Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-09-30
SLIPPERY SPENCER.
a Talk sotth q Chicago Bans Thief No,

Chicago Times, Sept. %.
Mr.. Perkins Bass, Of this city, having re-
gently returned from Europe, and it having
been rumored that while there he had seen
d. D. Spencer, once the president of the
State Savings institution, reporter for the
Times called upon him at his Office on yes
terdsy afternoon and made inquiry on the
subject. Mr.. Bass was considerably per-
turbed and expressed great dlsinclinatlon to
being interviewed and had strong objection
to seeing his name in print. he had no OBJ
jection whatever to communicating what was
desired to be ascertained, but had q very great
adherence of getting into the newspapers,
and IN agreeing to talk about the matter he
expressed decided purpose not to submit to
be interviewed by any other paper.
This much having been said, the interview
proceeded as follows 8. 1t =.
"During Jour visit to Europe, did yeh1
pa.D. Spencer, formerly president ~
State Savings institution of this city 81 81 II
eyes, sir.''
ssWhere?'' sei--z~ $500
"In Strasburg, Germany
| lis he residing thereY d
81 don't know. He declined to disclose
his residence, am of the impression, how
ever, that DO does not reside permanently
anywhere" ssaal HIS. s.4 ,...5s. ..s-
. IBID you talk with him''
| aWhat did he say?'' agt;tso21 ssfE
| Gle didn't talk especially about his bank
failure, but was anxious to know the situa-
ton of things in Chicago and about public
opinion as to himself. He represented that
he was, very poor and nearly destitute, and
said that if he had any money he would re-
turn to Chicago and employ lawyers to de-
fend him, and he believed it could be done
Esuccessfully." 9ss& 5rstsz
+ "Did he express any intention as to the
| fnturep'' s.ssse&.l ~ ~ Z
| s''Thero was not anything said; but infer
he has no present intention of coming to
this county, r,g%s>sI5
/ "Did he undertake to explain anything of
his difficulties here2" aa o 5s5
/ !"sNo; nothing especially. Our interview
consisted wholly of questions by him about
everybody and everything in Chicago, and
more particularly about persons who, have
failed. He said that such failures were
caused mostly by shrinkage in property, and
i inferred that he ascribed his own failure
to that causes
l ibid he appear to be destitute ?"
! swell, he told me that he had on the
same snit of clothes he wore away from
Chicago"
'Did he appear cheerful?'
"No, hardly. He rather seemed thought
! full, but not greatly depressed. Still, speak
only of his appearance when I saw him. ]
i learned, however, that he had been greatly
depressed
/ .tDid he exprsss any expectation of OBJ
tang money from any quarter?' NJ
! t"No; nothing whatever. He said he was
living very economically, and think that he
relies upon his friends for the future.'''' I 81
"Did you gather from what he said that
he really was not living in Strasburg?', "a
] Eyes; I inferred that he was not''
| "About what time was this?''
l tLast spring"
| "Was he apparently keeping himself So
creted?"
ssNo; met him at hotel where he was
registered, and he seemed to be unconcerned
as to his safety ............s.., ..5.s,
"What seemed to be uppermost in his
mind?'' a4
"Well, he seemed to want to know all
about Chicago. He wished to know gene
rally how people were getting along-in-
quired about the banks which had failed af-
ter he left He seemed to be considerably
interested in those broken banks, and in
quired what the public feeling was towards
their managers. ~ -
And this was all Mr.. Bass had to com.
municate on the subject.