The San Francisco call., 1895-12-15
His Son and Mr.. Sanborn Went
to the Same Seat of
Learning.
THE wAREHOUsEMEN MAY ACT
Robert Woods Determined to Have an
Inquiry Into His Successors
Partnership.


who says he was supplanted by William
b. Sanborn and young Harry Wise in The
proprietorship of the Valleio-street United
States bonded warehouse and who threat
ems to ask Secretary Carlisle for an otficia
investigation, proposes to go about it in &
methodical way.
What he wants is an inquiry into the
particular modus operandi by which the
son OF the Collector of Customs managed
to become copartner of Mr.. Sanborn.
lie has been too busy, he said last night
since he lost his warehouse to have for
NAL statement prepared for the Treasury
Department. but in a few days he expects
to be able to get around to it.
Mr.. Woods does not propose to act alone
His plan will be, if it can be carried out
to have the warehousemen of this port CO.
operate with him as far as possible and as
result OF concerted action communicate
with Grover Cleveland's right-hand man
at Washington.
Il read the statement in THE CALL" he
remarked. "and it was all right. What
was stated was true. / think I will be
able to go around to my friends and in
duce them to take part with me in this
matter soon. The fact is this proceeding
on the part OF the customs authorities con-
Germs, virtually, every one of us. We may
get together and have a proper statement
prepared for Washington.
Personally have nothing against John
Il. Wise himself, but think young Harry
is little too fresh"
There is a story going the rounds of the
Custom house that some time ago a certain
warehouseman went to Collector Wise
and advised him not to take any action
to prevent his son from going into the
business. The warehouseman argued to
the Collector, 1t is said, that it would be a
very good thing for all the other ware
houses for Harry to go in, as he had
learned that Harry proposed to organize
and systematize the entire warehouse busi-
ness OF the City and present a plan by
which each warehouse would get its pro-
portionate share of the goods i'm ported.
HCollector Wise does not deny this, but he
disclaims any official compromise on his
part. He explained his position in the
matter yesterday thusly:
The young man Sanborn and my son Harry
were educated together at Cornell. 1 did not
know anything about their partnership until
the papers were drawn up by Judge Stanly.
Then said that If had known about it
would have prevented it. Not that.I thought
there was anything wrong in the matter, but
! felt that 1t might excite adverse comment
among those who do not know all the circum-
stances.
Even after the partnership had been fully
consummated was inclined. and intended to
dissuade Harry from continuing 1t, but some
of his friends who are interested in the ware
house business came to me and | was induced
by their representations and arguments to de-
fer action in that direction.
AS to my personally favoring any particular
warehouse. there is nothing at all in that
l have not been in Chinatown for four
months in an official capacity, and know
nothing about the warehousemen as individ-
uals: All l do is to see that the reports are
regular.
In one sense am rather glad that THE CALL
has taken the matter up. SO that it may be
fully ventilated and eventually understood
clearly that there has not been any official COM
promise on my part l feel that can satisfac-
torily explain my connection with the matter.
Mr.. Wise's chief clerk, Edward b. Je-
rome, voluntarily prepared a statement
yesterday for publication of the Sanborn
& Wise incident. Following is the state
ment:
In justice to Collector Wise. and in reference
to the article this day printed in The CALL,
relative TO Harry Wise being in the bonded
warehouse business, deem it incumbent on
me to make the following statement of facts,
especially In view OF the statement in the ar
ticle published:
On September 20, 1895, Mrs. Elizabeth B.
SanbOrn, proprietor of the premises known as
the Vallejo-street warehouse-and which we're
then bonded as warehouse, class 3, in the
name OF R. J Woods as principal-notified this
ONCE In writing that, the lease of Mr.. Woods
having expired, she would at future day take
possession OF her premises and release them to
her son, William B. Sanborn. In view of this,
william y. Sanborn was allowed to execute q
bond as prescribed by the regulations of the
treasury Department, which bond was, on the
10Th OF September, forwarded to the depart
ment at Washington for approval. On October
8. 1893, the department returned the bond
approved, but Mr. Sanborn notified this Office
mat ne did not desire to assume control of the
warehouse until November 1. 1895.
Meanwhile Mr.. Woods, accompanied by his
attorney, called on Collector Wise and pro-
tested against the proceedings, stating that his
lease had not expired, and he was then in
formed that no effort would be made to install
Mr. Sanborn as proprietor until he and Mrs
Sanborn came to mutual arrangements. With
this Mr.. Woods attorney expressed himself as
being satisfied stating that was all they
wanted and was fair. Up to this time young
Mr. Sanborn had not seen Collector Wise, nor
was he acquainted with Harry WISE and mat
ters stood thus for some time, and in the in
terlm ! introduced young Sanborn to Collector
wise, and knowing that he and Harry Wise
were both graduates of Cornell, sent him
around to 2l2 Sapsome street to get acquainted
with Harry, thinking they would be pleased
10 meet. subsequent to the above events and