Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-10-25
TELEGRAPHIC TROUBLES
THE MUTUAL UNIONS CHARGES
AGAINST A W. U. DIRECTOR.
The Alleged Attempt at Bdbsry-Ir.
Winan's Explanation How We're Gen.
eckert and Mr.. Bates interested IN
the Matter-Grave Charges
Of Dishonesty.
TRYING TO BREAK DOWN THE N. U. CO..

NEW YORK, October 4.-An open. let
ter was sent to the officers OF the West
ern Union Telegraph Company to-day
by the Secretary Of the Mutual Union
Telegraph Company. The letter would
occupy about three columns. We give
the beginning OF the letter:
EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE Mutual J
TKLEGRAPH Co Al PINE ST.,
NRw YORK, OCTOBER "a. }
To the President and Directors OF The
Western Union Telegraph Company:
On the 10Th inst. We sent to you
a letter containing very grave
charges against certain officers
and directors OF your company
alleging that they had conspired to bribe
a clerk to steal certain papers which
they expected TO use for the benefit OF
the Western Union Telegraph Company
to the injury OF the Mutual Union Com
pany. Mr.. Erastus Wiman, one OF
your directors, and one OF the persons
implicated, has replied to the charges in
letter given to the press which YOU
have seen was prepared in he
executive offices OF your company. Mr..
Wimsn's explanation in brief is that in
his individual capacity and without any
reference to the affairs OF the Western
Union Telegraph Company, he desired
to obtain copy Of certain papers relat'
ing to the Mutual Union Telegraph
Company. That q person not connect.
ed with this company or its contractors
offered to procure it for him for
consideration named, and he agreed to
pay the price without inquiring as to
where the person got it; that as he was
just leaving the city and could not re.
ceive the documents himself, he request
ed the person in a note to take it to
General Eckert and ask him to pay for
it and hold it until his re-
turn; that General Eckert merely
received the paper and paid the
price as a friendly act, and that Mr..
Bates having read the paper suggested
that some further information was
needed to make it complete, and speci-
fed what these deficiencies were. The
inference being plainly intended that
neither OF them were aware OF any i'm.
propriety in the manner OF procuring
the papers, and that these acts had no
relation TO their conduct as officers OF
the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany. Having made the charges We deem
it our duty to you to produce the evil
dence which to our minds conclusively
proves: Flrst--That Mr.. Erastus Wi
man personally arranged for bribing a
clerk in the office oi the contractors;
that he directed the money to be paid 10
the clerk with full knowledge that in
this way the document was to be sur.
reptiously obtained; that before the ex-
posure he expressed his anxiety lest the
matter might come to light and he and
his associates be therebydisgraced. Sec
ond, that Mr.. Eckert, vice president ard
general manager OF the Western Union
Telegraph Company, and Mr. Bates, his
assistant, entered heartily into Mr.. Wi.
mans scheme, approved OF it and aided
in carrying it out. Third, that all three
were doing this in the interest OF the
Western Union Telegraph Company
and in their zeal for its service"
The letter then proceeds to state the
RTOuuuS upOE WuiCn tuooC Suni k0o a'S
made against Mr.. Wiman, basing the
charges upon the affidavit OF Mr.. Benz
NJ. Plumb, President OF the Fabric and
Manufacturing Company, and details
at length the various steps in the con
spiracy, and the results OF numerous
conferences at Plumb's Office.
The letter concludes by saying: 1t is
but Justice to Mr.. Plumb and Mr.. Fear
ing to say that We are convinced that
their participation in this affair was al
together in the interest OF justice
and was undertaken wholly for
the purpose OF exposing the misconduct
OF the persons who were seeking to
make them instruments in the commits
sion OF crime.
BY order of the Executive Committee
[Signedl G. F. PICK, Secretary.