The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-02-21
PANAMA INVESTIGATION.
The Congressional Committee
Arrive at Terre Haute.
MR.. THOMPsON'S EVIDENCE.
The Ex-Secretary Details the Circum-
stances OF His Resignation.
He Maintains That the American Com.
mittee Conducted Matters on
Strict Business Principles
His Testimony.

| TERRE HAUTE, Ind, Feb. 2O.-The
Panama congressional investigating COM
mittee arrived this morning and began
taking the evidence of ex-Secretary of the
Navy Thompson in private The ex-
secretary first detailed the circumstances
OF his resignation saying it was publicly
done and further that he met with no OBJ
position from President Hayes when he
approached him regarding the matter
The first offer of the American chairman
ship was made to him by Jesse w. Selig-
man in 1880 and was not accepted until
after full conference with friends and
the president and a determination on his
part that there was nothing in it inimical
to the interests of the United States. He
denied the Hayes administration was op-
posed to the canal, but did want it under
American control He had an idea, when
he accepted the craftsmanship, OF Ameri-
caniZing the affair and tried to get an
American construction company to build
1t. The entire administration, as far as he
knew OF affairs OF the American commit
tee, was on the strictest business princi-
pies.
He did not know what the duties OF the
three banking houses whose representa-
t1ves were members with him of the
American committee. and he was as
much surprised as the committee when he
learned within a week that the three had
been getting each $50, 900 a year, or twice
his own salary for their services in this
country. Colonel Thompson denied that
the Panama canal company had lobby
at Washington either to procure favorable
legislation for the Panama canal or TO
fight the Nicaragua people, and he said he
kept clear OF the lobbyists, and that there
was no improper expenditure Of money so
far as he was aware.
Colonel Thompson said when the Mica
ragua treaty was before the Senate all he
did was to write pamphlet against it.
which he placed in the hands of all sena-
tors. Senator Voorhees, only knew that
he wrote it. He did not sign his name to
it because he did not want the Panama
canal antagonized, so he had it appear
anonymously. The Senate defeated the
treaty.
The committee brought with it letter
press copy Of all correspondence between
Thompson and DeLesseps and witness
was asked to explain q number of let
ters. One OF them from Thompson
to DeLesseps in February, 1885, said:
cit is difficult to convey to you a
full understanding of how we have
conduct this contest and we must be very
cautious" Congressman Storer OF Ohio,
read from the letter in which the colonel
told De Lesseps that he believed a large
expenditure OF money for materials in
this country would help pOPularize the
canal, which belief he emphasized today.
In another letter he referred to Cover
coming difficulties This, he said,
meant such difficulties az the Nicaragua
people were responsible for, but that
nothing but legitimate means were used
in doing so. He denied that any money
had been spent with his knowledge to in
fuenee papers.