The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1906-08-21
BURFORD SCALPED
Walla Walla Cashier Elimin-
ated From Politics.
ENEMY OF THE TACOMA BOSS
Crocker Is, Said to Be Jealous Of
Friendship Between Burfordl
and AnkenY.

The Walla Walla Bulletin gives
the following insight into Washington
politics:
The latest news from Croker head
quarters is that the Tacoma Boss has
landed on another close friend of Sen
ator Ankeny. This time it is man
close up to the throne and whose
standing has never before been as
sailed. It is none other than A. r.
Burford, cashier of Senator Ankeny's
Eank, and for many years his closest
business and political associate.
1t has been known for many years
that Crocker has been unfriendly to
Burford and he has repeatedly at
tempted to displace him in the conf
dence of Senator Ankeny, but could
never succeed.
Crocker has been handing out stabs
at Burford for the past year to the
newspaper writers and politicians on
the Sound and when anything has gone
wrong in Walla Walla county he has
laid it at the door of Burford, or
someone whom BuIford has been
friendly with. The morning after the
election in Walla Walla. Crocker said
to newspaper men in discussing the
result that 1T was Burford's maiden
effort at politics.
During the campaign Burford went
to Tacoma to confer with the Boss
and returned and carried out his in
structions as far as it was possible,
but the effort to carry the election
was flzzle and Crocker promptly laid
the blame on Burford. 1t was then
he began to realize on his plans to
eliminate the Senator's closest friend
who had stood between them in many
a deal the Boss had attempted. He
managed to get an agreement whereby
Burford in the future will have no
thing whatever to do with politics
either here or elsewhere in the state.
It is said that his connection in the
future with the Morning Union will be
confined exclusively to the business
department and that he will no longer
be permitted to censor the news OF
editorial columns of the paper.
This duty is now in the hands Of
J. H. Pedigo, A. J. Gillis, Ed. l..
Brunton and o. T. Cornwell. Corn
we'll and Brunton will be allowed on
ly nominal consideration in the direct.
ion of the paper, while the active su
pervlsion will be performed by Pedigc
aud Gillis.
This calls in mind the fact that fol
many years any unpleasant duty re-
quired in the banking business has
been shifted to Burford and he has
undoubtedly been charged with man.
acts which he was compelled and
directed to take. He, however, has
been the closest aud most loyal frient
Senator Ankeny has ever had. Hi
political judgment has not always
been of the 1S karat kind, but hi
loyalty to the Senator politically ant
in business way has been of the high
est character.
Crooker has unquestionably alway
been jealous of the relation between
Burford and Senator Ankeny and !
beginning to realize ON his ambition
to come between them. 1t is also as
serted that Crocker has designs OF
handling the business affairs of Sena
tor Ankeny as well as his politica
interests and is planning to oust Bur
ford from that position. 1t is recalle'
that Crocker secured his footing fin
ancially largely through handling tn
business of his sister in law and sine
she has taken his power from him ant
given 1t to her husband, he is withou
capital to operate extensively and b,
figures that the management of th'
large financial interests of Senate
Ankeny would offer an excellent sub
stitrte for the loss he has sustainei
through the second marriage of hi
sister in law.
Owing to the advancing age of Sen
ator Aukeny he will necessarily turl
over the entire management of hi
business affairs to some one in tn
course of few years and it is intim
ated that Crocker would like to hav
this duty to perform.