Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-30
REID FOLLOWS SYPHER.
TRIBUNE PUBLICATIONS THE
OBJECT OF SCRUTINY.

Matter Came Into His Possession and
His Cautious Iuquiries Before Pub
liShing it.
WASHINGTON, April 29.-When the
telephone investigating committee met
to-day, Chairman Boyle stated that he
had procured the manuscript record Of
Attorney General Garland's testimony.
1t had appeared from statements made to
the committee a few days ago that the
manuscript had been submitted TO the
Attorney General, who had made cOrrec-
tions before it had gone to the printer.
rhe reporter had also been under the i'm
preston that the Attorney General had
stricken out two or three questions and
answers. He { the chairman had exam
iued the manuscript and found that the
reporter was mistaken. Tho Attorney
General had stricken out nothing, and
made only few mere verbal corrections.
John Hale Sypner, IA lawyer and an eX-
member of Congress from New Orleans,
was then placed on the stand and ques-
toned regarding the article furnished by
himself TO Prof. Bell.
WHERE HE GOT HIS IDEA.
He said that ne had suggested to MIR.
Hill the compilation Of the article. Maj.
William G. CahOon, who had been con-
nected with the National Improved Tele-
phone Company, New Orleans company,
had told the witness Of the purpose Of that
company together with the Pan Electric
and other companies to assault the Bell
patents with view to breaking them
down and introducing their
own patents. The witness had
turned over the newspaper articles
that Mr.. Cahoon had furnished TO Mr..
iii, who bad said that he knew some
thing Of Pan Electric, with suggestion
that he compile the matter which was
sent to Prof. Bell. An article had been
prepared for the New York Tribune by
its Washington correspondence Sept. %,
which was prior to the preparation OF the
article sent to Prof. Bell by the witness.
NO DEFINITE PURPOSE.
The witness had no definite purpose or
design of any kind in preparing the
article.
The Chairman persisted in asking the
witness reason, to which he replied
simply that ne had suggested the prepara-
tiOn OF the article to MIR. Hill, who was a
newspaper man and had abundance OF
leisure.
The Chairman inquired why the wit
ness i'm his note TO Prof. Bell coupled Pan
Electric matter with the reform admins.
tratiOn.
TIE witness replied that be thought the
administration was pretty well repre-
sented in Pan Electric. He had sent the
article to Prof. Bell simply rs friendly
act Of one neighbOr to another.
EXTENT OF HIS FRIENDSHIP.
The Chairman wished to know If the wit
ness regarded it as a friendly act towards
al h.,t ho ,f a
concerning the gentlemen named in the
article.
The witness replied brusquely that his
friendly and neighborly acts did not ex-
tend to all creation. He could not tell
what newspaper Mr.. Hill represented,
and it was possible that Mr.. Hill intended
to sell the article. Newspaper men did
not work for nothing. The witness said
he knew very little Of the facts contained
in the article. Most Of the matter had been
furnished by Mr.. Hill, who had said he
had been connected with Casey Young
and Pan Electric. The witness said he
nad not prepared the article for pay, and
ala not expect any, hut il the Bell Com
pauy had chosen 90 employ him as counsel
that would have been another matter,
SOME IMPORTANT KNOWLEDGE.
And will remark right here" said the
witness, "that II they had, we would have
had a different state Of affairs before this
committee. | think have a fund Of in
formation that might be interesting TO the
committee of the Bell Company.
Mr.. Ranney remarked that as the CON-
mIttee had found man who had some In.
formation il had better get it.
The witness said he knew Messrs.
SeXias and VanBenthuysen buthad never
cOnversed with them on telephone mat
ters.
81 would not be surprised IL Mr.. Hill
and :" he remarked "were responsible
for the first publications on Pan Electric.
Probably that is true we opened the ball
on the Pan Electric in the newspapers"
The witness repeated that he had acted
without expectation Of reward, and had
never received a dollar, and had bad no
communication with the Bell Company.
He suggested the names OF John x. Beck
with and j. r. G. Pitkin. Of New Orleans,
as witnesses who might furnish valuable
information.
EDITOR REID's DIsAPPRovAL.
Whltelaw Reid, editor, publisher, and
principal proprietor OF the New York Trj.
bune, was the next witness.
In answer 10 Chairman BOyle's invita-
tion to state the general view taken OF the
Pan Electric matter by the Tribune be
said that in its editorial discussion the
Tribune had generally disapprOved OF the
action Of the government officials. The
publications had been made under his di-
rsctiOn and control. He did not know Of
his attention having been specifically
called 10 Pan Electric matter before
the ribHHe publications, although there
had previously been some advertisements
published in regard 10 IL.
GARLAND AS A sPECULAToR.
The article headed "Mr. Garland as q
Spectator" was the first 30 appear. IL
had been prepared by one OF the Iribune'S
Washington correspondents, Maj. Clarke
three or four days in advance OF its publ
cation on Sept. p. The witness had nC
detailed knowledge as 90 where Moi
Clarke had obtained the facts. lie haC
been startled by the matter contained In
the article, and had inquired OF The CORE
spOndent n he was entirely sure Of the
facts, 10 which the correspondent had re-
piled In the Affirmative. The communi
dent had all been by telegraph.
THE INFoRMANTs UNKNOWN.
The witness did not ask nor did IN,
correspondent give the names Of his In
fOrmants. He presumed, Of course, thai
be had prepared the article and obtained
the information IN Washington. The
Tribune had not paid anything for On,
matter, 80 far as he knew, beyond the
salary Of tbe correspondent, and the mat
ter lad come 10 the Tribune Office 10 th,
ordinary way. Possibly the correspond
ent had paid for the matter, but II therl
had been any considerable payment b,
(the witness) would have known II. A