Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-05
Letter FROM TAFT
Alleged to Have Been Used by
Man in Stock Deals.
WRITTEN TO H. N. LEWIS
President Merely Thanked Him for
Work in Campaign.
GAVE. DUr0UR CONFIDENCE
Led Him to Believe, Accused Nan
Declares, in Reliability Of Ma
tional Trust Company.
WRITTEN TO H. N. LEWIS
GAVE DuroyR CONFIDENCE

The name Of President Taft was inject
ed into the evidence today by Everett Du-
four. when testifying in his own behal,
before Justice Wright and a jury IN
Criminal Court No /, at the trial OF
James n. Huston. former treasurer Of the
United States; Harvey NJ. Lewis ant
Everett Dufour on q charge Of con-
spring to use the mails to defraud.
Dufour said that before he had any
business transactions with Lewis In rela
ton to the sale Of guaranteed stocks
Lewis told him he was from Cincinnati
was friend of President Taft and be.
fore the election worked In the interest OF
Mr.. Taft's candidacy.
Letter From the President.
Later. the witness stated, Lewis
dent thanking Lewis for his work. and
the witness gave the substance Of the
letter to be:
my Dear Harvey: I am personally
obliged to You for what you have done
for me In the late campaign. and i
hesitate to command me.
Sincerely your friend, ,
"WIILiAM II. TAFT"
The witness volunteered the state
ment that he knows the Presidents
signature and recognized. its genuine-
ness.
This recommendation Of Lewis. taken in
connection with the name OF j. N. Hus-
ton, a former treasurer OF the United
States. Dufour said led him to believe
right, although witness admitted he knew
nothing of the company's assets. but, re-
lied entirely on what Mr.. Lewis told him
No Division Of Fees.
He was informed, he stated. by Lewis
that the company's stock had been fully
described and nearly all paid in and the
remainder would be paid on call. Dufour
declared there was never any understand
ing or agreement between him and the
other defendants providing for the divt-
sion Of fees.
The witness said that while he had
been engaged in offering stocks for sale,
he found it Improbable. Shortly after
he had been directed by the Post Office
Department to discontinue charging g
preliminary fee for undertaking to sell
stock he received circulars from many
companies in cities from Boston to San
Francisco Offering to guarantee stock and
urging the advantages OF having stock
guaranteed.
Dufour said he was impressed most
cluded to adopt that business. In advis-
ing clients he never recommended. he
said. one company In preference to
another.
Companies All Short Lived.
Admissions that are considered by the
prosecution as damaging were made by
James N. Huston. former treasurer OF the
United States, under the grueling cross
examination to which he was subjected
by Assistant United States Attorney Tur-
ner.
Mr.. Huston admitted that he had recon-
mended Lewis as man who keeps posted
on post office regulations and could al
ways keep within the limits.
He was forced to admit that he and
Lewis had been connected with great
many companies, some similar to the
companies under Investigation, and that
they were short-lived, no company con-
tinuing business for any length of time.
In several of these companies, Mr.. Hus-
ton said, his salary was to be elA,000 per
year.
Attorney NJ. w. Sullivan of counsel for
Dufour also cross-examined the ex-treas-
urer and secured an admission from him
that Dufour had never been connected
with any of the companies with which
Lewis or the witness had been Identified.