The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-09-04

George A. Wilson, of Lexington |
President of the Mississippi Fire AS
ISOLATION, through whose inquiry the
exposure of the sensational treasury
shortage of $107, 900 was made, has
ment Of the method by which he as.
certained that Cashier r. T. Raiford,
Phil A. Rush and Banker John ArmI
stead had taken the money away from
the treasury vaults.
Mr.. Wilson was severely criticized
IN the statement recently made by
Rush, and the interview is reply to
the charges and assertions made in
the Rush statement. He does not
mince words in discussing the affair,
and much of what he says is of fresh
interest TO the public.
Your correspondent met Mr.. Wilson
on the streets of Jackson day or SO
since, and obtained his consent for
the interview. The first question
asked was:
81 have not seen you in some time
Mr. Wilson. Where have you been?"
About the middle of July l went
with my family on our summer vaca-
tion through the North and Canada.
i left my family at White Sulphur
Springs, in West Virginia, last week
and came home"
Have you seen the statement Of
Phil A. Rush in regard to the Treas.
ury natter" was asked.
~ have just read the article of the
defendant Phil A. Rush, ON the in
diotment pending against him and
Others in the circuit court Of Kinds
county charging them with embezzle-
ment and larceny Of the funds of the
State Treasury"
"What do you think of it and of his
reference TO yourself
"The accused in this case is not un-
like other defendants. He admits his
dislike of the States witnesses and
would do them up if he could. AS |
was the one who gave the information
to the Governor of the felonious
scheme then being worked on the
Treasury, I come in for q share of
pen thrusts in Mr.. Rush's diatribe.
"Please state how long you have
known Mr.. Rush, and give me his
toryIof all the matters touched on by
him, and how you became aware of
the Rush Armistead- Raiford raid on
the Treasury. The matter is one of
great interest and of great public i'm
portance and the people Of Mississippi
would like to hear your account of
the matter"
HISTORY OF THE MATTER.
"When I joined the Mississippi
Bankers Association four years ago
Mr.. Rush was it's President and | was
thrown with him at those meetings,
and became very we'll acquainted
with him, as I thought. | had
known him slightly before but had
never been much in his company.
While the Legislature was in session
in 1900 / received a telegram from Mr..
Rush about as follows:
'''Meet me in Jackson Thursday on
business of Importance to you. An
swar.
"Not knowing what he wanted
1 wired him I would meet him in
Jackson on that day [ went to Jack
son and met Mr. Rush and asked him
what he meant by his telegram. He
said that he was the chief bondsman
of J. r. Showers, State Treasurer,
and that 1t was dangerous to have SO
large an amount of cash in the treas
ury vaults. nearly million dollars
being then on hand, and that he
{Rush) had prepared bill authoriz-
ing the funds to be deposited in banks
throughout the State to be named by
Showers and the Governor. and that
Showers had given him (Rush) carte
blank to name the repositories, and
of which I was President, as one OF
them. OF course, appreciated this
manifestation of confidence, and af-
forwards he told me that he was a
candidate for Capitol Commissioned
and asked me to use my influence with
the Senators in his behalf, and not
having heard anything against the
character or reputation of Mr.. Rush
at that time, I cheerfully did what
could for him among my friends II
the Senate.