The Washington times., 1909-12-25
Treasury Officials Expect to
Clear Up Peculiar
Suicide.
WHOLESALE ARRESTS
BRING OUT FACTS
Department Believes Agent Took
His Life Because He was
HaraSSed.

Tho mystery surrounding the tragic
death IN Paris last April OF william
+. Bainbridge is about to be cleared up
Treasury officials here believe, although
they viii not at this time discuss the
case.
Developments attending the wholesale
arrests OF men and women in New York
city indicted for the sleeper trunk
frauds arc responsible for new light on
Bainbridge's case.
Bainbridge. who had been a trusted
agent OF the United States Treasury
Department for years, shot himself in
his apartments in Paris, leaving two or
three rambling notes, which started the
investigation that may be cleared up
within a few days. one Of these notes
said:
Il am the victim Of the most diaboli-
cal plot ever devised 10 ruin an inno-
cent man"
In the last eighteen days 100000
worth Of goods from France have been
Struggled into New York. What are you
doing7"
Notes Not Dated.
None OF these notes we're dated. They
gave evidence Of being written by
RaInbridee while laboring under q. heavy
HNnGuLAl &uaLL All BNlnDAALN p1AAAA-Q ~
the fact that he had been harassed
until he took his life.
A short time before he killed himself
Bainbridge was called upon by repre-
sentative OF the law bureau OF the New
York custom house.
did you come over here TO iRvesti-
gate meT'' Bainbridge excitedly in
CURED
The Treasury agents all over the
world have learned that Loeb had spe-
ciai instructions 20 break up smuggling
at this port. cambridge bore an ex-
ceIlent record, but the suspicion that
the lawyer from Loeb's office had been
sent over 70 inquire into his official con-
duct preyed upon his mind
Wise Gets Reports
According to reports received here to-
day. United States District Attorney
Wise. who is prosecuting the thirty or
more fashionable dressmakers and mil
liners indicted in the sleeper trunk
frauds, Is said 10 believe the suicide OF
cambridge was directly connected with
the swindies, In that his efforts to
break them up arrayed against him
powerful influences which threatened e
involve him IN serious difficulties.
Favcett, the former custom house en-
ploye, who organized the system and
was its head agent in Europe. when h
found he could not ca5ole cambridge IS
said 70 have set his machinery 10 worl
against him
Gets Trunks From Piers.
cambridge made repeated reports
OF his suspicious 70 the Treasury De
partrnent at Washington, but Il IS
said no action was ever taken on
them. On the contrary. they seemed
only 20 cause him new and unneces-
sary harassments.
Robert Schwartz, baggage master
OF the American and Red Star lines
has confessed that IL was he who got
the sleeper trunks from the piers e
the various persons to =-hom the
good were consigned Collector Loci
said yesterday that the contents Of
very few Of the "slee--r trunks" be
longed 10 any single one OF the
Ewindlers, but that tE5 goods bore
secret marks by which they could
be identified by their owners.
Schwartz and hie customers arc
supposed 70 know where the dis
trihuting point was. District Attor-
neY Wise also IS supposed TO be fully
informed Of the details and is be-
neved 20 be Withholding them from
publication until he has forced fur
Their information from some of tn,
men and women he has had indicted