Gooding, Frank Robert, 1859-1928

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1917-11-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Recipient

Gooding, Frank Robert, 1859-1928

President Roosevelt tells Idaho Governor Gooding that William Allen White, of the Emporia Gazette, made a similar suggestion to Gooding’s, for Roosevelt and Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte to meet with Idaho Senator William Edgar Borah to discuss his case. Roosevelt does not think meeting Borah himself is a good idea, but would like to meet with his lawyers and the attorney general, if possible by August 9.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-30

President Roosevelt asks Idaho Governor Gooding to arrange a meeting between him, Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte, and Idaho Senator William Edgar Borah’s lawyers on August 9.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-30

William A. Pinkerton reports to Governor Gooding that Agent 21 he met a man name William Easterly who wore a Western Federation of Miners button and who he thinks is “watching the movements of the men working for the W. F. of M.” Pinkerton was told that Easterly was the chairman of the strike committee during the “Colorado trouble” and is a man the Pinkertons fear. He is still waiting to hear reports from other agents in the field.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-05

Detective Pinkerton updates Governor Gooding on their investigation into the Western Federation of Miners (W.F.M.). Pinkerton learned that the W.F.M. is pursuing a strategy to implicate the late Governor in fraudulent timber sales. In doing this, Pinkerton believes the Western Federation of Miners hopes to “discredit him (Governor Steunenberg) in the eyes of the people in order to help the cause of the defendants,” Bill Haywood, Charles Moyer, and George Pettibone.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-05

Detective Pinkerton updates Governor Gooding on Agent 21’s investigation into the assassination of former Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg. He was called to Boise to receive his assignment. When he arrived in Boise, he was assigned to poll the entire county and could hire additional men to get the job done.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-01

Detective William A. Pinkerton updates Governor Gooding on Agent 21’s investigation into the assassination of Governor Frank Steunenberg. Agent 21 is keeping data on socialists and labor organizers. He lists the types of questions he asks people in the county to poll what the sentiments are for the upcoming trial.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-30

President Roosevelt assures Idaho Governor Gooding that Surveyor General Ernest George Eagleson got “a square deal,” and encloses the report from Secretary of the Interior James Rudolph Garfield detailing why he had to be removed from service.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-08

President Roosevelt is gratified at the agreement of Governor Gooding of Idaho on the need for a conference regarding the conservation of natural resources, and looks forward to seeing him at what he assures will be “a conference in every sense of the word.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-31

President Roosevelt informs Idaho Governor Gooding that Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou has received his letter and is considering the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-19

President Roosevelt congratulates Idaho Governor Gooding on his reelection. Roosevelt asked Secretary of War William H. Taft to visit Idaho because he believes Gooding is “a champion of that spirit of American liberty.” He does not regard Gooding’s victory more highly than that of Charles Evans Hughes in New York but rather applauds them both for helping to work against tyranny.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-27

President Roosevelt tells Governor Gooding that Secretary of War William H. Taft “will surely go out” if he turns from Cuba in time. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-09

President Roosevelt is very pleased by Idaho Governor Gooding’s letter, and believes he is doing exactly the right thing.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-10

President Roosevelt tells Idaho Governor Gooding that he had not seen a particular editorial Gooding mentioned. However, he is not surprised that it gave the wrong impression, as he feels that “the editorial writers and the correspondents of Collier’s Weekly write with a reckless ignorance of their subjects.” He will gladly speak to Calvin Cobb, but he is not sure that he can have any effect on the reporting of the eastern press. Both the men accused of the murder of ex-governor of Idaho Frank Steunenberg and the nation as a whole deserve a fair trial and to know the facts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-21

William A. Pinkerton delivers a case update to Governor Gooding on Agent 21’s investigation into the assassination of Governor Frank Steunenberg. He worked with Mr. Barber and a man identified as Border and others as they traveled to other precincts to work. Union members were freely giving information to other agents of the investigation without realizing who they were. Agent 21 retired at 10:30 PM after his meetings had ended.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-04