The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-11-01
AMBASSADO.. UNDER FIRE
Our Representative at Mexico City
Accused Of Shielding an Alleged
Bank Wrecker-Makes Denial.

Somewhat Of sensation was caus-
ed in financial circles in Mexico City,
Friday night, when it was learned
that warrants had been issued for
the arrest of J. E. Starr Hunt and
three Of his associates, charging them
with fraud in their handling of the
funds of the defunct International
Bank and Trust company of America.
This sensation was greatly magnifed
in the United States. Ambassador
Thompson was openly charged with
endeayoring to shield Hunt. The
police and secret service agents are
looking for Hunt. Ambassador
Thompson deniessany connection with
the case, and says the charges against
him are absurd.
The International Bank and Trust
company was organized in the fall of
1902 and went into the hands of a
receiver on October II, 1903. 1t was
the first bank failure In the republic
for 81 years, and created sensation
at the time. The bank had seven
branches throughout the republic and
was capitalized at s1,s5Ao0o. When
it went to the wall its. liabilities to-
tailed s2,5S4,000.
a
and it is declared that he favored
creditors and fraudulently and false
ly dated numerous promissory notes
in order to realize upon them after
the institution was in the receivers
hands. Associated with him in the
transactions were J. o. Rice, general
manager Of the defunct bank; w. o.
Staples, a member d the board Of d.
rectors, and Antonio Rincon Alas, con-
fidential adviser of Hunt. Charges
were brought against the men some
time ago, but the matter was post.
roned from time to time. Finally 1t
was rumored that influences were be-
ing brought to bear to quash the pro-
ceedings.
Not until Friday night was it def.
nitely known that the men would be
prosecuted. When this was made pub
lie, L. w. Wilson Of the firm Of War
ner, Johnson and Wilson, attorneys
for the hquidating committee, made
his charges against the United States
ambassador. He said:
eve have indisputable evidence
that Ambassador Thompson has act
ed improperly in this case. He went
to President Diaz, in an effort to have
the proceedings against Hunt dis
missed, and later wrote letter to
Judge Ortega, before whom the case
was pending, in an endeavor to in.
fuence that jurist. We have drawn
up statement embracing these
charges, and will forward same to
the state department at Washington.
I believe We have sufficient proof
in the case to warrant the recall OF
the ambassador
Ambassador Thompson contented
himself with a simple denial Of the
charges.
Il never interceded with the pres1-
dent in behalf of Hunt" he, said, "nor
cid I ever improperly try to influence
a court in this case. Let them f1le
their charges. They will find it is a
serious matter when they cannot
grove them. The authorities at Wash
ington know of every move I make
here and know that I would not do
wrong"
The president of the defunct bank
and trust company was C. H. Hunt,
now serving a sentence in Joliet, ILL.,,
for bank wrecking; He organized the
Pan-American bank after the failure
of the International. He is no rela-
tive Of ]. E. Starr Hunt. The latter
was secretary of the third Pan-Amer-
;oen oonoress held In Mexico City,