The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-09-22
Letters to the
Editor
YOUNG JONES' ALiBI
ON JAP BANK STOCK

Editor Seattle Star. The primary
campaign is over. You have been
permitted. without protest. to do
what injury you could TO senator
Jones BY innucndo and false state
ments. because Mr.. Jones said To pay
no attention to your statements.
propose. now. however. to give
You a chance to correct the false
impression you may have made upon
some OF your readers l doubt II
YOU have the courage or the sense
q Justice that will induce you TO
publish this letter. but l hope you
have.
In your issue Of August II. you
publlshed. under giaring rcd head
hines. the statement that H. H.
Jones. SON OF Senator Jones. was a
ofockholder In the Sumitomo Bank
n Seattle, with the innucndo that
his ownership OF such stock was an
inSlucement to secure tho influence
q Senator Jones in favor OF japan
- interests. The inference might
ulnn be drawn from your statement.
that the stock Was not acquired In
~ ordinary way by purchase. and
pnSment OF It's value In cash. Al
ether times since. you have repeated
YOUR insinuation to the same effect.
Following are the facts: II. II.
Jones has been associated with me
- the practice of law for the past
exit years. and his connection with
NJ Sumitomo bank arises solely out
q this professional association. In
ne latter part OF June. 1911. i re
ceived a personal letter from a
pxominent lawyer and close personal
frisnd Of mine. Mr.. Marcel T.. Cert.
whose office Is In the Mills building.
Gnu Francisco. His iettert Is too
Ionx to quote. but Il may to inspect
"a IT my office by anyone Interested
Mr.. Cert stated In substance that
within . few days q client Of his. MFR.
Koh, manager OF the San Francisco
branch OF the Sumitomo Bank. LIN
tied. would call upon ma, and asked
NJ to. extend to Mr.. Koh such legal
aervtc3s and personal courtesies as
we're desired Mr.. koh later called
upon me. and stated that. in view
Of seattle's rapidly growing Oriental
commerce.. his bank desired to locate
: branch here. and that Mr.. Cert had
rocommended that he apply 70 me
for the necessary legal advice &C
eaoted the employment. and person
any looked after the matter. I had
the Sumitomo Bank. Limited. admit
ia to do business under our state
laws, a. . foreign branch hank II
retained my firm as its counsel and
has ever since been q highly honora-
be and satisfactory client
About a year ago. the parties In
(Inreoted decided to incorporate under
t11e state bank act. and. Mt their re-
Guest. ] agreed to act a. n director
- the new bank. but before the or
sanitation was completed. 1t became
apparent that during the next few
years business would call me from
The state for such long periods that
i could not. In justice TO the banks
oepositors and stockholders. assume
% responsible a duty. therefore
prevailed upon II. b. Jones to agree
% take my place. and at my earnest
solicitations, the incorporators re-
leased me from my agreement and
elected him In my stead He pur-
chased the ten shares OF stock re-
Quired by law to be held by a direct
q. paying in cash therefor par. plus
10 per cent His connection with
ne bank has. for the last eight
n1onfhs. been a matter OF public rec
ord, and has repeatedly appeared In
ne published statements and adyer-
easements OF the bank.
From the foregoing. IL win Be ap-
parent to any fair-minded man that
the business Of this bank came to
me In m yprivate capacity as an at
torney: that the connection OF Mr..
H. b. Jones Herewith Is entirely by
reason OF his association with me.
and that 1t is a matter with which
Senator Jones has absolutely no con-
nection in any way. shape or form
whatsoever. / earnestly request, In
Justice to Senator Jones. his son. and
myself. that you publish the forego-
ing letter IN your next issue. giving
% the truth the same prominence
that you have given to your false
Statement about the matter.
IRA BRONSON.