Description
Book SynopsisIn 1913, President Woodrow Wilson opened the nation’s door to an era of reform. To help him, he brought to Washington men imbued with a progressive spirit—and in some, grudges as well! Before work on reforms got underway, two high ranking officials of the Treasury Department attacked a local bank over its banking practices. The bank officers had close ties to Wall Street; the Treasury officials were no friends of Wall Street (with scars to prove it). Aggressive bank examinations, hostile interviews, and accusatory letters ensued, eventually resulting in the bank filing an injunction against the government. But after an acrimonious court hearing, the injunction appeared to have failed. Indeed, a grand jury indicted the bank officers of perjury. In 1916, a three-week criminal trial of the bankers took place in which former Presidents Taft and Roosevelt appeared on behalf of the bankers. It was a cause celebre in the nation’s capital and much of the country. When the verdict was reached it was clear “bad blood” had been spilled everywhere—and this nasty, little war had been more than just about reform.
Trade Review‘The Riggs War’ is an absorbing piece of scholarship, studded with detailed biographical observations of both the main and tangential figures in the court proceedings. -- Kalman Goldstein, Professor Emeritus of History, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Table of ContentsPreface Introduction: Prelude to a War Part I. Skirmishes Chapter 1. A Slap in the Face Chapter 2. The Lady Spy Chapter 3. Settling In Chapter 4. The “Money Bill” Chapter 5. The Deal, the “Trib” Stories, and the Meeting Chapter 6. Confirmation Hearing Part II. The Combatants Chapter 7. The Attacked Chapter 8. The Attackers Part III. Attack! Chapter 9. Fury and Firepower Chapter 10. Examining Riggs, Phase One Chapter 11. An Embarrassing Moment Chapter 12. Behind the Lines Chapter 13. Examining Riggs, Phase Two Chapter 14. The Stakes Chapter 15. An Annual Report Chapter 16. Examining Riggs, Phase Three Chapter 17. The Injunction! Chapter 18. Worries Part IV. Hand-to-Hand Combat Chapter 19. The “Bad Blood” Hearing Chapter 20. Summertime Seething Chapter 21. Indictments…Perjury? Part V. The War’s Endgame Chapter 22. Emerging Battle Plans Chapter 23. The Long Wait Chapter 24. Armageddon Chapter 25. The Aftermath Bibliography Index About the Author
