Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-04-14
T. [. dewey REVIEWS BURTON CASE.

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cash and on deposit in St. Louis banks
Major Dennis, who owned the com
pany, had been an insurance man
and In the summer OF 1902 bough
out speculative concern called thu
Brooks Brokerage company. Thil
concern became involved In difficulty
by the illegitimate practices Of the
man in charge Of it. When Major
Dennis discovered the affairs Of the
company he closed out the business
and organized the Rialto company.
When Senator Burton was employed
Major Dennis was alarmed lest he
himself should be indicted for the
crooked transactions OF the man who
had ruined the Brooks Brokerage COM
p,ny and it turned out that he was
indicted within q week after the SEN
ator's employment. He had already
employed local attorneys and also q
barrister from Montreal. 1t was just
at that time that the Kasturs stepped
In and recommended Senator Burton
as an able criminal lawyer. Major
Dennis sent Harlan to Washington to
confer about the indictment. H.
himself then went, and subsequently
had tho senator to come to St. Louis
for consultation with the other attor-
neys. 1t will be noted that all this
trouble was about the Brooks Broker.
age company. In the matter Of the
defense Of Major Dennis in the prose-
cution for the sins OF that company,
Senator Burton had the perfect right
to appear and the court at St. Louis
so ruled and held.
WAS REPUTABLE CONCERN.
cat the trial the government was
notpermitted to show that the Rialto
company was frauiulent concern,
and SO far as the record shows, 1t was
reputable. In February, 1908, sever
al 'get-rich quick concerns. like Ar
mold, Ryan and others, went to pieces
under assaults Of the postal depart
ment, but during that time the de-
partment found no fault whatever
with the Rialto company. That COM
pany continued to rnn for Dearly
year after the senator's employ ment
ceased, without any interruption from
the postal department. When Major
Dennis was 10 California, q mental
and physical wreck, the Rialto COM
pany was ruined, by the men he left
10 charge OF it. This was months
after the senator's contract had been
Iu August and September.
1908, the postal inspectors made an
investigation, continuing four weeks.
and reported that there was no ground
Tor the issuance Of a fraud order by
The department.
at should be borne in mind that
The law Senator Burton is accused Of
was passed in 1864 and not
'ne lawyer in thousand knew Of its
existence. 1t hardly seems possible
hat 1t was intended to cover the
fraud order statute which was passed
,wrnty years later. II such should
,e the holding Of the higher court,
hen there is no charge Of any kind
Igainst the senator.
oFFENsE NOT BRIBERY.
"This offense has been herAlded as
bribery throughout the country. The
ctual charge was using his influence
IS United States senator to persuade
he postoffice department not to issue
fraud order against the Rialto COM
,any. Therefore it 10 important to
now and to realize what the senator
lid. Mr.. Cochran, chief inspector,
vas the only official produced at the
rial by the government. There was
10 pretense by him that the senator
yer tried to influence him against
raud order. The testimony shows
hat all that was done was to make
INQUIRY two or three times concern
ng complaints and to request Mr..
,ockrsu to notify him 10 case. any
ON plants should be msde. Mr..