The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-05
THE BANK RECEIVER.
Merchants National Affairs
Kept Mr.. Eckels Busy.
HOW MAYER ouEEREo HIMSELF.
wfckwaress Waste Of Time-Clary In
Trouble for Backcapping Mr..
Baker.

Washington City. July Especial
sI7Ither there are great many liars in
the city Of Seattle said Comptroller
EelseIs 10 the Post-infelllgeneer corre-
fpondent yesterday, "or Charles RI. Baker
IS one Of the most capable and Efficient
men have ever appointed 10 the position
OF receiver OF a bank. ! have letters from
no less than 1I2 Of the leading citizens OF
Seattle. declaring that Mr. Baker was a
thoroughly reliable man and stood high in
the estimation of his fellow nen. To be
sure q great many OF these letters were
written In Mr.. Bakers behalf while he was
a candidate for the Seattle postoffiee. but
] cannot see why any OF these gentlemen
should have changed their opinions OF such
a good man so suddenly. To be sure. they
were all interested in the bank. those who
said Baker was anything but 1T man 10
be receiver, and were very anxious tor
some reason or another that AIR Laramie
Mayer should be appointed. Outside OF
the men directly Interested in the bank
affairs no one In Seattle wrote or teie-
grsphed 20 me anything but words OF com
mendafion for the man whom have APP
pointed"
Mr. Eckels was AT first very much in
clined to give out for publication the
names OF the hank directors and others
who said hard things about Mr.. Baker in
their communications 20 him. when at the
same time he had In his possession their
letters OF strong Endorsement for Baker as
postmaster; for all those had been care
fully filed In the postofnce department.
and when the comptroller asked for them
they were sent over to the treasury at
once. comparison of these before and
after" letters would have made very inter
esting reading not only for Mr.. Baker
but for great many other people In Sc
attic. II any public attacks upon the
comptroller. censuring him for the APP
pointment OF Baker. had been made IL Is
almost certain that those letters would
have been placed in my hands for publ
cation. Mr.. Eckels, however. is unwilling
10 stir mp dissension when not forced 10 II
in seifdefense OF hts actions his mo-
tives. and is sincere In the hope that all
opposition to Baker ceased with his APP
pointmeut
The trip of Mr. W. r. Wickware. cashier
of the Merchants National bank to Wash
fngton City in behalf of Mr.. Laramie
Mayer was thorough waste of time and
money. Mr.. Wickware said all he could
for Mr.. Mayer, whose appointment was
strongly urged by all OF the bank officials.
and professed great ignorance regarding
Baker, frying to create the impression in
the mind of the comptroller that a man of
whom he knew so little could not be the
proper person for receiver. But Mr. Lara
mie Mayer had queerea his own chances 10
be made receiver long before this. They
would never have been very brilliant at
the best for Mr. Eckeis is altogether OPP
posed TO naming any one as his representa-
tive I'm winding up the affairs OF bank
who IL so friendly with the officers and
stockholders as to receive their unanimous
Endorsement Such proceeding would be
hardly according TO sound business
methods. and Mr.. Eckels prides himself on
being more of a lawyer than he is a
banker.
Mr.. wickware may. perhaps. have felt
that he met with a somewhat chilly recep
ton In the comptroller's office. n so. ii
was through no personal feeling against
him. but rather toward the man whose
claims he was pushing. When Mr. Mayer
first determined upon being a candidate for
receiver some evil genius put into his
head TO do a thing which he. perhaps at
the time. thought would favor his chances
of success Immensely. but which I'm effect
beat Il boomerang by several geometrical
ratios. lie wrote and sent a telegram 10
n former law partner and warm personal
fried of Comptroller Eckeis. now in Chi
cage which read as follows:
II hope 10 be appointed receiver OF the
Merchants National bank In this city. In
that case I shall want an attorney in Chi
cage. win you accept a retainer now?'
Messenger service in Chicago is very
rapid. ana almost before the hik on his
original dispatch was dry Mr.. Mayer re-
ceiyed reply which was most emphatic
"No. sirl''
In due course. by mail the telegram
from Mr. Mayer which the former partner
OF Mr. Eclels had received came into the
comp. tolier's hands He Is not man TO
make a great display or anger, but IL Is
presumed that the foregoing will be 20
most people a sufficient explanation why
the envoy OF Mr. Mayer should have been
quite chilled by the Hudson's hay temper
atmra OF the air in the comptroller's office
on that hot June day of his arrival.
Senator Squire was somewhat interested
IN the appointment Of a receiver. and Wis
tied the comptrotler's Office frequently
while the appointment was pending. His
first choice was state Senator Forrest. VINO
IS. of course a Republican, and his second
was Josiah Collins ir. The day before Mr..
Bakers appointment was announced the
senator again called. and while In CONVEX
sa,ton with the comptroller was shown the
big bundle or Endorsements that accom-
panied Bakers application After ne had
read letter after letter. ne finally said.
well Mr. Baker certainly has most re
rnarkahle Inducements. When such men
as these say any ono is n good man for
any position I must believe that No Is. |
don't very well see how you can help ap-
pointing him"
great deal has been said IN the past.
principally AZ the time when young Baker
was nm applicant for the postmastership.
about the great influence which his
father Nr William +. Baker. rich
banker aud influential citizen OF Chicago.
president az the troQuois Club and az the
Chicago Board Of Trade. has with tho
present administration This IS more fan
ciea than real. The paternal influence has
heen implied rather than expressed. The
fact Of the relationship is we'll known here
IN Washington city. and that IS all Mr
Raker rere. wrote no letters IN behalf OF
he more rcceutiy TO the comptroller 90 the
currency. Mr.. Baker. fills. Is a tab that has
stood upon ttS own bottom.
The fact that Mr.. Baker owed the hank
some money the comptroller seems Inclined
To rass over very lightly. Is is said 20 BE a
very srnall sum about s. ~. and Nr
Eckcls thinks the fact would never have
been brought - his attention ~ Mr.. Baker
hal nct SOUGHT the otIice % receiver As
the matter has hgeH reported % him how
ever there is nothing crooked or ont oi
tha way IN g. n fact ~ Is rot z personal
delf bat was Incurred hy a company oi
which AR Baker was ore. Besides. if is
understood 20 ~ raorc than amply stS-ufea
by collateral Should Nj Baker realty -
individually liable for the whole nrsaosfnt
and the sale 81 tho collateral viii rot SAT.
fsfs g. hS viii - called anon to ray lik-
any otter creditor. ana rs salary as re-