Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-12-23

Who Are liked Up in Big Frauds, and
Tells of Transactions AggreGating ST.
ooo.OoO-Wants an Invitation to Kansas
City. That He May Give Away the Other
RHscals. and Promptly Gets What He
Wants-No Names Given.
Kansas City. No. Dec. IS. - Frank
Cooper. of the firm of Elmore &
Cooper, live stock merchants, yesterday
displayed for a comparison of the sig
nature letter alleged to have been
received Wednesday from Grant c. Gill
lett. the Kansas cattle plurger. ex-
pressing a Willingness to return from
Mexico and face his creditors. a COM
parison Of the signature attached TO the
letter and the known signature of Gil
lett showed them to be identical. While
refusing to make pubic the actual con-
tents of the letter Cooper said that GIL
lett declared in it that he is only the
scapasoat of others VINO participated in
gigantic cattle frauds. and that if e.
more e Cooper will only say the word
he Will be in Kansas City in forty-eight
hours and Will furnish such evidence as
will uncover a great conspiracy.
Two Million Dollars in Frauds.
The letter covers both sides of more
than a dozen large sheets Of paper.
gives lists Of transactions aggregating
nearly $2.C00O00. and accord ns TO Coop
er makes direct accusation of fraud
against severa, live stock dealers. The
letter is postmarked San Antonio. Tex.
Cooper says an effort TO get Gillett to
return will be made The letter was
received late Wednesday afternoon. but
the name Of the firm to whom ii was
addressed or any portion of its contents
were not made public until yesterday.
Cooper declares that the letter is au-
thentic and contains Information that if
will be very valuable in Strengthening
out GilIett's affairs. He showed por-
ton of the letter. which read:
Reads Kansas City Papers Regularly.
II am reading the Kansas City papers
every day, and see that these people are
talking a great deal about fraud and
forgery. I want to say right here that
] can show who has committed forgery.
and il you say the word l will come
back inside of forty-eight hours. Just
publish in the papers that you want me
to come back and 1 will come. 1 had
about 81 $500 before 1 left. and / spent
il all for lawyers fees except about
$50 You say the word and l will come
back"
Tell GiIiett to Come Back.
II do not feel at liberty to make
known the further contents of the let
ter" said Cooper. Il say now to GilletI
and ! hope he Will read this-that 1
want him to come back. l believe if he
Will come here and go on the witness
stand to tell what he says in his letter
some of his associates will find them
selves in very tight quarters"
Does Gillett ask you to offer him
protection in case of his return - Coop
er was asked. NO. He does not
DO you think he will come back?'
Yes. I firmly believe he will"
What There l. in 1t for Him.
Don't you think he will simply be
placing his liberty in jeopardy if he re-
turns" THAT is a question. He might
be able to prove what he says in his
letter. In that case he might clear him
SELF"
You think GilIett is in San Antonio?"
NO. he is not there. l believe he is
nearer Kansas City than San Antonio
I think he sent the letter by some one
TO San Antonio and had it mailed. He