New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-01
THE PRIVACY OF CABLE MESSAGES.

MN GAhREll ~ Dh
HIS ORIGINAL CHARGES REAssERTED-DR- GREEN'S
PRoTEsTATIoNs SAID TO BE WITHOUT sHADo"
OF FOUNDATION IN TRUTH.
BALTIMORE, Nov. 30.-John W. Garrett has fur-
nfhed to the Press letter OF this date, addressed
to William S. Young, president of the Corn ann
Flour Exchange, which is a reply to the letter OF
Norvin Green president of the Western Union lele-
graph Company commenting on the remarks OF Mr.
Garrett made at the recent banquet of the Corn ana
Flour Exchange relative to the inspection OF cable
grams by the Western Union Company. 1t Will DO
remembered that Mr. Garrett stated that an appli-
cation was made on behalf of the Baltimore ana
Ohio Company TO the managers of the Direct
United States Gable Company to ascertain whether
tue former company could forward dispatches
TO France by that company without
going through the hands of the Western Union,
and the response was that should these cablegrams
contain anything affecting the Western Union Com
pany in any way. it would be the privilege of that
company to inspect them. and that all cable 4rafhs
from the other side were sent direct to the western
Union main Office and thence distributed. Mr. Gar
rett in his reply to Mr. Green SAYS:
In an open letter addressed you, tho president OF
the wes ern Union Tcegtap Company has seen NJ 10
spSnse Of the DTpc United States Cable Company to the
application referred to In my statement III order t n
the integrity Of the management OF mis- company IN re-
spect to the sanctv Of telegraph business IL is que
myself, and 10 YOU also, in view OF TINS cnaree,
that 1 should corroborate the precise accuracy
of the statements made by on TIE occasion reetreI
to- by informing You OF the circumstances whcn io W
my inquiry and Of the authority upon which my sao
ment was made In the month OF August last hp i Dc
casion transmit TO the first ViopreSdent Ol tne Dull
more and Ohio company, then In France cerah mp W
tant cablegrams accordingly directed INV assistant 20
ASCERTAIN in New York whether We could not s9'wrl @
cables tO France by the Direct United states Cane ON
pany without going through the hands Of the western
Union Telegraph Company IN any manher, as worn 'rr
prefer TO the the mails unless could got ms as'
ance This was the precise language OF my written III
on the 2lst of tst August my assistant received from
Mr. Robert Stewart, superintendent OF telegraphs OF e
Baltimore OHIO Railroad Company letter contain
ing the following statement. 49,, ,.,, Inc. r,o,rdino
cable teesraphng, learn nat our cables were srnt a.
rect from their Broad ST. once 10 me cape OGe oce WiS
but with the understanding that should these
contain thing affecting the Wesiesn Union CoLpany
in any way II would be the privilege Of that company 10
inspect them All cablegrams received IRON he o,her
from there distributed. AS all existing cables are
under the control OF the Western Union Company 90
not think it possible TO put any eaolesrans tFoqg9 si
Tue information upon which this letter OF
Mr.. Stewards based was derived IRON
Mr.. Price, the manager OF the Baltimore aud ONO ono
inquiry directed by The result Of that application
aud the precise racy of the ansn9ge used by me ID
referring will be shown by the folio wing sworn state
ment OF Mr. Price.
Here follows the statement of Mr.. Price in which.
after detailing his instructions to make the inquiry,
he states:
went at once to the Office Of Mr. Ward. No. Broad;
st. City Of New-York. and upon inquiry was informed
that Mr. Ward was not IA the city / then went down
stairs INTO the receiving department rrom wRSn wspn
received and trn;m5ted and aeSasrsa s9eTs Sd" and
Whose name am ready to give, l; desired, who at tho
time in the service OF that Receiving Department
maze and was iniornei by him that cables wonld
direct from that office TO the cable once without
having through the Western Union main ONCE az
No. 105 Broadway. but with tue understanding tuat II
these cablegrams should contain dnylhig asGIg tg 30
that company 10 inspect them. Iat al 1apiesrans; & @
direct to the Western Union MAN oice ana ron lnero
distributed communicated TINS Information ,h ci,I
of New-York | cannot be mistaken to the exact
language used. because ! saw Mr.. stewart. VINO was
this interview and he took down in writing at my dc-
taton the precise language used TO me wnlch ne suos
quenty reported IN letter 70 the assistant To the pres
Mr. Ward having then returned 10 the City OF New
the ir6uirv "a 10 the possibility OF making
rangement with the D ect Gable Company, under whlch
cables from the Baltimore aud ONO Ieegdpn
Company could bo transmitted 70 Europe without
going through the hands Of the Western Union Iee,
graph Company. called upon ar Ward, aud Informed
him that had an important inquiry to make on Oehait
of the baltimore and OHIO Telegraph Company, and
handed him or his rusa my letter OF Instructions con-
tanning :he inquiries. We then had conversation OF
length in reference to the ptrcuar sugct matter @
-inuured OF MIR. Wards statement TO me was 10 tue
eff ct that while he (Mr Ward mad general supervisor
over the Cable Department all cabegrams were handled
from No I6 Broad by operators employed ana pald
nv the Western Union Tele raph Company and that all
ca6egraT%s % r9H nc waeHsT M and be- subject to
inspection by officials or that company dis ncty un-
deood MIR Ward as fully corroboratne the correctness
of the statement, wnich have above referred
as having been made TO Ee ny one OF tEe recenths
giew good deal Of other conversation with Mr. ward
in reference cable matters generally lie expressed
a desire that interview should take place between
resident Pender VINO was then in this country ana
President Garrett
Mr. Garrett continues:
subsequently in the month of october. Mr. Pender
pad me visit in Baltimore In conformity with his IN
tentIon indicated by Mr. Ward IN his conversation with
and discnsseu with hIn fully the foregoing statements
made by the telegraph officers OF the Baltimore ana
Onio COMPANY. lie entirely agreed with me that IN
dependent arrangements should be made under which
the baltimore aud Ohio and other land lines could
eend to Europe without thelr passing through
the hands of the Western Union Company, aud e1-
pressed conviction nat as the request was 40 reason
able and lust and manestly In the interest OF tue
puDlc and in comprehensive view III tie Interests OF
the Western Union Company itself toat he would DC
satisfactory. Mn Pcnder also fully agreed with Ine
when TINS question lat whe t0 and
understood b. the public in Great Britain ana America
that public opinion would demand a change IN tins sys
TEN. President Penders statement that "as for the
Western Union COmpany'a executive scrutinl2lng mes
sages notning OF the kind ever passed my
lips" is absolutely true. In our protracted
and frequent discussions of this suDlect
reference Whatever was made by President Fender
myself to the llx ecuriye. President Norvn Green
Of the Western Union Company. nor was his name
SALONS WIN MIN Ia letter 10 me dated New-Iork 81
October, 1882, Mr.. Pendcr says
as think you approve OF my policy which gives you
the use of two cables to comet your land system Win
cables, aud as yod aware that am not IN any
way connected with stock transactions of any khd 50
that your messages would DC perfectly safe IN my hands,
YOU might communicate wi.I your 10 ask MIN 10
await my arrival hi England, when / have DOUBT l
make such arrangements would meet your re
quremcnts and Mr. BENEFITS, In evidently ignting
Tor freedom from ~ sem IN which he no conh-
dence."
later date Ootober 7, 1882, Mr. Pender wrote
me q follows:
"Tne arran cement referred 10 in my telegram viii
be follows There will be cable Office IN New YORK,
which the different cable companies will have
cOJnter and through this The different land companies
send their hY ttlanfic cOmpnny