The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-08
Wallace Thayer Declares Dead
Mans Relative Asked Him to
Betray Trust.
CALLS IT LEGAL IMPERTINENCE.
of Debts Against Estate
Leads Lawyer to Surmise That
There Had Been Misap-
preparation of Money.

Buffalo. April - Wallace Thayer. who
Vas Arthur r. PennelTs friend and legal
adviser in his lifetime. was questioned to-
day relative TO a published statement quot
ing him as saying there was no doubt that
the story Of misrepresentation was true and
that Pencils brother. J. Frederick Pen
nell. had pleaded with him TO destroy the
trust papers. ~repudiated much that was at
tibuted TO him and made a brief statement
which embodied, he said, all that he cared
10 state at the present time. Nj. Thayer
said:
j Frederick Pencil. brother Of a. r.
Pencil. came 10 me last Friday and told
me Arthur had LETT large debts to friends
large enough to practically consume all the
insurance. and he advanced that as Z rea-
son why | should turn over TO him the SS.-
0o in insurance which AR Pencil left in
trust with me. He said: Unless you do
this there will be practically nothing left
j. F. Pennell demanded tina, / should pay
these policies over, not fosthe estate. but %
him personally. l suppose his counsel told
HIM 10 z, it II waszone Of the greatest
heard Of. II was an Invitation 10 me 10
violate the trust which had been rePosed in
me"
''wm you turn the Policies over 10 the
Beuneu estate?' was assrds
NOt until the Court Apes1s orders ms
10 90 So ne TtplEl.
Then Mr.. Thayer madesthis statement:
4 drew the inference from ]. z. Pencils
statements that his brother must have
made Interpretations OF money. There is Z
vast amount OF debts against the estate
some So.8U-and l can't see how he could
have got iatO debt TO that amount unless he
spent money belonging 10 others"
Thomas Penney, who has been acting a.
attorney for Pennells estate. was unwilling
10 disclose anything regarding Pennelfs
money transactions When asked whether
the statement regarding his relations with
Burdtck. which Pencil. il is said, wrote out
just prior TO his death. would be made pub
lie at the inquest. Mr.. Penney said he knew
nothing OF any such statement
BEARING ON INQUEST.
District Attorney C~oatsvorth said to-day
that he had known OF the alleged svfndltng
operations OF Arthur r Pennsll for a week.
II was inforned,' said he. that Pennell
had been inducing his wtfe's family and
friends in Wayne TO allow him to invest
their money FOR them ! was also Informed
that he gave them fake mortgages on prop
erty and kept up the interest payments in
order to cover up his dishonest transac-
lions. I have not investigated the report
authority that I am satisfied Of its general
truth"
VIII you 70 Into the matter OF Pencils
operations at the inquest was asked.
torney. but as a general proposition his
swtndling operations have no particular
connection with the Burdiek and Pencil in
quests In another sense ] shall go into the
private affairs Of Pencil.
MY policy In the PenneN inquest VIII be
10 bring 10 light every scinIHa OF evidence
which will OF may throw Light on the muir
der Of Edwin l. Burdick- The inquest viii
not be in reality to determine how Arthur
r Pennell came TO his death II Is not OF
any great Importance to know whether he
Importance to discover the murderer Of E
l. Burdick-"