The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-02-23
(By United Press Leased Wire,

(Dy Unlteu ffeSS LeaSeu WlfS.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 2S.-
District Attorney Fickert is work
ing today upon a mysterious series
of cryptograms,. bearing upon the
graft cases, which have been SUB
mitted to him by Patrick Calhoun,
indicted head of the United Rail
roads, with a request that they be
investigated.
Discovered Secret.
The cryptograms were printed
In a San Francisco morning pa
per under the heading of Person
al Advertisements" between May
23, 1908r and August 4, 1909.
William r. Stone, a matchmaker,
of Oakland. noticed the ad and
worked out a key by using only
the first letter of each word. III
this way he found that the mess
ages dealt with the graft cases
and included the names of Cal
houn, the prospective jurors aud
other persons prominent in the
cases.
An investigation showed that
the advertisements were present
ed to the Los Angeles office Of
the paper and were telegraphed
here the night before publication.
A man who made the arrange
ments there sent the lads" to the
office by special delivery letters
which were usually posted at the
main postoffice in Los Angeles.
Stone followed the messages
closely and at length submitted
them to Patrick Calhoun, who. in
turn submitted them to the dts
trict attorney.
Made Threats.
It is asserted that some of the
referred to threa,s
against Calhoun and others appar-
emily refer to the death of Chief
Of Police Biggy, who was lost in
the bay when he is supposed to
have fallen off the police launch.
1t is asserted that some of them
refer to dynamiting outrages and
other thrilling features of the
prosecution.
1t Is stated today that the paper
In which the advertisements ap-
peared submitted them to Detec-
tive William ]. Burns and former
District Attorney Langdon of the
prosecution and that after going
over them Burns declared that
they were the work of some one
connected with the defense.
There were 46 of the cryptic
grams in all. The following,
which appeared July 20, 1903, rs
an example:
Accounts muddled. Inven-
tory not very essential. Some
think indemnity good. All
the items not given. Have
instructed stockholders defer
every action till hearing"
Translation: "Am investigating
his death.
The body of S. P. Flynn, hts
torian of the graft prosecution,
who is said to have had much val
liable Information regarding the
cases, was found hanging from a
paid of clothes hooks in his room
in San Jose on July 26, 1909.
Letters found in the room indicat-
ed that he committed suicide.
Fickert Is asked to investigate
whether the cryptogram referred
to the death of Flynn.
Later messages appearing Aug
ust 2, and 4 of the same sum-
mer are translated as follows:
''He thought he was suspicioned
and fulfilled his vow" Destroy
Ing all papers," Fears groun.i-
less"
Following are some of the
of other cryptograms
In the series:
'eHave the court include special
list in third venire."
! Call for same named book in
Denver public library, similarly
setting forth final details.
se"
One is alleged to read: "Te,l
him IL the Jury don't land Cal
hOun a bomb will"
The messages suddenly stopped
when change was made by the
paper in the wording of one in
nope of drawing protest from
the man who sent them and in
hat way learning his identity.