The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-26

New York. April 95-Part Of tbs real
story Of the Douglass-Dennett bond thefts
from the Trust Company Of America.
leaked out to-day. 1t connects with the
case the name of Josiah Quincy. former
mayor OF Boston, VINO il is said was ask
ed. before any arrests were effected, to
negotiate between Douglass and bennett
and the trust company, for the protection
from arrest Of Douglass and bennett.
bennett says Quincy refused to act
The story as further developed to-day
Is that W. O. Douglass, the assistant
bond clerk. had been stealing bonds in
small amounts from the company for
year He had been specializing in the
market. expecting to return the bonds
after he had made his pile In these Oper-
ations he was associated with Oliver M
bennett It was bennett who peddled
the bonds around Wall street In small
amounts. putting them up as collateral
FOR loans from reputable stock exchange
houses. Last week the affairs of the
Douglass bennett combination became so
desperate that Douglass decided that
nothing but a bold stroke could save him.
Takes S4OO,OOO 10 Trade Immunity.
On last Friday. therefore ne dipped into
the trust company's strong box ard
walked away with several hundred thou
sand dollars worth of bonds One man,
who had heard the details OF. the case, said
that the clerk took $4,000 Of the bonds.
1t was Douglass purpose in making this
big haul to put the trust company in
such q position that it might give him
immunity for the small amounts which he
had taken provided he would return the
large amount
Feeling this plan, a letter. it is said
was sent either by Douglass or bennett TO
Josiah Quincy, former mayor of Boston.
bennett was formerly a Boston man. and
it is said that he had met Mr.. Quincy
there. According to the story told to-day,
the letter contained a request that Mr..
Quincy would act as counsel for Douglass
in negotiating a settlement with the trust
company. According to statements that
bennett has made. Mr. Quincy refused to
have anything TO do with the case
At any rate, a Rhode Island lawyer, it
is understood, called on President oak
leigh ThOrne, OF the trust company, on
Sunday in regard 10 this matter of a
peaceful settlement of the trouble be-
tween the trust company and the Den
nett-DOuglass combination Mr. ThOrne
informed the lawyer that both bennett
and Douglass We're under arrest, and that
broke up the conference.
Another Boston Party Mentioned.
on Monday Robertson Honey. a law
yer of this city, appeared for Douglass.
Mr. Honey announced at the time that
he had not been retained by the de
fendant, but by another party. Mr.
Honey is a brother-in-law of Josiah
Quincy and is the son OF Samuel r
Honey, of Newport, former neutenant
governor of Rhode Island. He is a
graduate of Harvard and West Point.
and was an assistant under District
Attorney Asa Bird Gardner. It was
said to-day on good authority that
there is still a party in Boston other
than any yet mentioned connected in
some way or other with Douglass and
bennett in the lOoting OF the trust
company. This man is described as
fairly prominent both in financial and
political circles III Massachusetts
The failure of the Douglass plan to force
the trust company into giving him inmu-
nifty was due, In large part. it is be
lieved, 10 the prompt action which Pres
ident ThoTne and other members Of the
trust company took, Douglass was ar
rested almost before he had had an op-
portunity to get out of town. How the
trust company recovered the big batch
of bonds which Douglass took on his