The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-26

Discarded Army
Rifles
New York, June 26-The Sun
says: "Details of several sensation
al attempts to buy from the United
States government it's $4,000 Sec
ond hand Krag-Jorgensen rifles have
come to the Sun. These are the
rifles which have been discarded BY
the United States army, which have
been eagerly sought by the belliger-
ents ever since the European war be-
gan and which recently figured in
the now exploded Meyer-Gerhard
conspiracy.
Facts that have come to the Sun
leave little room for doubt that many
attempts to secure these rifles have
involved more questionable trans
actions and dark dealings than any
matter that has arisen in Washing
ton in many years. Cunning and
INSCRIPTIONS men seem to have TAX
en- advantage of the situation to
prey upon the good names of Cabi-
net officers.
Startling Schemes
From secret circles here, where
schemes for obtaining these cast -off
firearms are Matched, have come
startling statements in regard to Of
ficials in Washington. Stories have
been whispered about which, to
those familiar with WASHINGTON, are
not only incredible but impossible.
The names of innocent and unsus-
pecting Government officials apparent
ly have been traded upon by some
of the men who have been engaged
in attempts to win fortune over
night.
Daring Attempt
Reports of one attempt to secure
these rifles, more daring than any
other, have just reached the Sun. 1t
is understood that one man went SO
far in his effort to obtain these guns
as to offer an enormous campaign
contribution in the interest of Presi-
dent Wilson-$1,20O,O are the fig
ures named. This man is said to
have found the means of getting his
offer to the President himself, but
was promptly and Indignantly
squelched.
$50 positive and persistent are
the reports in regard to this remark
able incident that the Sun feels war
ranted, after a careful investigation
in regarding them as worthy of Gre
dence.
Tried to Influence Wilson
1T has long been matter OF
common knowledge in Washington
that every possible effort has been
made, without the slightest success
to move the President and his ad-
visers to a decision to part with
these rifles. War Department Off
-cials have turned importuning
agents of the belligerents aside un.
til they are actually weary of hear.
ing even mention of the Krag
rifles. Sickening details of under.
ground activities have poured in
upon the department officials until
they have virtually despaired Of
making the world understand thai
money cannot buy these firearms
from the United States until the wal
in Europe has ended.
Familiar as Government official.
! were with the extraordinary effort.
put forth to obtain these rifles, they
were not prepared for the reports O.
this offer of an enormous campaign
contribution. To say that the!
were astounded at the audacity o
the act is putting it mildly.
Huge Profits
THE men who have been tryin.
their best to get these rifles seem t,
| be divided into two classes-thos,
who are making real effort, in
spired by the idea that success il
possible and that it will be crown
ed by vast financial reward; an,
second, those who see in the situa
tion merely an opportunity to pre-,
upon the credulity and avarice o
others. 1t is the latter class tina
seems to include the men who ar
most free with their statements as t
what they will be able to accomplish
in Washington if they only have tn
money.
IF stories that are being repeate
with great detail are to be believe
much money already has been pal
out to men of this type, and thos
who have furnished it are just be
ginning to open their eyes to tn
fact that the most of it is going int
the pockets of the men who are reT
resenting that they can accomplis
the impossible.
Big Sum offered
Specific sums are being mention
ed in this connection. One pul
obos;p-~ onopt IF NOR Srpp1iac ;c ur