The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-10-14
MIR. AMsDEN,s STATEMENT.
He Recftes Some of Mr.. Wo1cOtf's-
BIackmailing OperatiOns.

ne Rec1tes some of Mr.. WOlcDffH-
Matchmaking Operations.
G. NJ. Amsden is one of the best known
and most thoroughly reliable business lneR-
in Minneapolis. He has been connected
with the elevator business in that city for
more than twelve years, and now holds the
position of general manager and treasurer
of the Minneapolis and Northern 4. .yator-
Questioned nc about the Pamphss
trade. entitled, "A Gigantic Conspiracy
he said:
LEGATION could be formulated and published
and have so small a foundation of truth as
basis So far as that pamphlet pretenas
to quote me, or to relate circumstances ahn
conversations held with me, it is almost eo-
tirely false, barring the fact that we did
hold certain business conferences. AT those
conferences, however, there was nothing
ever said by me that L would not have been
willing that every farmer and every bust
ness man in the country should hear. Ny
business. l hired him to serve our company
upon the superstition that he could bring u.s.
airy. was deceived He could not ana aiiR
not comply with the conditions of his GOA
tract, and his salary, so long as it was pasd,
was a gratuity, pure and simple. That
matter, however, is now pending in sh.
COURTS and at some time in the near future
VIII be judiciously settled.
- i first became me acquainted with woleote
IN december, 1889 AT that time he Was n
banker in Larimore, n. d. In his capacity
as banker he necessarily enjoyed large
af f bia tti with the farming community
in business way, asking him what agree
ment our company could make with him to.
buy wheat for our elevator system.
Il desire to say right here that the man.
ner of my approach to him and the CONVEX
sation as related by him in tbs biaekmaii-
is the verieSt rot, and
FALSE FROM BEGINNING TO END.
II desired to hire Wolcott as / would en-
ploy any other man to serve my company
simply because l supposed he could bring
business to us. There, was no talk abOnf
| whether he was then buying wheat as an
| independent buyer. That never entered Tny
| mind. wanted his bank to pay out the
money for us. and | wanted his supposed
services to bring business to us. In the enc
| you will see how that service was rendered
Il nyeo with hun and executed con:
| tract to run for five years. which CONTRACT
| is published in his pamphlet. Some time
thereafter WOlcOtt removed to Minneapolis
and commenced business on his own ac-
count in the grain field. ] soon discovered
| his character, and that the man had neither
| good business sense nor even common CON-
| mercial honesty. The first approach he
| made to me was to come to my office and
| make suggestion that enter into con-
Spiracy with him to pull the leg of the eS-
| tabnrhed eevator companies. he ex-
| pressed it. l was disguised with the man,
nut saId nothii G H. response 10 THIS very
| amiable business proposition.
| "Soon afterward he again approached me
! with definite proposition of rascality ON .
| small scale, which he probably wished TO
| consummate as an entering wedge. In the
| little town of Elizabeth a station ON the
] Pelican Rapids branch north of Fergus
| Falls, a man named LeistikOw was ia the
| milling business. WolcOtt had the extreme
! gall to suggest that l enter into o partner
| ship with him, build small warehouse
| there and commence operations by putting
| up the price of wheat on Leistikow, who
| could thus be forced to pay blackmail to MS
| and buy out our interests at a good round
| profit-$2, GOO to So, 600 was the amount OF
| blackmail he fixed in this infamous little
| deal l simply told him l not engaged
| in that kind of business, and that he need
make no further propositions of that Kind
| to me. AS to the pamphlet "A Gigans1E
| Conspiracy ] desire to make sweeping
and general denial so far as it processes 10
| relate conversations and matters affecting
| myself Ny dealing with him was sOleiy
| and alone confined to making the contract
| above alluded to-a mistake that regretted
the moment | learned the character OF the
| man. -
| s'rhe contract was recognized as valid mp
| to the time he skipped the country Tor the
| country's good His reason for going do
! not know, but was informed that ii was 10
I avoid arrest for criminal practices-a Charge
| / was half inclined tC believe from my
| knowledge of the mans character. After he
| made the definite proposition to me to aid
| him in Matchmaking Leistikow l ceased 10
look upon him a gentleman or safe
| businses man."