The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-04-14
CONTINUED From Our Last issvel


States had been indicted into office
with one dominating ambition
namely. TO place a trust magnate
behind the bars.
But when II came actually "a
picking the one truat-tho one mag
nate upon whom the presidential
wrath was to descend II was far
from mn easy assignment. ulti
mately. the Presidents own predi
lectlons influenced him-unoon
scioualy. OF course.
IA "a boy he had been afraid OF
firearms OF every variety. Thus,
unwittingly Hwayed by his personal
bias. the head % the nation select.
ed tho president OF tho Powder
Trust for the role of horrible ex.
ample.
j. Pierce Lamont. president OF
the Pierce Powder Company. was
the magnate marked for sacrifice.
And tho Attorney General. aided
and abcttod by the Secret Service,
got busy. This was some time be.
fore Win Shute was shanghaied.
before lmogen Leonard sailed for
Alexandria. Via Genoa, under the
nam. OF Miss Hlley-as directed
by her employer, who explained
that her confidential relations with
him. biz figure In tho business
world. would subject her TO the i'm.
portunltles OF lnteryiewern.
Everything was done with un.
xonted secrecy. considering that
Il was a government undertaking.
and the man hunt was progressing
mos; favorsbly when. one day. the
Washington correspondent OF the
New Yora Standard called nj the
White House and requested an In.
teryiev with the President
The details OF that Interview
will never be known. But in
twenty hours the country
rocked with Indignation.
An American Girl. sole support
of a widowed mother. while enjoy.
ing her first real vacation IN years
"a trip TO Europe--had been torn
from her parents by Italian soldiers,
thrown into prison. and there given
the third degree" Poor. perse-
cuted lmogen Leonard
Such was the flash" in news
paper parlance, that travelled over
free America. In more detail:
Miss Leonard was stenographer
and private secretary TO Lamont
OF the Pierce Powder Company.
This concern had manufactured
powder for tho Italian Government,
under a secret formula furnished
by Italy. Tho manufacturing was
done by agreement that powder so
made was not 20 be sold 10 any
other country than Italy, excepting,
Of course. the United States.
In the war with Turkey over
Trlpoli. Italy found that the Turks
vers using ldeLtically the same
powder And while the Turkish
supply could not be directly traced
20 the Pierce Company. the Italian
Government was convinced that the
American Powder Trust had yiolat-
ed It's agreement.
II Italy could prove this. there
was a large monetary forfeiture pro-
yided in the original agreement
lmoGen Leonard could furnish
the proof. because OF her confiden-
tiai relations with the head OF the
trust. Italy believed. This was why
sho had been forcibly taken from
tho Colonia.
REGARDLESS OF party affiliations.
the press OF tho country hurled AZ
the White House the yerdici-out.
ragc,
Tho President was not without
his excuses. Proof OF J. Pierce La
mont'R guilt under the criminal sec
tion OF the Sherman isw. lay In n
secrc, memorandum whereby the
restraint OF the powder trade was
maintained.
This memorandum had been die.
ta,cd by Lamont 10 his stenogra-
pher. imogen Leonard. and by her
Transcribed and mailed unsigned TO
the smaller. fear-ridden manufac.
turerS Of powder.
Wherefore Miss Leonard could
give testimony that would convict
J. Pierce Lamont.
Unfortunately. Miss Leonards va
cation. comprchendlng a sea trip
at the expense OF her employers.
was 80 timed-owing 10 a leak In
the United States Attorneys of.
flce--lhat she was beyond the three
mile limit before the Secret Service
knew OF II. Nothing remained,
therefore, but TO engage the Co
operation OF some foreign power in
the enterprise OF OBTAINING the
vitality important witness and ef-
fectIng her return home-to the
witnoss-boy.
ltalys fight with the Powder
Trust doveiailed into this scheme.
Miss Leonard was TO be detained
By the Italian authorities and
pumped. but with the American
AMBASSADOR standing by. ready TO
offer refuge-and safe return
home,
On the part OF the Administra.
ton at Washington II was Machl-
avellisn. on ltaly's part. the execu-
ton OF Americas third degree.
At best II wouldn't look well in
print--at worst IL would defeat the
Presidents party at the next cleo
ton. Wisely. the White House kept
silent But tho American Ambas'
sador 10 Italy bcstirred himself.
Less than twelve hours after the
storm broke in the United States,
lmogen Leonard. under the cour-
tcous escort OF his Excellency John
Bismer. started for Rome TO reioin
her mother.