The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-16

Fred r. Taylor.
making a big pile on the outside-all
marked Tacoma" For this pipe suit IS
about to be commenced by the City, its
existence having but recently come to the
knowledge of the present City Attorney.
The pipe is said to be worth about $150,OO0.
The agent who represents this warehouse
is connected with ship-broker firm on
Market street.
When the Merchants National Bank
failed, followed soon after by. the Tacoma
National, the Traders and others, and the
books became subject to inspection, it be-
gan to be apparent to the people at large
how gigantic had been the combination
for footing the treasury. The suicide of
Paul Schulze, the later bank failures and
the quarrels among the looters themselves
have brought all the details before the
public.
The books of the Tacoma National-Ike
Anderson's bank-show that he was a
creditor to the extent of $54 900 at the time
the bank closed. Nelson Benefits private
secretary stands charged with $4,000,
which, he says, was made for the use OF
Anderson; G.. G. Rowe, clerk in Ander-
sons Office, who is built for taking books
from the top shelf, also has a note in the
bank for $4,000 for Anderson's benefit Rus
sci It. Joy, collaboration in the good cause,
another $4,000, gone; ]. G. Parker, father
in-law of keys, $4,000 gone; Fox Island
Clay Works, of which lkey was president,
$4,000, defunct; Cherry Hill Coal Company,
of which key was president, $4,000, de-
funct; Excelsior Park Land Company, of
which he was president, $4,000, defunct;
Crescent Creamery Company, OF which he
was a stakeholder, promoter and active
manipulation, $4,000, defunct; Tacoma
Land Company, OF which he is manager,
$4,000.
In the Traders Bank Anderson owed
$4,000, as shown by the record in the
hands of the receiver; in the State Savings
Bank $2720, and in addition to this and his
liabilities in other banks there are judg-
ments of record against him, all taken
since the workings of the gang were I'M
earthed. amounting to nearly $500, 900.
Nelson Bennett appeared on the books of
the Merchants National Bank creditor
to the extent OF $50, 600, in the State Saw
ings Bank $1,000, Tacoma Trust and Saw
ings Bank $12,356 ID, Bennett National
Bank Of Fairhaven $26, 500. The Ledger, of
which he is proprietor, also appears as
creditor to the extent of $4,000. In addi-
ton a judgment for $4,000 was recently
entered against him, and many suits are
now pending for other sums. Bennett was
a director of the Tacoma Trust and Saw
ings Bank at the time that institution was
run by Grattan H. Wheeler. When this
bank failed it had $22S,O00 of city money
''on hand," but only $3.50 was found by the
receiver. The balance is probably repre-
sented by the city warrants that went
away in Wheeler's grip.
When this bank went into the receivers
hands two OF the books were missing; the
two covering most important period in
its history. For their non-appearance w.
B. Allen, the last president of the bank, re-
named the Bank of Tacoma, is now under
sentence for contempt OF court, but the
books are out of sight. Like the books of
the Tacoma Grocery Company, that
gigantic institution manipulated by
maze $4,000 by the failure Of his company,
the books of the bank are as utterly beyond
the sight of man as though burned in the
"helr' of the old town mill, fire that goes
not out from year end to year end.
III. O. Fishback, cashier of the Tacoma
National, was debtor to the bank to the
extent of $1,000. He was retained by the
receiver to assist in winding up the banks
affairs, and when the receiver took steps
to secure the $4,000, Mr.. Fishback promptly
confessed judgment in favor OF Eastern
relatives to the amount of over 10000.
Fishback is now the Deputy City Treasurer.
Samuel Collyer, the bright light and sec
rotary OF the Chamber OF Commerce and
grand fugleman of the Occidental and
Oriental Fair which is to be held in Tacoma
in the year of grace 1900, was debtor to
the bank of which he was cashier to the
extent of $34 900, while his associate was in
for $4,000.
w. B. Allen, president of the Bank of
Tacoma, which had $228,000 of city money
"on hand" was debtor individually and
as a principal stakeholder in sideshOw cor
porations to the extent of nearly $l50,0G0
while Boggs shows up in the same institu-
ton for SOL. 600. Other members of the city
gang were in for various sums, large and
small.
G. A. Lavender, chairman of the Finance
Committee of the City Council, who was
brought before the bar of the Council last
week, is accused of using his official posi-
ton to extort moneys from the bank upon
the pledge of his influence to deter the city
from making demand for its deposit.
Charge six against Mr.. Lavender is to the
effect that he instead of endeavoring TO Sc
cure to the city its money from the Bank
OF Tacoma used his influence as chairman
of the Finance Committee to obtain money
out of the bank for his own personal use to
the damage of the city and in bad faith;
that during the months of April, May,
June and July, 1894, while pretending to
be unable to obtain any money for the
city from said bank he did, by reason of
his dishonesty and dishonorable dealings,
obtain from said bank large sums of money,
in all $4,000.
M. M. Taylor, president of the Board of
Public Works, lately deposed for demand
ing $1,000 rake-off from the Columbia Ma
tiOnal Bank for his influence in preventing
the withdrawal of the county funds from
that institution. is another of the same
kind of patriots.
OF the half-hundred prominent citizens
who made up the gang that robbed the
city until there was scarcely enough left
to tempt q crow, hardly one has escaped