The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-22
WELLS NAME
WAS FORGED
Ex-Governor Tells of Memorable In
terview With John @. Cannon.
SECRETARY ADMITS GUILT
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE is
PUSHING INVESTIGATION.

PUSHING ESTlSATiON.
N THE presence of the special house
| investigating committee. and e.
about. two score of spectators and
newspaper men yesterday morning in
the Chancery court room OF The city and
county building. Ex-Governor Heber NJ.
Wells told of the forgery Of his name
e nineteen orders for money and issued
by John @ Cannon. late secretary OF
the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
commission for the state of Utah. and
Who is now beyond the Jurisdiction %
the state. Where he is no one seems TO
KIN ". though he is much sought after.
The disclosures made by Governor
Wells were not thrillingly dramatic i'm
manner of delivery, but while he was
testifying the closest attention was
given 10 every word he uttered. While
he aid not directly charge Mr. Cannon
with the forgery of his name. he re-
lated a converse ton which ne had with
the secretary. of the commission early
in January IN the Deseret News build
ing. during the course of which Cannon
said
THAT is your signature on those or
deTs but YOU did not write it
When the ex-governor repeated the
declaration # seemed as if every one
within the sound OF his voice formed
but one conclusion. and that was that
John g. Cannen had practically admit
ted his guilt. and that he and no one
else had forged AIR. Wells name to the
orders.
The call for the first meeting of the
Investigation committee announced
that the session would begin at 10
O'clock, and promptly at that hour the
sergeant at arms, Herman Snow.
raped for order and the Investigation
az under way. At the long Ia BILE un-
rfaa he
tee with the chairman. Clesson $ Kin
ney. in the center. At Mr.. Kinney's
right sat Representative Gundry. Pc
terson and kuchleT, and on his left
We're StooBey, Miller and Joseph.
Facing the committee sat the attor-
ney for the investigators. H \. Smith,
and Assistant Attorney General NJ. i.
White. At an adjoining table were
County Attorney Farley 2. Christen-
sen and Assistant County Attorney
Job p Lyon
Within the rallied enclosure were ex-
Governor Wells, Senator Willis John
son, George b. SquireS. Lewis NJ. Can
non, l. W. Shurtliff, ). T. Whitaker
H H Henderson. A c Nelson, J. J.
Whitaker, J. 7. Hammond and Z. w.
Wilson
Ex-Governor Wells Testifies.
Ex-Governor Wells was the first wit
ness called His manper throughout
The direct examination indicated that
Re knew he had a disagreeable duty TO
perform, but he did not shrink from
the issue. He answered each question
frankly and in a clear. firm voice. He
said in response to the opening ques-
tion that during his incumbency of the
office of governor he had been a mem
Der of the commission created in 1908,
commonly known as the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition committee for the
state of Utah
Before proceeding further with the
examination Attorney Smith submitted
as eviNence for the record certain sec
lions of the act by which the commits
sion was created, defining its duties
and the expenses permitted TO be
charged by the members of the com
mission while engaged actually in the
work outlined by the act Of the legis-
lature.
Mr.. Wells then resumed. He said
that the commission consisted of four
members. with himself as chairman,
making a total OF five. John O. Can
non was chosen secretary and he re-
manned as such, 10 the best of his
knowledge. until last Saturday, when.
through the newspapers. the witness
learned that the Office had been de-
cared vacant and that :. T. Whitaker
had been appointed to fill the position.
He then described in detail the method
of drawing funds 10 meet expenses. The
plan followed was for the treasurer,
Hoyt sherman. to estimate the eX-
peusss :: the commission would then GER
tify to the estimate and the state au-
ditor would issue warrants for the
amount needed.
All the expenditures were acted upon
by the board at one time or another.
but not Always before the expenditures
were made. for the reason that there
were occasions when money had to be
/ lad Immediately, especially in ST
Louis during the time the Utah exhibit
was in course of construction The in
| debtedness required at those particular
times was really incurred by Director
| General Whitaker. acting under in
structions from the commission. The
money entrusted to the commission
as deposited in the Commercial Ma
tiOnal bank. and. as far as he knew al
orders were made payable to the per
I sons TO whom the money was due In
! a few cases. though, orders We're made
payable to others than those to whom
/ the money was due, but vouchers, or
/ their return, all bore the signatures OF
! the persons to whom the money was
/ actually due. A few orders were IS
\ sued in favor of members of the com
mission to pay their salaries he ad-
United that orders were issued TO the
/ secretary outside of his salary, but the
/ witness could not recall the number OF
the amount.
J. @. Cannon Makes Admissions.
At this point the examination mar
/ Towed itself down 10 the early and mid
: die parts of the past January, and the
/ with IS. with some apparent degree oil
/ hesitancy. told Of the memorable con
! Versation which he held on or abput
/ the 18th of the month with Secretary
/ Cannon at his office in the Deseret
! News building. Choosing his words
with much care. the witness said:
John NJ. Cannon telephOned me tC
/ come and see John .. Cannon at a Ger
! tain room in the building. 1 went there
! the next day and met the two brothers
I / asked John Q. Cannon if ne had evel
! obtained money wrongfully on order:
4 CT the commission, and he said he had
! II was a very trying scene. 1 asked
/ him why and he replied that he had
/ done so without dreaming that his ac
4 ton would ever be discovered. I asked
! him the amount involved and he saiC
that it was about 81. 100 In answer K
my questions he said that he had neYel
/ gambled but had used the money il
| everyday life. that is. he had used il
| to pay his household expenses and II
! Gefraying his everyday expense:
/ throughout the city. He told me tina
/ he had obtained money on about TWEEN
I a.. l,pf aE