHO RESEMBLES TORTURICI Sheriff of Boulder Creek Notifies Lo- cal Police That He Believes He Hag Right Man. A telegram was received from Boul- der Creek by Captain Burnett last night saying that a man strongly re- sembling Pietro Torturici, -who is wanted for the murder of Biaggio Vilardo, had been taken into custody there. The suspect was captured yes- terday by Sheriff A. L. Giefinger of Boulder Creek. He gave his name as Lorenzo Marchi and could not give a clear account of his connections at that-place. The authorities at Boul- der Creek are supplied with photo- graphs and a full description of the alleged murderer. Policeman John Everett will leave on the first train to- day for Boulder Creek. —_———— KUHN, LOEB & CO. MAKE BIG SMELTER STOCK PURCHASE NEW YORK, April 28.—Kuhn, Loeb & Co. have purchased $25,500,- 000 of American Smelter Securities Company 5 per cent cumulative pre- ferred stock series B, guaranteed by the American Smelting and Refiining C®mpany, being part of a total au- thorized issue of $30,000,000. The se- curities company was previously known as the American Smelters’ Ex- ploration Company. The American Smelting and Refining Company owns a controlling interest in the common stock of the securities company, which is vested with voting power. In addition to the issue named there is also an issue of $17,000,000 6 per cent cumulative preferred stock. | Roosevelt | from his hunting camp | Washington without any further ac- \ ANDAL 10 BE_PROBED Bowen Will Be Re- quested to Prove Charges. President Orders Inquiry and All Washington Is Aroused. e Qi Assistant Secrefary of State Loomis and His Accuser Have Not Been on Friendly Terms. e — Special Dispatch to The Call CALL BUREA POST BUILDING. | WASHINGTON, April 28.—President | is directing, by telegraph | in Colerado. an investigation of the grave charges preferred by Bowen, Minister to Vene- zuela, against the official integrity of | /his superior officer Loomis, First As- | sistant Secretary of State. Secretary Taft submits, all-developments..of .the |. case to_the President and acts only | upon his. instruction. Orders for Bowen to proceed home immediately will undoubtedly be issued’ to-morrow and it Is ex-| pected that he will be here bV‘ May 10. If, when he has left Cara- | cas, Venezuela does not become more friendly in the matter of the asohalt | controversy, a climax will be reached in the relations between the two Gov- | ernments. Throughout Washington interest in | the investigation is sustained at a high | pitch. It is generally realized that it is now in order for Loomis and Bowen to | fight it out., with the President as an| impartial judge. In the highest official | quarters it is frankly stated that the way Is clear for the termination of an | impossible situation. Minister Bowen, weeks ago. while | Sécretary Hay was still in Washinz- | ton, cabled from Caracas that it was| reported in the clubs and on the streets that President Castro held a check for | $10,000 made out to Loomis by the| Asphalt Company. This drew from | Secretary Hay a rebuke to Bowen. There is official authority for the statemegt that Hay informed Bowen | he should not have reported the gossip | and that he should not have sent it bv cable. Secretary Hay before doing this conveyed Bowen's dispatch to Presi- dent Roosevelt. SAYS FULL PROOFS EXIST. President Roosevelt investigated the charge about the check, satisfied him- self it was not well founded and left | in the case. He had not been absent long when he received from | Bowen, of whom Taft was for four| years a classmate at Yale. the further | charges. Of these Bowen declared there was documentary proof. He did not pro- duce the full proofs which he said ex- | isted. The charges were made by | Bowen In a personal letter to Taft. but Taft declded he could not consider these charges personallly, as he was the acting head of the State Department. but that they must be officially investi- ated. 5 It is auite certain that Bowen will not return to Caracas as -American Minister, except perhaps, to present his letters of recall, for it is understood that, even if his explanation Is satis- factory and he is to remain In the dip- lomatic service, his usefulness in Car- acas will have been impaired and it will be necessary to carry out the State Department’s original plan, formed before the publication of the attack upon Loomis, and transfer Bow- | en to either Colombia or Chile, or per- | haps to Brazil in the event that Em—l bassador Thompson is sent to Mexico, as he desires. NOT ON FRIENDLY TERMS. Much interest centers in the origin of the feud between Bowen and Loo- | mis. When Loomis was Minister to Venezuela, Bowen was Minister to Persia. On his way to the United States to take his new pest, Bowen stopped In Paris. Loomis at that time was in Switzerland, preparatory to taking his new post at Lisbon, and is said to have been displeased by an interview given by Bowen. saying the United States would enjoy good rela- tions with Venezuela; that all that was needed at Caracas was a man of dis- cretion. Two years ago, when the al- lied powers, England, Germany and' Ttaly, undertook the bxotme of the Venezuelan coast to fofce the pay- ment of their claims against that coun- try, Minister Bowen was high in Cas- tro’s favor. He was commissioned by President Castro, with the permission of the United States, to come to Wash- ington, representing Venezuela for the purpose of treating with the powers. About the same time Loomis, home | on a_ leave from Lisbon, tvas given /the post of Assistant Secretary of State. Loomis and Bowen met here for the first time in the course of the ne- tion Facts in his possession show that Smith could not have squandered that sum. The profits Death Calls For General Fitzhugh Lee | MAT WHO PASSHD AWAY YES- TERDAY AT NATIONAL CAPITAL. | Well-Known Soldier a Vietim of Stroke of AMERICAN SOLDIER ‘AND DIPLO- Apoplexy. S WASHINGTON, April —Brigadier General Fitzhugh Lee, U. S. A., retired, died at Providence Hospital here to- night, aged 69 years, from an attack of apoplexy which he suffered early this morning on a train while en route fr Boston to Washington. After General Lee had been removed to the hospital this morning it was evident to the attending physicians that his | case was a very serious one, but they believed that his strong will. power would vitality and ist materially in a partial recovery at least from the attack.’ His condition remained fair, considering the severity of the at- tack, during the day, but shortly after 9 o'clock tu-night he began to grow weaker, his breathing became more rapid and his pulse lower, terminating in less than two hours in death. The end was peaceful and without pain, the general remaining conscious until within five minutes of the end. Haif an hour before death General Lee rec- ognized his brother, Daniel Lee, who came into the room for 2 moment. In the room when he died were Dr. Montgomery, one of the physicians at the hospital; Miss Dorsey, a relative, and a nurse, two of the attending phy- sicians, Drs. Edie and Kean, having retired temporarily. A pathetic fea- ture of the case is that, although Gen- eral Lee was blessed with a family consisting of a wife and five children, not one of them was with him at the time of his death. General Lee was conscious through- out the day and recognized those who were admitted to the sick room. Neces- sarily the -2 were very few persons and included the attending physicians, the nurses and several relatives who came to visit him. While not suffering any pain, the general was rather uncom- fortable most of the time, his breath- ing being difficult and his articulation when he attempted to speak being heavy and thick. The orders of Lieutenant George Lee, a son, who is in San Francisco on his way to the Philippines, have been changed, and he will come to Wash- ington. It is expected he will be ac- companied by his sister, the wife of Lieutenant Brown, who also is now on the Pacific Coast and whose orders were issued directing him to sail withe his re~iment for the Philippines. General Lee's attack is attributed largely to his activity in behalf of the military and navy review which is to be held in the gicinity of Jamestown, Va. His heart And soul have been in the work and he labored zealously to make it a success. Arrangements for General Lee's fun- eral, together with the selection of the place of interment of the remains. will not be made until after the arrival at Washington of Mrs. Lee. who is now on her way to Washingten from Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. Meanwhile the body will be prepared for burial and will re- main at the hospital. It is possible that Continued on Page 3, Column 3. Continued on Page 3, Column &