Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-08-11

| n aker,s connection with the persons
guilty of robbing the Keystone bank is
| significant,
/ In 1887 the Reading railroad specula-
| ton was entered into by Wanamaker
and Lucas In 1888 Mr.. Lucas died and
Mr.. Wanamaker pronounced plous
| eulogy over his grave. 1t was dlScov-
cred soon after the death of Lucas that
no money had been placed by him to
! the credit of Wanamaker, and the lat
| ter gentleman held stock given hin by
Lucas until some settlement should be
made, and tried to sell the stock after
having been informed of it's illegality.
In 1855 Mr.. Wanamaker raised a large
fund to aid in the election of John
Rartlsley-known as Honest john in
the pious circles in which Mr.. Wanna
maker moved-as city treasurer CT
Philadelphia. Mr.. Wanamaker must
be given credit for the fact that he has
denied ever having contributed a penny
toward this fund for the election of
Bardsley. But it is also to be remem-
bered that Mr.. Wanamaker was never
charged with having ''contributed' to
this fund nor 10 that which he raised
FOR Mr.. Quay when needed in the cam
paign OF 1888 for the operations of
Dudley in Indiana and Quay in New
York. But Mr.. Wanamaker has never
denied that he raised the money as
charged
In 1889 Mr.. Wanamaker was given
place in the cabinet of the president,
for whose election he had raised large
sum. 1t is not charged that the presi-
dent was cognizant of the connection
of his cabinet officer with the frauds
alluded to. In August. 1890, Marsh,
then president of the Keystone bank,
told Mr.. Wanamal1er that the bank was
no longer able to pay six per cent. in
terest on the penny saving fund of
Bethany church, which he, Marsh. had
consented to take from his friend Wan
amaker, and the amount was gradually
Withdrawn. In December of 1890 the
assistant cashier informed the directors
of the bank of the condition of its
finances and Mr. Wanamaker imme-
diately commenced to withdraw his
firms deposits. In January, 1891,
Marsh, the president, confessed that
the bank had been robbed by his
predecessor, and that the fact had been
concealed for the purpose of securing
means by which the institution could
be saved. January 24 Mr.. Drew, the
federal bank examiner, to whom Lucas
had made his confession. wrote to
Comptroller Lacey telling him Of the
confession, but asking that Marsh be
allowed to keep the bank open because
he appeared penitent and DESTROYS of
raising funds to save the institution.
Mr.. Wanamaker's funds were being
rapidly drawn out of the bank during
this period. The same condition eX-
listed during the month of February,
save that the examiner informed his
superior officer that he had suspicious
of Marsh. In March an assessment was
ordered upon the directors of the bank
The directors refused to pay the assess
ment, and two Of those who had prom
ised to aid Marsh resigned. March 30
the bank was closed. and it was discov-
cred that Mr.. Wanamaker had with
drawn his entire account.
Civil Service Reform"
The convention that placed Benja-
min Harrison once more before the
country as candidate for president de-
clared:
I'VE commend the spirit and evidence of re-
form in the civil service and the wise and con-
ststent enforcement by the republican party of
the laws regulating the same
The wise and consistent enforce
ment'' of the civil service laws by the
present administration may be summed
in the single statement of a republican
journal that Mr.. Clarkson deserved well
of his party because of his efficiency in
dismlsSln9 more democrats from office
in a shorter time than any other official
of his party. During the first few
months of the Harrison administration
his party organs made daily announce
ment of Clarkson's activity and were
fulsome in their praise of his fidelity to
the party in dismissing the service men
against whom no charge had been made
save that they were appoiDtees of
democratic administration The case
of the postmaster at Rock Island was
one in which no rule of the civil service
was observed. The place was wanted
for tidewaiter who had rendered serv-
ices to the party, and a democrat
whose term had not expired was dis
missed. no reason being assigned there
for. Tue matter was brought before
the civil service commission and it was
proved that the law had been broken,
but the commission was powerless to
prevent the change.