New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-07
MINISTER ADMITS HE
AIDED MINING SCHEME
Former School Lecturer Is So
Nervous on Stand He Is
Excused by Court.
RECEIVERS AND TAKES FEE
Letters Written by Him in
Praise of Marvellous" Mines
of Wisner & Go. Make
Jury Laugh.

The Rev. Thomas Douglas. who de-
scribed himself as a Presbyterian pastor
In this city for more than twenty years
and lecturer for ten years for the Board
of Education. was called as witness
yesterday at the trial Of Archie l.. Wis
ner and John j. Meyers. who are charged
with having used the mails in a scheme
10 defraud investors in mining stocks
The aged minister who, ii developed
had prepared list OF preachers and MIN
listers for the personal advertising cam
palgn OF Wlsner and had aided the pro
meters through the writing OF highly nat
terlng letters that were reproduced III
their publications. was Ill at ease during
his appearance In court. His nervous
condition became so strained that he
shook like a leaf. and had TO be excused
when the contract into which he entered
with A. l.. Wisner e. Co. and his letters
were read TO the jury.
He did not disclose to what church ne
was attached at present, and when FOL
lowed into the corridor he begged to be
excused. saying that he would die II ne
told with which church he was connected
at present A few minutes later, how
ever the Rev. Mr.. Douglas was seen
laughing and rather joyous on the floor
below, where the witness fees are PAID 10
those appearing in federal trials.
Persuaded to Sign Contract.
The oral testimony OF the Rev. Mr..
Douglas was confined to a brief recital
OF how Wisner came 10 his home about
eight years ago and made the proposition
that appears from the contract quoted
below. He refused at first, he said, but
several weeks later Wisner came again.
this TIME accompanied by Meyers. and
they persuaded him to sign the paper.
After the minister left the courtroom
Henry y. Arnold. Assistant United states
Attorney. read the contract between WIS
ner & Co. and the Rev. Mr.. Douglas,
which was in part as follows:
You are 10 go 10 California and make
personal examination of our mining
and oil properties and II found satisfac-
tory YOU are to write US n number or let
tiers TO that effect for publication IN our
mining paper. You are to unite with us
in the work Of circularizing as many
minister's of the country as We may NUT
uaIIy agree upon. and to perform Sucn
duties az may be considered necessary
to enable US 10 obtain the best possible
financial results from our work.
Included in the circula rizatio shall De
n letter. appearing on your letterheads
and over your signature, setting fortn
such points In relation To the character
istios as may be best calculated TO In
duce subscriptions To our stocks. You
are also TO make such use OF our prop
critics our firm and our business In con-
nection with your public lectures as you
may consider consistent.
The compensation for this the contract
provided was 500 In cash for expenses
and Is per cent commission on all stock.
tie last 10 be Increased 10 20 per cent "
stock sales exceeded $1,000 10 persons
whose names the Rev. Douglas supplied.
Beginning with tho issue OF January.
1906. THE Mining Herald" Wisner
publication. began to print letters from
the Rev Thomas Douglas. Mr.. Arnold
said. lie read only one OF them. but it'
incongruity with the seeming harmless
terms Of the contract brought jury and
court into spasmodlc laughter and the
reading was interrupted many times. The
letter read In part:
Having decided TO add gold mining and
oil production TO the other subjects or
10 California three months ago for tho
purpose OF obtaining information and
data as accurate and reliable az ! could
secure, and learning that you were large
ly Interested In these industries. at my
earnest solicitation you placed your prop
critics at my disposal FOR investigation
Now that | have returned ! wish 10
express my appreciation OF your courtesy
by writing this letter. and To let you
know what impressions were made upon
me By what | saw and learned.
The thing that struck me most was the
marvellous amount OF gold and oil pro-
duced at 80 small an expenditure OF labor
and money. I have read your literature
and wonder why you are so conservative
In your statements when you could with
absolute truthfulness say 30 much more.
/ hardly know which TO commend the
most--the mines or the oil properties.
The first seem as valuable Az the second,
and both are being operated night and
day. | have reliable Information that one
OF your mines earned as high as $1,000 q
day for thirty days I'm succession, and
that only a few weeks ago the California
end of your firm closed a contract for
over four million barrels Of oil ! know
OF nothing better than that