Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-02
OSGOOOBY PASSES
DAY WITH LAWYER
LEAVES OFFICE IN CHARGE
OF FRIEND
Blame for Signatures Of Chamber Of
Commerce Men and Other Misrep-
reservations Laid at Door
of Employe

There was an air OF depression yes
terday about certain room on the
fifth floor of the Lankershim building
at Third and Spring streets. y.
On the door OF the room was the
sign, Interstate Press Association"
There also were In the room a stenog-
rapher, a Japanese boy and two men,
one of whom declared with emphasis
that he had no financial interest in the
proposition, but that he was a per-
sonal friend Of the manager and wanted
to see that he got justice.
The air of depression seemed to have
enervated all those present, because
each acted as though her or his best
friend on earth had just passed away
and left them, instead of a fortune, a
number of pressing bills.
One object of inquiry on the part of
the reporter and, In fact, the main OBJ
ject, was missing. This was M. G..
Osgoodby, who appears to have been
the heaG. hide. horns and cloven feet
of the so-called Interstate Press asso-
Ciation.
Inquiry developed the fact that Mr..
Osgoodby had not appeared, although
the hour of the reporters call was late
in the afternoon.
With His Attorney
HE has been with his attorney all
day." volunteered the personal friend,.
who gave his name as Van Hovenberg,
and who afterward reiterated the state
ment that he had no financial interest
in the concern, but was merely friend
of Osgoodby.
From the fact that Osgoodby was
with his attorney all day, 1t is sur
missed that he has troubles of his own,
although it has been intimated that
this Is not the first time that he has
fol hpr nf a
into his confidence.
Osgoodby is in trouble and the state
ment is made on authority of Mr.. Van
Hovenberg, who, while he was confid-
ing the information. again took the
opportunity to assert that he has no
financial interest in the Interstate Press
association and merely is a friend of
Osgoodby.
According to Mr. Van Hovenberg the
trouble of the head of the association
is all due to the disobedience of orders
by an employe who was engaged in
the pleasant duty of parting merchants
from their money which was to be util-
lied in spreading before the readers of
496 eastern country papers-count them,
496-word pictures of California in gen.
eral and Los Angeles in particular.
This unscrupulous employe was fired
on the spot and the language which
Mr.. Osgoodby used on the occasion, ac-
cording to his friend Van Hovenberg,
was a poem in denunciatory English.
Poor, Poor osgoodby!
But the damage had been done, and
now Mr.. Osgcodby, honest Snd honor
able, vita the best of motives and with
the most patriotic intentions in devot-
ing his energies and other people s
money to securing settlers for the
Golden state and the Angel city, must
bear the odium of another's faults ac-
cording to his friend Van Hovenberg.
The mistake made by the employe
was in representing-or, rather, mis-
representing-that the project of the
Interstate Press association had been
indorsed by the Los Angeles chamber
of commerce, through it's president and
secretary.
According to Van, Mr.. Osgoodby at
once corrected the misrepresentation
which had been made, says the friend,
against his positive orders, and the
discharge of the unfaithful employe
occurred within fraction of minute,
IL not little quicker.
The facts in the case, 1T is said, are
that a representative of the press as
sociation secured the signatures of
President w. ]. Washburn and Secre-
tary Frank Virgins of the chamber
of commerce to a circular inviting
eastern people to come to Los Angeles,
but that IneSe WllH
were placed on another circular, but
not copied exactly, and by means of
which merchants and business men
generally were induced to subscribe
literally to the advertising scheme.
Signatures Not Forged
Some, it is said, were led to believe
that they were subscribing to the fund
of the Development society of Califor-
nia which is composed of many of the
leading men of California, including
Governor Gillett and the advisory
board of which is headed by Henry E.
Huntington
The signatures are admitted by Mr..
Washburn and others not to be for
geries, but it is declared that in one
or two instances the resemblance is
almost as marked as in case in Gin
cinnati several years ago, when the
'r'o who duplicated the signature was
sentenced to the Ohio state penitentiary
for forgery.
, The original signatures were returned
to the men who wrote them and it is
said that a promise was made to rAturn
the subscriptions secured by the asso-
citation.
Manager w. Scott Smith OF the De-
velopment society of California said
yesterday that his solicitors were pro-