The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-03-20
WELLS LETTER
TO W. j. BURNS
COMMUNICATION SHOWS THE
-OoUeIE CROSSING" OF
6tOOtNGER.
Shows That orer % 5000 ~sS Made
20 Elliott and $4,000 20 the
Commissioner


In view OF the tact that repsated ref
eIence has beer made during IN. hearing
or the gas case. that has just adjourned
here. conserving a letter written by Mt.
= Leo Well 20 ". j. Burns. head ~ the
Burns Detective Agency. The Inteln-.
gencer presents herewith a copy % that
same communicated
Comments are unnecessary. In mi.
letter. however. a may - seen that while
Mr Vet may not have authorized tn
OF $4,000 and sg6.0uo 20 thu
fublic Service Commissioner. yet h.
Oh ~anth9ri.e the = $4,000 e.
rom 81 na.1 iot certain statemsnts
r. va Wiling 20 par the commissioners
'l9eoe each for these statements.
The facts In this letter were brought
out In Mr.. Wells examination In ch-f.
and In his cross-eNamfuation. hef~e the
spsei2. m4stSr ana IN tlil t@oil9ws
SCI Prick building.
Pittsburgh. Pa. Nov "a. 1914
A Leo Well
charles NJ. Thorp.
:. Leo Rusland
Iharles II. PriChard.
Malcolm Goldsmith.
". J. Burns. Esq.
woolWorth Building.
New York city.
Ny Dear Mr.. Burns.
I am very much concerned about the.
situation In West Virginia. and there are
some things ia relation thereto which I
would like you personally TO take Up
with Mr.. BiddinEer and then advise me.
~ aAAH hANAHAANAANA NANANN AN my 0NNLE
he told ms frankly that he was employed.
by the Governor In "A certain matter ga
connection with the Attorney General.
that he had done certain work for him.
but that there was no reason why ~
should not undertake thiT work for me
should not undertake il. or why there
was any conflict IN the employment
There was no reason why any thing
should be In any way involved IN his
Investigation. and there was certainly
nothing In this investigation which IN
any manner contemplated anything he
had done or should do iu connection
with the other matter. u it had not
been your agency. however. and my i'm
s~quareness In any matter I'm which you
were employed, I might have he~itated.
not.
Easy Money.
Mr.. Biddingc- accordingly went 20
WORK undcr an agreement by which
he was 20 be raid SD n day for his
time and his expenscs- Now. let me
slpiained 20 M. niddinssr IN the
presence Of POUR Pittsburgh mana
ger, wiz;
been published In the parkersburg pap
er which charged directly that the GoN-
ernor had sent fer nc Public Service
a decision prohibiting the increase OF
rates by the Manufacturers Gas Com
pany, or failing Co deliver the same he
twenty-four hours. and that he got the
decision instead Of their resignations;
never read the testimony or knew the
facts.
told Mr.. Biddinger that General
Elliott had been employed by me at
I his request TO obtain the evidence OF
= these facts: that he had interviews
with two OF the commissioners both
Of whom had admitted the state
ment 10 b true. that the evidence
was not In shape FOR use; and that
WUnNHnA nHHF hNwn Nn F.HHah wHNHA Ig.W-
eral Elliott. 80 that he could steer
him properly into getting the evil
y Mr. R,ddiSgsr that I had bes1 IN,
formed that these two commission
ers were afraid Of losing their jobs.
and that had tntImations from FL
employ them for the balance Of their
terms az the same wages they would
both come across with thclcyidcnoe.
explained TO Mr. BiddinEer that
had-told General Elliott. in the pres
ence Of Nr. Amber. Mr.. Price and
Mr.. Mechanic that we could and
would do this that n these men told
the truth and on account thereof
feel friendly 90 them and under
some obligations. aud would be dis
posed To DO something FOR them in
NO Controversy.
Let me say TO you rignt here that
statement a. made by Mr.. Bi1dinger.
AR. Eiddinger. however. went to West
virginia. got in touch with General FL
lott. and first explained TO me that
Elliott had on file an application for ap-
pointtn"nt a. manager FOR YOU agenCv.
and that. therefore. he was in a position
Go deal with. Then he and Elliott fixed
up the arrangement for the detectO-
graph. arranged interviews with the two
commissioners and obtained from these
commissioners. through General Elliott.
the confirmation Or the story.
But when I saw the copy Of tho dctecto-
graph report % the conversation. ! was
dumbfounded TO find that General FL
tott again and again had badlyly stated
that he was authorized 10 say 10 the
commissioners that n they told the truth
the gas company would mploy them for
the balance of their terms. at the srma
salary they MEHH unrr rar4HwFnH raA