The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-04-10

YORK to make my nome, and then be-
gan what may be termed the present
chapter of my life. A little time be-
fore coming to New York met Theo-
dore Hagaman. He was my friend I'M
Ill the hour of his death, and his
widow is still my friend The litiga-
ton which has resulted over his for.
tune has brought my, name into prom
inence, but ! know that when the facts
are all known II will be seen that /
have done absolutely no wrong.
MEETS ALLEGED VICTIM.
AT the Waldorf-Astorfa first met
Theodore Hagaman. We knew each
other socially long before we had any
business relations. l went into the
brokerage business in Wall street, and
finally Mr.. Hagaman found that ]
could dispose of securities which had
no ready sale in New York, but which
were purchased by those acquainted
with the properties upon which they
we're based. l was sort Of specialist
and acted as the agent Of Mr. Haga-
man.
One of the properties which ! was
handling, but not for Mr.. Hagaman,
was the Arizona, Eastern and Mon
taria company, which was brought in
to being by the late Robert @. Inger-
soil. / was convinced of the value OF
the property, believed In 1t implicit
ly, and sold 1t to my very best friends.
Mr.. Hagaman knew all -about this
property. He was an old business man
and not easily deceived. He purchased
10000 shares for the account OF his
wife, not through any request OF mine,
but because he believed the investment
would be worth while. :"
PROMOTES IRON INTERESTS.
Finally, 1 have been promoting the
interests of the Blue Ridge Iron COM
pany, which owns 1880 acres OF iron
lands about 35 miles north Of Atlanta,
Ca, reaching five miles along each
side of the Etowah river. There are
8, 900 acres of red hematite ore, 1,2O0
acres Of manganese, and the second
largest deposit Of ochre in America.
This company authorized $1,000,00o
OF bonds and S2,500.000 of stock. About
$3.50 900 of the bonds were sold; $780,
900 still remain in the treasury, and 1t
is asserted that bonds to the amount
Of 100000 were appropriated without
warrant by the directors, ostensibly
as nay for services rendered. The 9TH
er bondholders would not permit this.
and an action to foreclose on the mort
gage bonds is now pending, the City
Trust company acting as trustee.
Through my instrumentality Mrs.
Hagaman purchased about 100000
worth of the Blue Ridge Iron COM
pany's bonds. She is the chief mover
in the present action. Her investment
is worth today more than 1t cost her,
and she will realize much more than
she paid in. Mr.. Hagaman knew all
about this company, and had he lived
he would have invested even more
freely than his widow has done.
1T is maliciously false that ! have
persuaded Mrs. Hagaman to dissipate
the fortune which her husband gave
to her. She understands her own no
sition and she Is satisfied. Every dol
liar which Mr.. Hagaman gave to his
wife he gave freely, and did it believ-
ing that his death was near.
GRAVEST SUSPICIOUS DEFIED.
Il will not make a. pretense Of not
understanding the suggestions which
have been made since the litigation
was begun by the relatives of the late
Theodore Hagaman to regain posses
sion of the wealth which he turned
over to Mrs. Hagaman. OF course the
exhumation of the body of Mr.. Haga-
man means only only thing. But for
tunately suspicious do not establish
guilt.
"Mr. Hagaman was my friend and
was his friend. I sat with him when
he was i'll, and ] know that he re-
ceived every care and attention that
could be bestowed upon person. When
he died his wife was a sincere mourn
er, and she is now suffering a diaboli-
cal torture, which is all the more Sc
we're because 1t seems to be impossi-
BILE that q blow can be struck In re-
turn
For myself, I court the strictest in
vestigation and l only hope that the
chemists who are making an analysis
| of the contents Of the stomach of Mr..
Hagaman and the analysis of his
muscles and brain will make full and
complete report of their findings. II
they do that the absurd suspicious
which have been awakened in the pub
| lie mind will be quieted.
"Ins conclusion. let me say for my
self that though my career has been
full of action-pyrotechnic II you
lplease--and though l have made mis-
takes, I have always fought in the
open." ~