Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-03
FORCED 10 FLY FROM IOWA.
A Pension Examiner sefses Privaas Pspsu
and Hurries Away.

"
"A Pension Examiner sesses Priv.as Fspso
and Hurries Away.
A special to the New York World from Mime
apolis saws: Behind spanking team Special
Pension Examiner Waite and Deputy Unissd
States Marshal Goodner Of Minneapolis msde
their escape from the town of Cresco. In north.
ern Iowa. yesterday, with posse Of citissus
and local officials in hot pursuit
Waite has been instrumental in uuosrthfne
pension frauds in this section and had IN his
possession a valise containing papers seised in
the Office Of George n. vanLeuren of IAms
Springs, Ia, the pension agent now under Ar
rest. The papers we're said 10 be Of an iucriru-
mating character.
Van Leuren yesterday svore out q warrant
for Waite's arrest in Cresco where Waite hsd
inst secured the holding Of Dr. Kessell, MAYOR
ing board at that place, for the alleged taking
of a bride in a transaction in whish Van Lsursn
was interested.
Van Leuren had writ 'of replevin and ~
bent on getting possession Of the valise. he
missed a train from Lime Springs, the delay
giving "s,te and Goodner chance to get away.
Waite claimed that the condition Of Affairs
justified the seizure, but IL was quite another
thing TO hang on to the documents in Q hostile
land.
Just before pulling out Of the town By the
rear OF hotel newspaper correspondents nd.
gested to Waite that they trade vaiises
Waite saw tine force Of the suggestion, for r.
the parties were at all shrewd they would b
morally certain to overhaul him before h.
reached the Minnesota line, twelve miles north
as the crow flies Waite had the feetsst team
he could hire. and with dash they swung ous
being few miles out.
The valise was Of pee uiiar shspe and wss v,1l
known in the locality.
When the correspondent went to'board he
train he found . crowd down from Lime
Springs, including Van Leuren and two Of his
clerks, the sheriff OF the county and the county
attorney, all Of whom identified the valise.
He saw that the only thing that would sav0
the grip would be the lack OF nerve on the
part OF the crowd TO take forcible possession.
While he had no legal right TO the valiss thsy
had no legal right 10 take it from him
He managed to elude them while waiting FOG
the oelayed train, hid in . baggage room At ths
edge OF the tracks and then, when the officers
and pension clerks lined up along the platform
IN the rain. slipped through the crowd and
boarded the train Just as it pulled out
Fooled In their attempt TO arrest the Unitsa
States ofhceri. afraid TO knock down the core.
spondent and take the coveted valiss q they
could have done. for they were eight 20 ons.
they piled into the train and remained in tho
vain hope that they would find Waite boarding
the train at an up-country station.
Waite didn't let the driver hold ND TIE hard.
pushed team until il was well over the Miuns-
sots line, . drive Of IS miles by the rouss -
lected.
The posse would rush out 70 the station .
the train pulled up at the small places, soour
the country TO get Q glimpse Of the dssinG
government ofhcer and then rush back into tbs
car, where the correspondent sat With III
precious valisse held fast between his legs and
the seat.
The last station before the Minnesota sssss
line was crossed they gave up the fight and isft
the train.
The valise was placed in a safety vault -
night IN Minneapolis. and this morning Special
Pension Examiner Waite and the nevspspsr
correspondent reswapped their valises and the
documents tonight are on THAR way 10 wash-
ington.
Tonight Waite received permission from Con-
missioner Lochren in Washington 10 mako -
statement for publication.
he says that he did not take the step hs
dle without urgent and conclusive rea SOFA
ne ssy that the commissioner Of peusioa0
oroered the investigation, but that his
lWaites actions in seizing papers. opening .
sealed box containing paper with . can opens,
were IN the full belief that the box contaneo'
copies OF official documents Of . oonhdsntaaf
nature, OF which Van Leuren could not have
gained possession otherwise than by dishonsse
II not criminal methods, and were acts for
which be holds himself wholly responsible.
IL is believed that when the evidence nov n
In the secession Of the government il made pub.
lie will show . bad condition Of Affairs and
hang up large number Of pensions pending
investigation