Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-09-05
AppEAAaTo COMPTROLLER
ContinS ed from page IL

and your reply thereto OF lime >,
1907, and letter to United States
trict Attorney William q. Wheeler OF
date June 10, 1907, from you; also
specially printed extracts purport-
ing to be taken from the Omaha IL
Illustrated Bee, headed Father Schell
wins fame as a fl citing priest" with
other extracts from the Sioux City
Tribune, headed "The Priest Won his
Fight. All of these enclosures have
received careful consideration except
ing those relating to your achieve
ments in other prosecutions or re-
forms which do not appear to be
material to the matter now in hand.
The exact purpose OF your com
munication isnot clear. You are APP
parently not advised OF the fact that
under the law the prosecution OF all
criminal offenses against the laws OF
the United States devOlves directly
upon the Department OF Justice. You
caution the Comp not to adj
wise you "to have recOur. to the De-
partment OF Justice, as Others were
advised and were misguided by it,
and you follow your caution with
| the statement that "That Depart
ment cannot do it without your or
der or the order OF the President. =
You also state in your letter OF May
| IL, to the receiver, referring to get
| ting all the money for the depositors
and prosecuting the officers: II think
it is your Official duty to take the
necessary steps to reach both ends,
and for this reason am appealing to
you this day.
You state inyourletter OF June 9TH,
to the receiver: "If | was the receiver
could get all the money With II
twenty -four hours and land every
scoundrel in the penitentiary.
Ii it is your idea that this office can
take up, prosecute and conduct the
prosecution of any criminal offenses
| dSIluSb HdtlOLitl b6bllhS, ) ou hiC Gil
trely mistaken. The proper way to
have Offenses prosecuted is to bring
all information that you can obtain
| to the officers entrusted with the
duty of prosecuting. If they fail to
perform their duty, then tits not only
proper, but your duty in society and
to the government, to expose their
wrongdoings at once.
You are advised that this office in
structed the receiver of the Firs
| National Bank of Ladysmith, Wis
consin, to report all criminal viola
lions of the law to the United States
District Attorney, and it is believed
that all the evidence tending to show
guilt of anyone connected with the
bank has been furnished. 1t is true
that the report of Noah G. Bainum,
whose Investigations were made IN
der the direction of this office and
who Is not a detective, was furnished
to the District Attorney for the pur-
pose of informing him in regard to
| the criminal vacations of law.
| shall be pleased to refer your let
| ter and enclosures to the Department
of Justice, with your consent. This
would be the proper course, and
| there is no reason to believe that the
| Department OF Justice will not fully
| discharge it's duty. If you have any
facts which you can lay before that
| Department tending to show any
dereliction of duty on the part OF
Mr.. Wheeler, it is quite certain that
your charges will receive careful con-
sidera ton. 1t is noted that you eX-
pressly disclaim intending to make
ga threat or bluff" You state that
you mean strictly what you say and
always prove my assertions.
You state in your letter OF May H.,
to Mr.. Earring, receiver: 81 have
strong proofs before me that those
who have looted the bank have found
substantial assistance and protec-
ton in the office of the Comptroller
of the Currency and in the office OF
the United States District Attorney.
You state in your letter OF August 8,
to this office, that Receiver p. r.
Earling seems to be not guilty, but
oyerzealously kind and weak in en-
forcing his findings and recommended
tions." You request the COmptrOll-
err as follows: KINDLY see who hand
les the case in your department., as
every thing there does not seem to be
all right either"
| need hardly advise you that ii
yon have any evidence OF wrongdo-
ing by anyone connected with this
office you should furnish such evil
dence to the Comptroller.
If you sincerely desire to correct
any abuses in this office, | shall be
glad to cooperate with you to that
end but it will be necessary for you
to work in a practical way, giving
me such information as you may
possess. Your repeated references to
extraordinary means and appeals
to the President have very much the
appearance of threat, notwith-
standing your disclaimer. Threats,
rhetoric and strong metaphors will
not aid you in accomplishing your
purpose of having the guilty men
punished. ii you are correct in your
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