The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-21
KNEW NO WRONG.
Colonel Thompson as a
Witness.
CAUTION WAS NECESSARY.
But He Really Does Not Remember
Now What There Was to Be
Cautious About.
Special to The MORNING CALL.

TERRE HAUTE. Ind, Feb. 2O.-The Pan
anna Congressional Investigating Commit
tee arrived this morning and began taking
the evidence of ex-SecretaTy Of the Navy
Thompson in private.
The ex-Secretary first detailed the circum-
stances of his resignation. saying it was
publicly done, ard. further. that he met no
opposition from President Hayes when he
approached him regarding the matter. The
first offer Of the American Craftsmanship
was made to him by Jesse w. Seligman in
1880, and was not accepted until alter full
conference with friend and the President,
and the determination on his part that there
was othing In IL inimical to the interests of
the United States. He denied that the
Hayes administration was opposed to the
canal, but it did want it under American
control. he had an idea that when he ac-
cepted the cbaiTmans ship he tried to Amer
icaniZe the affair and to get an American
construction company to build the canal.
The entire administration, as far as he
knew of the affairs OF the American COM
mittee, was on the strictest business prin-
ciples.
He did not know what were the duties OF
the three banking houses. whose representa-
tives were members with him of the Amer
lean committee, and he was as much sur
prised as the committee when he learned
within the week that the three had been
getting each $4,000 year. or twice his own
salary, for their services 10 this country
Colonel Thompson denied that the
Panama Canal Company had lobby in
Washington. either TO procure favorable
legislation for the Panama canal or to
fight the Nicaragua people, and he said
that he kept clear Of lobbyists and that
there was no improper expenditure OF
money, so far as he was aware.
Colonel Thompson said that when the
Nicaragua treaty was before the Senate all
he did was to write a pamphlet against it,
which he placed in the hands of all the
Senators. Senator VOORHEES, only knew he
wrote it, He did not sign his name to it,
because he did not want the Panama canal
antagonized, so lie had it appear anony-
mousy. The Senate defeated the treaty.
The committee brought with it a letter
press copy of all the correspondence be-
tween Thompson and De Lesseps. and wit
ness was asked to explain a number of the
letters. One of them, from Thompson to
De Lesseps. written in February. 1885, said:
ut is difficult to convey to you full under
standing of how We have conducted this
contest, and we must be very cautious"
Congressman Storer OF Ohio read from a
letter in which the Colonel told De Lesseps
that he believed a large expenditure OF
money for materials in this country would
help TO populariZe the canal, which belief he
emphasized to-day.
In another letter he referred to "overcom-
ing difficulties" This. he said, meant such
difficulties as the Nicaragua people were
responsible for. but he insisted strenuously
that nothing but legitimate means were
used in doing so. He denied that any
money had been spent, with his knowledge,
to influence the newspapers.