Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-10-06
ARE
EXAMINED
sTENoeRAPHER IN IOWA LILO.
LETT coMPANY's OFFICE
BREAKS HER SILENCE.
MAY EXPLAIN SHORTAGE
Mrs. Maude Hamilton, Who Was sus
pected BY Some Of Being ResponsL
Bile for the Discrepancy Of $4,000.
Says Her Methods Were Honest.

Die TOR the Discrepancy OF $4,000,
Says Her Methods Were Honest.
Des Moines, Oct. 5.--Mrs. Maude
Hamilton of Iowa Falls. the pretty ste
nographer of Byron B. Bliss, manager
OF the Lillooett Gold Dredging compa.
ny, which has just announced short
age OF $40,0Oo,has at last spoken. Last
evening she made statement.
This woman, who recently came out
IN rich dresses and jewels as q society
belle, has been the object Of suspicion
and patiently bore all accusations in
silence upon the advice Of her attor.
ney. Now she has announced her will
1ngness to help the directors find
where the shortages came and will 20
through the books with the expert.
She says she knew shortage exist.
ed for many weeks. She first declares
her Innocence and explains her large
expenditures of money with the state
ment that she has been scalping the
company's stock on account Of inside
tips she was able to secure
Secretary Raves In Bed.
Byron B. Bliss, against whom there
is now considerable talk, lies sick IN
his bed, declared by brain experts to
be insane. President Charles r. Han
cock of the company has announced
that an unwhitewashed investigation
and exposure of the management Of
the company's business will be mhde
at once. This investigation was de-
mnnded by the stockholders.
A committee was appointed to walt
upon the directors composed OF Rev.
i. M. Price Of the Congregational
church. G.. L. Whinnery, o. H. Pegel.
emo and others. The demand OF the
committee was: A complete investi-
cation OF the company's books In Iowa
Falls and Vancouver, B. c., permission
for the stockholders as well as ia,r=,eE.
ors to participate in the exan1inafifs,,.
punishment OF persons guilty of rof,.
berry. Ii there is found to be robbery
and absolutely no whitewash for any.
one. ". ss
Treasurer Is Esteemed.
H. G. Miller, the company's treasur-
er, is in California, where he went to
attend the Knights Templar conclaye.
He was president of the State bank
of Iowa Falls. He is held In high
esteem and no one believes him to be
a defaulter. However. both Mr. Miller
and Mr.. Bliss had bonds ample to cover
the loss to the company and suits may
be commenced to recover as soon as
the blame is located. \
| The shortage has causel a sensation
as stock was greedily bought in every
quarter and made remarkable rise.
| While the wild clamor is going on the
manager. Mr.. Bliss, lies upon his bed
surrounded by luxury and, tossing In
wild delirium, cries out that he will
yet live to see the Lillooett a grand
success. The investigation Of the
company's books will begin at once
with the aid of Mrs. Hamilton.
Northern Iowa Excited.
Webster City, Oct. 5.-The one alb.
sorbing sensation in northern Iowa To.
of the Iowa Lillooett and Hawkeye
Falls. The Soule crash, involving the
ginning in comparison to this. It did
not come so much from the hard earn.
ings of those who lost their all. 1t is
believed that the deficit Of the LII
looett is $4,000 and Of the Hawkeye
| $4,000
Bonding Company Concerned.
The exact dates of the various mis-.
appropriations are likely to be brought
to light by the eastern bonding COM
|pany by which the Lillooett was sup
lposed to be secured. The bond expired
on August Is. The defalcation came to
Light September IA, nearly month
later. The question Of when the
money was taken is vital.
II The discovery of the trouble has
been due fully to the inability Of the
Lillooett dredge to produce results. AS
day after day passed and the dredge
gave no important returns the officers
of the new company. the Hawkeye, be.
: came restless and held meeting at
Iowa Falls. On request of the direct
ors Secretary Bliss furnished check
for $4,000 on the State bank at Iowa
Falls, which represented the funds
supposed to be on hand, but which the
bank refused to honor.
4 Victims Hate stenographer.
The sharpest kind of contrast exists
in the public estimation of Mr.. Bliss
and his stenographer, Mrs. Hamilton,
Representative Furrier, who has just
returned from business trip to Iowa
Falls. tells of this phase OF the matter.
I'VE did not hear a word OF praise
for her." he said. while little girls
and old men and widows whose all
had been drawn into the vortex Of one
or both companies were trudging home
ward with parcels of groceries Mrs
Hamilton was riding up and down the
, principal street in her magnificent
, blcycle-wheeled turnout, her aged