situation, and suggested that I advise Marie Ware to resign her office forthwith, explaining that any effort upon her part to attempt to hold her position in the face of all the charges that had been preferred against her, would only have a tendency to make matters worse, and that in any event her dismissal was inevitable.
I pleaded with Mays that something might be done to ameliorate conditions, but he was inexorable, insisting that he was on the "inside," and that he had been advised by his brother, Edwin P. Mays, who was then United States Attorney Hall's assistant, that Judge Bellinger's mind had been fully made up, and that, if we had any hope of saving ourselves, we must, of necessity, sacrifice Miss Ware, and if the worse came to the worse, get her out of the country altogether.
Shortly after this interview occurred. Mays informed me that he had conversed with his brother further upon the subject, and had been apprised that Hall was about to subpoena Miss Ware to appear before the Federal Grand Jury, then in session, urging that Miss Ware be smuggled away with as quick dispatch as possible.
Acting upon this suggestion, and being well aware that F. Pierce Mays had a strong "pull" in the United States Attorney's office, not only through his brother, but with Hall, himself, and that on account of his complicity with me in land fraud matters—as well as with others—he was being governed by personal considerations mutually beneficial, I proceeded to carry out his ideas without delay. In answer to my telephonic request. Miss Ware came to Portland on the morning after the conference between Mays and myself took place, prepared to leave the city until after the adjournment of the Grand Jury.
She was met at the East Side depot by Horace G. McKinley and myself, and spirited to the residence of Alice White, 175 Ford Street, Portland, where she remained in seclusion for several days. Upon completion of arrangements for their departure. Miss Ware and Alice White were given railway transportation and funds sufficient to cover their expenses, and sent to Vancouver, B. C., beyond the jurisdiction of Uncle Sam.
Not long afterward we received a letter from Miss Ware, complaining of homesickness, and requesting that she might return to Portland and go to California. We agreed to this, and within a few days both Miss Ware and Miss White were en route to Los Angeles, California. Upon their arrival they went to the Hotel Van Nuys, one of the swell establishments of the southern metropolis, where they remained about a week, when Miss Ware learned that an information had been filed against herself and Horace G. McKinley, upon charges of conspiracy to defraud the Government of its public lands.
Acting upon my advice, she notified Judge Bellinger by wire of a willingness to return to Portland immediately, and soon after her arrival, both herself and McKinley appeared in Court, and through their attorneys. Judge Thomas O'Day and F. Pierce Mays, demanded an immediate examination. This was accorded them, the proceedings taking place before United States Commissioner J. A. Sladen. Clyde D. Lloyd, Special Inspector A. R. Greene, and R. W. Veach testified as witnesses upon behalf of the Government, and the examination resulted in both defendants being held to appear before the United States Grand Jury, bail in each case being fixed at $2000, which was given.
Three or four months later—in October, 1903—I was in Portland, and called upon F. Pierce Mays at his office. My purpose in coming to Portland at that time was to consult with him relative to the advisability of his making suitable arrangements to quash any possible indictments against myself. After reviewing the situation. Mays informed me that sufficient evidence had been produced at the preliminary examination of Marie Ware and Horace G. McKinley to warrant the Grand Jury in finding indictments against them, and furthermore that he had since learned that United States Attorney Hall had secured enough additional evidence to justify the indictment of Mrs. Emma L. Watson and myself, and that it was the intention to do so.
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