The San Francisco call., 1898-08-04
THE HOOLEY SCANDAL.

C TATEMENTS made by Ernest T. Hooley the
 nsolvent promoter of all sorts of enterprises AD have given rise in London 10 what, taking all things into consideration, Is the gravest hnanclal scandal of the age The extent Of the corrupt oper ations of Hooey indeed inferior to that o the pro- motors of the Panama canal swindle in France, and the number of eminent persons involved III the scan dal IS less; but, the other hand the socal posi- ton of the accused parties Ill London IS so much higher than that of the exposed III Paris that the British sensation unquestonaby the startling of the two
 Hooley's statements, though given in court and under oath of to be accepted with 1n- questioning credulity The man by his own showing has been swindler, liar, bribe-glver, and an all-round confidence large scale. lie has handled millions of money representing the invest of nearly all classes of the British people, and has out of his schemes bankrupt in purse repu- tation and hope He in his despair and malice fighting back against the society that condemns him, and seems determined to drag down with him as many others as he can.
 The testimony of such man given in such a mood and under such circumstances must always be re- ceived with suspicion. No accused by Hooley ought to be condemned on that testimony alone. There are some rascals who would just as soon lie under oath for spite as lie the stock exchange for money and Hoo1ey may be one of them. That he Is utterly interruptions Is beyond question. More over according to his own evidence he IS now try ing to shift the burden of wrongdoing from his own shoulders that of others, and that fact tends to weaken the force of what he says. It IS known that long as his operations successful he took all the credit to himself, and that failure has come upon him the public will not readily believe the blame must rest upon others
 Briefly stated Hooleys claim is that his enterprises failed only because he had to pay such enormous tribute to blackmailing newspapers and such large to noblenen to induce them to act directors of his various companies The first plea is certainly not good. Newspapers are not so much given to blackmailing as certain rascals would like to have the public believe Moreover, honest business men engaged in legitimate enterprises need fear black mailers either in England or in this country. If Hooley paid any London editors for silence 1t was only because he was engaged in something that would bear Investigation and in that the so-called blacknail only division of plunder between two rascas, of whom about honest. as the other
 The chief feature of the scandal Is that relating to the nobility It will be noted that whereas the Panama scandal involved a considerable number of French politicians and statesmen the British case does not affect that class of at all. The dig nitaries accused by Hooley of selling their names and patronage worthless stock companies belong with out exception to the so-called smart set" That is to say they members of that fashionable clique that leads society and devotes itself its wealth and it's energies to high teas, fancy dress balls and general dissipation With that class of people few persons will have any sympathy. London will lose nothing if some of these gaudy birds are stripped of their peacock plumage. In fact it will probably be ben eft not only for the British public but for some of our own people in New York if few members of 4l. I i and the whole clique permanently retired to ob- scurity.