Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-30
PROMOTER COOK mas TROUBLES
stouN City Man Comes to His Rescue
mud Mntter IL SnnRrrd.


W. S. Cook, promoter Of the proposed
Intorurban electric line between Sioux city,
Council Bluffs and Omaha. who has been at
the Grand hotel for several days and for
the last three days practically iu custody
OF a member Of the local police force, was
Yesterday afternoon relieved from the sur
VIGILANCE Of the Officers. romote Cooke
embarrassing position was brought about by
Information received by the local authori-
ties tending TO show that Cook was wanted
In. Fort Worth. Tex, to answer charges in
connection with a number Of drafts which
he had cashed there while promoting an
| iutcrurban railroad scheme between that
city and Borhnm. Tex, a few months ago,
and which were protested, leaving the hold
ers of the drafts to hold the sack.
From the Information which came into
the hands Of the local authorities Cook, who
was known as w. S. Cole in Fort Worth.
Tex. had induced George r. Stillman, pro-
prietor OF the Metropolitan hotel at Fort
Worth, to endorse drafts aggrcgating $50.
MIR. Stillman, with the assistance Of the
Hotel Keepers Protective association. had
been endcavoring to trace Promoter Cole
ever since the latter left the Texas city,
but without success until a few days ago,
when chance located Cole in this city under
the name Of Cook.
1t appears that Cook. writing from the
Grand hotel in this city. addressed a letter
to a prominent bank note manufactures
firm in Philadelphia asking for quotations
on stationery and bonds for the Sioux city
& Omaha Traction company of which he,
Cook. represented himself as president and
general manager, and which in the letter
was stated to be capitalized for A@O,oN'
with a paid up capital of 100000. The
Philadelphia firm, it is said, having received
a similar inquiry a few months before from
wv. S. Cole" from Fort Worth. and having
learned that Cole was wanted at the Texas
city, notified Mr.. Stillman and suggested
that probably the W.. S. Cook" writing
from Council Bluffs was the w. s. Cole
wanted In Fort Worth. Mr.. Stiiiman lost
no time in sending to the management Of
the Grand hotel a description of Promoter
Cole and this was turned over to Major
Richmond. 1t fitted Promoter Cook exactly,
but the latter, when called to Major Rich
mond's office, denied ever having been in
Fort Worth. Word came from Mr.. stillman
that he would come to Council Bluffs at
once. Wednesday, fearing that Promotes
Cook might leave the city, Chief Richmond
detailed an officer to stay with him in his
apartments in the hotel until the arrival OF
Mr.. Stillman. Thursday night William
Gordon, a wealthy real estate owner OF
Sioux City. who is said to be backing the
Sioux City and Omaha interurban PROPOSE
ton. and is said to have 'staked' Cook,
appeared on the scene and expressed q
Willingness TO assist in getting Mr.. CooB
out OF his difficulties If possible.
Yesterday, when Mr.. Stillman appeared
here, Promoter Cook admitted he was w
S. Cole, wanted at Fort Worth. He insisted
that ne was not to blame for the drafts
being protested and claimed he had author
ity to draw on a man named K. NJ. Hop
kins. at Detroit, who is said to be a rail
road builder and promoter, Cook, ALA!
Cole, c~ontended that Mr.. Hopkins failure
to honor the drafts had placed him in the
embarrassing position in which he founC
himself and which caused him to leave
Fort Worth as he did. Mr.. Gordon, who
expressed unbounded confidence in Pro.
moter Cooks ability to carry through the
proposition Of the interurban line from
Sioux city to Omaha, has. after an all day
conference with Mr.. Stillman and Major
Richmond, reached an arrangement where
by he guarantees repayment TO Mr., Stflmar
Of the drafts he had endorsed and the ex.
/, pense he had been put TO. The arrange
ment provides for the payment OF the
money to Mr.. Stillman, Il was stated, by
monthly installments. In any case Mr.
stnlman announced before leaving fol
Texas last evening that the whole matter
had been Strengthened up and that HI
would be repaid all he had been out.
Both Mr.. Gordon and Mr.. Cook returned
: to Sioux City last evening.