Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-02-02
NOTHING TO CONCEAL.
THOMPSON ON
The PANAMA SCANDAL.
The American Committee Has Holhino 10
Fear From an Investigation, He
Declares

Terro Haute, Ind. Feb. 1.-Ex-Secrc.
tary of the Navy r. w. Thompson. form.
en- president Of the American branch of
the Panama Canal company, said this
evening that he had telegraphed to Com
gresham BroOkshire at Washington re-
questing him 20 see the chairman of the
house select committee on the Panama
canal Investigation, as soon as the COM
mtttcc WIS appointed hy the speaker
aud notify him that he CfhOmpsum was
ready TO proceed 90 once 10 Washington
without the f0rmnlity Of summons,
ana TESTIFY before the committee concern
ing the affairs of the American branch
OF the company. A part of today
colonel thompson spent in his library
getting together such Panama documents
as he has bearing upon the matter under
investigation, but the colonel declined TO
speak concerning them, stating that he
would make public all he knew when he
took the witness stand The colonel did
say, however. that he was mistaken when
he stated the number OF cars buia in
Ierrc Haute for the Panama caual and
shipped to the lsthmus iy 1883 as 500
lie had discovered on looking up his
papers that the number was 300 The
cost OF them he could not remember
but Lewis j. Cox, of the Terre Uoute
Gar Works company was later seen
and be said the contract price of the
cars was about $4,000 or 10000
francs, u low price for them, as they
took them cheap at the time, being slack
of work This item Of the ears would
account for One-twcnty- part of
the sum of l2OOO.OOO francs alleged by
NJ. Charles Dclesscps To have been
placed 10 the credit OF the American com.
mirtCc. not 90 speak of the drcdgos, loco
motives. salaries aud othar expenses.
Mr.. Cox first thought the number of
cars made was 900 lint upon looking
up his books be- found his mistake Col
| Oucl Thompson snid the drcdgc MAIDS 90
| San Francisco. aud cnrricd across thC
country Ia pieces TO Philadelphia, from
which point IL was towrd 20 Panama,
was the largest dredgc of It's kind ever
made, and was a very expensive one,
although he could not give the cNu", price,
| but the books Of the company would
\ show. IL cost u lot Of money, but II
| paid for itself in the end in the vast
amount of earth q throw mp Colonel
! Thompson Is desperately Va earnest re-
! gardug the suspicious directed ut the
! American branch Of the canal, and Wig
| orOusly resputs the charge that the
! American committee was guilty Of hr
| berry or croolledncss of any character
~ has been suggested. The colonel
! Notwithstanding his SO years aud th'
! shock 10 his nervous system caused u'
| the narrow escape ms rfNlu'h'' u''
| a few weeks ago from destruction
bv fire. when at the risk of immluru
! danger to himself he insisted ON s,cu.
that his extensive library was safe. hW
not deferred him from giving the present
| Pnnuma charges his vigorous attention
| and it will doubtless prove true ihn' th'
colonel means to cause q thorough show
| ing up of the facts when he regcnc
| Washington. brought by scores OF hi
own aud others that he may be able y.
! locate 1--WE have nothing 90 cover up,
! said he. "nud / thiul; that when M
facts are known it will be- found that tn
| American committee has nothing To- Tea
from an investigation of the strictes
| sort "