The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915, 1912-10-25

About six years ago he came to Seattle, made
the acquaintance of Bethen, and went to Alaska.
The relations of Blethen and Ludovc dis
closed in the following incident:
In the fall of 1906 in the District Court of
Nome Alaska, in the criminal case of the United
States VS.. Ludovic Dallagaovanna, Case No 492,
Ludovic was indicted and convicted of the crime
of keeping a disorderly house, and on June Il,
1907 paid fine of $500 therefor During the
trial of that case, Charley Mitchell formerly of
Minneapolis, produced letter from Col A. J.
Blethen to him (MitchelD asking Mitchell to try
to save Ludovic from conviction. This letter
fell into the hands of the court and was read
in open court. The judge took ofense at the
letter because of the corrupt proposal it sug
gested and removed Charley Mitchell from the
jury on which he had been drawn, and scored
Mr.. Blethen for writing the letter. Probably
the courts criticism of B1ethen in this matter in
spired the attacks that made Judge AL
fred S. Moore by a certain Seattle newspaper
a few months thereafter
Many times since the episode just related
Blethen has lauded Ludovic in his paper and de-
MED any knowledge detrimental to that indi-
viduals good" name.
Kernel and Wappy.
The relations of Blethen and Wappensten,
who is serving term in the state peni-
tertiary at Waa Walla, are we'll known. Any
one doubling the intimate connection of these
two men will have their doubts removed by go
ing to the Court House and examining the rec
ords of the King County Grand Jury which met
in the first part of 1911 Or, turn to the Seattle
P-I., which printed on May "a, 1911, Blethens
famous communication known as the "dear
Wapp" letter In that letter he frankly dis
closed his connection as the personal advisor
and supporter of Bergman Wappenstein and
the operators of the tenderloin district.
We make due allowance for the biased posi-
ton of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, which
mented Blethen's in editorial of
the issue referred to above; but think it has
not over-shot the mark. 1t stated
Moral Debauchery.
alden ]. Blethen's whole journalistic life has
been a betrayal of public trust and dcbauchery
of public and private morals. 1t is a grim sar-
casm and irony on life that he has prospered
financially amazingly; and yet the end now
shows the complete and crushing ruin of
character already rancid and rotten
Can anyone read the telegram or letter from
Blethen to Wappenstein, printed in another col
umn, without realizing to the full that this
man is panderer of vice. partner of crimi-
nails, an inciter to law breaking. a dsorderly,
disreputable degenerate?"
There are persons who could explain why the
Indictment against him was dismissed
With the foregoing facts and others like them
available to any honest investigator, how can
the University of Washington stamp his char
acter with the seal of its approval by becom-
ing the recipient of his charity?
Typifes Ant-Social Forces.
We believe that institution of learning can
be free to combat the sinister influences that per-
wade American society when it accepts dona-
tons from and erects monuments to men who
typify these same anti-social influences We
thoroughly believe that from the standpoint of
Mr. Blethen and his paper, the donation of these
chimes to University is the best financial
investment they have ever made, since it will
permanently handicap the institution which has
been, and should continue to be- the strongest
foe % the things which Mr. R1Athen and