The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-28
THEY ARREST
HAMMOND AGAIN
Complaint Comes From Chi
cago-Hammond Sure
of Acquittal.

George ]. Hammond, president of
the Coe Commission company, was ar
rested yesterday on information from
Chicago charging him with SWindling
and embezzlement
Mr.. Hammond Immediately surren-
dered himself to the custody of the
ohcerS and announced his willingness
to go to Chicago. He said that ex-
tradition papers would cut no figure
In the case with him.
This said Mr. Hammond, 'fs mere
ly another move of the Minneapolis
Chamber of Commerce. BY a system
OF persecution these people have tried
to drive me out of business. 1 have
fought every move they have made
and have defeated them at every turn.
This is merely another development of
the original quarrel. Having failed to
handicap me through the moves they
nave made in Minneapolis, the Cham
Der of Commerce hopes to embarrasS
me in Chicago.
There Is absolutely nothing doing.
You will find the Coe Commission COM
pany doing business at the old stand
for many days to Gomez
At II o'clock yesterday morning
Hammond was placed in charge of De-
tective James Howard, who remained
with him throughout the day. Mr..
Hammond was very willing prisoner,
and was given every liberty pending
the arrival of officers from Chicago.
Mr.. Hammond had a long consultation
with his attorneys, Lancaster & Nc
Ghee, as to the status of the case
brought against him in Chicago, and
after emerging from this conference
he expressed the opinion that there
was nothing to fear from the Chicago
prosecution.
Immediately after leaving the offices
ne hi nft i
to Ch1ef COnroy, of the Minneapolis
police department, annou~ cling his will
lingness to go to Chic&s,o tonight, if
that could be arranged, as we'll as his
Willingness to pay all tie expenses of
the officer who would accompany him
IN order to get the matter promptly
adjusted.
There is no doubt that during the
deliberations of the grand jury in Chi
cago Hammond has been kept inform
ed of all that was going on. He was
fully aware that he had been indicted
before the news reached the Mime
apolis officials. AS long ago as the
middle of January Mr.. Hammond ex-
pressed the opinion that the scene Of
operations by the Minneapolis Cham
Der of Commerce would be shifted from
Minneapolis to Chicago, and that it
would not be long before he would
have to defend himself in Illinois.
1T seems to me-" said Hammond
last night, that the decisions OF the
Minneapolis courts have been suffi-
cier " indicative of the justice of my
pc n. I am considered by the Min
neapOlis Chamber Of Commerce to be
an. interloper and the members of that
body resent my having taken so much
Of their business from them.
Il am willing to submit to any au-
thority on financial method my scheme
of operation for comparison with that
in vogue on the Chamber of Commerce
I pay my losses and take my profits
precisely as they do, and the only diff
ference is that they are members Of an
organization which essays to control
the speculative market of the North
west, while l am an outsider doing an
absolutely square business, at a less
profit, than that which they collect
with the natural result that I have ac-
quired large share of the business
The prosecution in Chicago will I'M
doubtedly result as the other prosecu-
tions have resulted, in an acquittal
and as 1 said before, the Minneapolis
Chamber of Commerce, having made
the last move, puts it up to me to
make the next one. I shall endeavor
to realize all anticipations."