Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-22
HONEST "DICK" TATE.
Kentucky's Defaulting Treasurer Lo-
Gated in Honduras with Burke.
Takes Little Interest In the Affairs
of the Republic.
Special to the Gazette.

Special 10 Jne GdZeIte
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Sept. 20.-The
rather startling statement was made to-
day by an ex-Kentuckian that "Diok'
Tate, Kentucky's defaulting treasurer,
is located IN Honduras, and moreover,
that he is interested with another gentle-
man who left his country for his conn
try's good--MaJ. Burke, late of Louis
lana and now q creditor to that state for
a good many thousands.
Mr.. Tate's daughter. Maria, who ran
off and married Mr.. James Martin of
Lexington, KY, a few months before
her fathers downfall and flight, has
been living in Kansas City at 500 Wood
ward avenue, with Mrs. Taylor, who
keeps swell boarding house. She and
her husband lived quiet secluded life,
Mr.. Martin travelling for an Eastern
house but making this CITY his head
quarters. About two weeks ago they
left the city very quietly.
A short time before they left, says tine
ex-Kentuckian who is authority for this
story, there appeared in this city q
traveller, who, from his appearance,
might have come from the ends of the
world. He was out of money aud was
dressed in rags. He drifted into the
office of the ex-Kentuckian aud asked
for enough money to get meal and
shave. His conversation soon showed that
he too was from Kentucky and he said he
was on his way home from Central Amer
lea. He had come to Kansas City, as he
knew people who would help him. He
told rather interesting story about
starting out with plenty of money, but
falling in with some reckless men at Ell
Paso he drank aud gambled until he was
"dead broke.''
A few DAYS later the same man came
into the Office of the man who had as
sisted him and presented totally diff
ferent appearance. He was well
dressed, clean-shaven and looked every
inch a gentleman. He returned the
loan and remarked that he had
found his friends. The two Kentuck-
iaus began talking over affairs in their
native state and the conversation
was frequently interrupted by sampling
the principle product of the Blue Grass
region. The whisky loosened the tongues
of both, and in the conversation the
name of sHonest Dick' Tate was men,
toned. The Kansas cityan remarked:
For my part I was always glad he got
away
By this time his companion was con-
siderably the worse for liquor and re-
marked with drunken gravity: "I saw
him not more than two weeks ago,''I
He then went on to tell the following
story: He had left Kentucky on a roam
ing tour. After six months he landed in
rry,a
Burke arrived. He frequently heard of
a rich American who lived quietly on a
little plantation who never seemed to
want anything or 20 take any interest in
the concerns of the republic. One day
he saw him and to his establishment
recognized Dick Tate. They had been
short time the two Kentuckians had re-
newed acquaintance and were on the best
of terms.
There was great deal more to the
story. He told of Tate's life and sue
cess, and incidentally remarked that it
was Tate 3 son-in-law, MIR. Martin, who
had fitted him out Oh his arrival here.
The Kansas Cityian did not pay much at
tention to the story until the next day
when the gentleman returned to his of
about Tate. While strictly sober he re-
peated the story. He also stated that
Burke and Tate had business interests to-
gether. The English syndicate W hich was
managed by Burke in Honduras, had ad-
vanced the money to Burke only after he
had shown that he could supply large
amount. This money was furnished by
Kentucky's ex-treasurer.
In this same connection it may be
stated that an agent of the same syndicate
passed through this city this week on his
way to Honduras to look after the invest
ments made by Burke, as 1t was be-
lieved by the stockholders that the major
had been 'tampering with the re-
turns