The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-07-17

knew all about the unclaimed il.serest
business, Baker having been designated
by the Secretary to aid and protect own
ers In collectingtheir money, and Porter
having had charge Of the records OF she
fund in the First Auditors Office.
In 1874 John P. Bigelow, then Chiefof
the Loan Division, Secretary's Office, un-
der Secretary Richardson. obtained q
copy Of the record Of unclaimed interest,
much ofwhich was due to parties abroad
Soon after, he was made London agent
of the Government in syndicate opera,
tious. When he went abroad the list of
claimants disappeared. Hestaid abroad
till 1877, and when Williams was in dan.
ger, returned to defend him. James H..
Robinson, Assistant Solicitor of the Trea-
sury, declined TO aid Moore's investiga-
ton, saying, "They don't want it contin-
ued up stairs" referring to the Secre
tary's Office; and he cO-operated with
appointment Clerk Porter in an effort to
break down Moore's investigation by
abolishing the force of Inspectors of Gus
toms, to which Moore's assistant in the
matter-who had first traced the Jones
psckage-belonged. Robinson suddenly
manufactured an opinion that there was
DO law FIR the existence of this force,
which has existed over fifty years.
When Moore informed Assistant Secre.
tary Conant of Williams' frauds, Conant,
to Moore's astoDishment, advised him to
drop the inquiry, and he threw such dif.
fculties Ia it's way that Moore felt forced
to suspend it the whole time that Conant
vas Acting Secretary Of the Treasury.
When Sherman became Secretary, Moore
reported the facts to him, and Sherman
referred the matter to George F. Talbot,
Solicitor of the Treasury, instructing him
to complete the inquiry in accordance
with Moore's suggestions. Moore and
Treasurer Gilfillan, who had cooperated,
conferred with Talbot and enabled him
to obtain evidence to establish the facts.
They cautioned him against Conant,
Bigelow, Bsker, Robinson and others
but within forty eight hours they were
shut out from the investigation, and
these very men, including Williams, were
in constant communication with Talbot,
The suspected parties had possession of
and passed round the testimony and re.
ports against Williams, and some of them
called Treasurer Gil6llan to account for
telling what he knew. Gildllan went to
New York to aid District Attorney Wood.
ford to arrest and prosecute Williams
there. Williams was warned of this and
passed Gifllan between New York and
Washington, appearing before Talbot and
saying he was informed Talbot wanted
him. While Gilfillan was arranging
Williams arrest with Woodford, the lat
ter received q telegram from Talbot, di-
recting him to act in concert with Bige
low, Williams friend, and himself under
suspicion. and to try to have Williams
give up the list of owners of unclaimed
interest to Bigelow Before the Glover
Committee Talbot swore that he never
sent such telegram, but the committee
obtained copy of it, with his signature.
This dispatch stopped Gilillan. Talbot
allowed Williams to be examined with
out arrest by United Stases Commis
sioner of Williams choosing. Neither |
Moore, Gilfillan nor any other person |
who knew the facts, was notified of this |
examination" or allowed to testify (; |
only witnesses friendly to him were ex.
amined, and he was discharged. When
Middleton & Co. were asked to refund
the sums wrongfullY paid to them on
Williams fraudulent account, the letter
addressed to them at Washington was
answered by Williams from London.
Talbot made whitewashing report to |
Secretary Sherman, devoted mainly to
exculpat,ng Conant, against whom no
charges had been laid before him, but |
Sherman deemed it policy for Conant to
retise he was sent to London to keep
Bigelow company, and the foreign loan |
operations of the Government have since |
CONTINUED ON Sd PAeE.)..