Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1910-09-09
FRANK I. TUCKER
BROWNS HIMSELF
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL
AND REPUBLICAN CANDl-
DATE FOR ATTY. GEN.
SCANDAL IN HiSOFFICECAUSE
porariIy Deranged by Attack on
His Honesty-A Shock to
All Who Knew Him.

Madison.-That Frank T. Tucker.
second assistant attorney general of
Wisconsin, committed suicide while
insane, is the belief of those here
familiar with the events which no
doubt led to the tragedy, revealed
when Mr.. fuckers lifeless body was
recovered from Fox river at Osh
kosh, following his mysterious dis
appearance from the hotel at which
he stopped.
Mr.. Tucker was candidate for the
republican nomination as attorney
general. Charges have been made
that campaign literature in his be-
half was being sent out in envelopes
bearing the return card of the state
fire marshaPs Office, over which had
been placed stickers bearing the name
of republican club and that of
Madison bank.
Following these charges an inves-
tigation was started at the insti-
cation of the fire marshal and H
A. Gunderson of Portage, another
candidate for the office sought by Mr..
Tucker, but no new light has been
shed on the matter
Mr.. Tucker had at once issued
statement denying responsibility for
the use of the fire marsha1's enve-
lopes, and declaring that the whole
affair was frame up" by some I'M
known persons, to discredit him.
Well known state officials expressed
their confidence in Mr. fuckers hon
esty in the affair, but nevertheless
the charges worried Mr.. Tucker
greatly, his fear being that the
shadow of them would injure his
chances for receiving the nomination
he sought.
Mr.. Tucker has been under sur
Vigilance by friends since the story
of the stamped envelopes was pub
ished. He had been more or less
i'll for month.
A. G. Titus, assistant attorney
general, and Russell Jackson, deputy
attorney general, were Mortified at
the news All over the capitol no
other topic has been discussed all
day. That Tucker must have become
temporarily insane over the turn in
his political affairs seemed to be
the unanimous opinion of all who
knew him.
Joseph Messerschmidt, third as
slstant attorney general, said that
Tucker told him that he was inno-
cent of any wrong in the envelope
incident, but that he was afraid he
would not be able to prove it in time
to save his chances in the campaign
He broke down and wept
Mr.. Tucker acted fighty and was
examined by DR.. Harper, a Madison
physician, who told him he was
threatened with mental collapse and
advised him to go to his home for
complete rest. Two friends from
Madison accompanied him to Oshkosh.
Mr.. Tucker sat on the stage in the
armory during the Dolliver meeting
at Oshkosh. None who met him
there, SO far as can be ascertained,
observed anything unusual in his
bearing. After the meeting he &C
companied Francis e. McGovern of
Milwaukee to the Wisconsin Central
station when that gubernatorial can
didate left shortly before midnight,
and then returned to the Hotel Ire
mont and retired
At about o'clock in the morning
Mr.. Tucker is said to have paid his
hotel bill and left the place, sup
posedly to take a $500 line train.
Not long afterward Matt Haley,
tender of the Light street bridge,
heard a splash in the river just be-
meath the structure which he guards.
He ran to the center of the bridge,
but could see nothing in the water.
Then he discovered at his side hat
and a grip. He notified the author
tiles at once.
While inquiry was being made and
all clews followed, the officers, who
were dragging the river, suddenly
came upon a body not far from the
Light street bridge, and the remains
were soon identified as those of Mr..
Tucker.