The Topeka state journal., 1908-04-30
WARNS The JURY.
Judge AmidOn Asks Members to
Be Careful.
Guard Against Least Intimation
of Suspicion.
TWO NEW WITNESSES.
Eastern Men Who Bought the
Tucker Stock.
Officers of the Company on
Stand.


Members of the federal jury who are
hearing the evidence in the govern
ment's case against H. H. Tucker, jr.,
secretary-treasurer Of the Uncle Sam
Oil company. were given special in
structions by Judge Amidon today to
guard against any act which might in
the leastwise give rise to the suspicion
that they were not acting squarely.
Such instructions are usually empha-
sized at the adjournment of court each
day but Judge Amidon today took
special pains to instruct the jury to
refrain from talking, discussing the
cause with anyone, from reading 1t In
the newspapers or having anything to
do with any one connected with the
case in any manner.
Considerable interest attaches to the
case and you should guard against the
least intimation Of suspicion which
might attach to your actions" said
Judge Amidon in conclusion. He stated
that there were number connected
with the case who would harbor sus-
picions of the jury's honesty and for
that reason all the more the jury
should be circumspect.
Paul T. Gordon, a civil engineer In
the employ of the municipal govern
ment of New York, and M. J. Hill who
was employed as a clerk by plate
glass company at Ford City, Pennsyl-
vania are the names of two indignant
stockholders who told of the purchase
of stock in the oil company.
These two were easily the most in
teresting of the stockholders examined
for the past two days.
Gordon owned 1926 shares which he
purchased at four different times, pay
ing 20 cents per share. He started to
make purchases in 1906 and made sew
eral contracts for installment purchases
of the stock On the one he made seven
or eight payments before ceasing to
pay and on the second he made cou-
pie of payments. He protested a check
which he had given on his last payment
because he discovered that the capital
stock was increased from 100000 to
Il, 100000 shares, ...
81 saw one of those big bargain sales
of stock and I bought" said Gordon
who could hardly restrain his anger.
you bought it on the representations
of dividends and Increased values of
stock contained in the advertise
ments?" was asked.
YES, and by reason of the one thou
sand and .one other reasons given.
''I was surprised at some of the let
ters 1 got. began to think that it
was a more Tucker Oil company than
an Uncle Sam Oil company" said Cor
don.
81 wouldn't spend a postage stamp
cent for the stock 1 have now. You
know you can fool some of the people
all of the time but you can't fool all
of the people all of the time. 1 am a
great optimist you know, and 1 would
not believe first in Mr.. fuckers du-
plicity, and 1 permitted myself to be
bled some more at first, on his even
up DEAL
against Mr.. Tucker?" asked Wilson
fuckers attorney.
mo, sir, 1 didn't come here in a
spirit of revenge. The 1915 1 spent
for stock is gone, whether Mr.. Tucker
is declared guilty or not guilty"
You just, jumped in here and de-
cided Tucker was a fraud didn't you,
without investigating? You didn't at
tend any of the stockholders meetings
did you?"
me?" answered Gordon to Wilson.
Answer the question" said the
court.
mo. I did not I didn't have the
money"
But you are here now, aren't you =?
How did you come here? You paid
your way?'
Eyes, sir. 1 respected the govern
ment enough to believe that 1 had to
obey when was ordered to come here
as witness" --,.
"But you didn't have enough moner-
to come to these stockh olders' meet
ings at Kansas City?''
NO, SIT. ndQ just resigned N.Y.
self to the fact that I had been made
a fool off,
Gordon stated that he had filed his
complaint with the United States at
torney and was ordered to send what
papers he had here and attend the
trial
'Now can't I ask that Mr.. Wilson a
question ?" said Gordon heatedly of
Judge Amidon, as he concluded giving
his testimony. He was told to take his
seat.
M. J. Hill of Ford City, Pa who had
read the Uncle Sam Oil company ad-
vertisements in the "poipers'' had
bought 6,100 shares at 20 cents a
share.
He had read in the newspapers
"Those alluring and glaring advertise
ments," said he. That was the way he
had come to buy.
81 thought if those two thousand
stockh olders had bought stock it must
be all right, for they We're there and
ought to be next to what is doine
while I was thousand miles away.
didn't know anything about this com.
mission that Tucker was getting
Afterwards I got suspicious and asked
for my money back and got some let
ters in return. 1 told him that hi
had said it was a square deal but
thought it was a two-faced suuar,
DEAL" Hill said.
When Wilson started to cross ex