St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-02
NO BRIBERY.
Col. Thompson Knows of No Brib =
cry in the Panama Canal
Dealings,
And No Occasion for Any Con-
gresham to Have Been
Bribed.
FROM JUDGE.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Feb. lin an
authorized interview with the rerre
Haute correspondent of the Indianapo-
lis News, Col. r. W. Thompson, ex-
president of the American Panama
Canal company, gave detailed account
Of the operations of the company and
the charges of bribery made against it.
Regarding the latter, he said:
Il know nothing of the bribery of any
congressman, big or little, and know of
no occasion or reason why any congress
man should have been bribed. The re-
port of the committee was unanimous
on the subject, with the exception of
Congressman Ben Wilson. of West Viz
ginia, who made minority report. The
only occasion for any bribery, if there
was such thing as bribery, was when
this cross resolution was up in the early
part of 1881. OF course, it that passed,
that was the end of the canal, for the
resolution declared it to be the duty of
the United States to resist the proposed
construction of the canal under the
auspices of foreign power. 1t was the
only occasion for bribery that can see.
bribery at that time, nor at any other
time, so far as am aware"
Col. L thompson said he could not testify
to the statement of De LeSseps thai 49,
900. 900 francs had been expended by
the American company, but he sup
posed the books, which were now in
possession of Charles Colne, then secre-
tary of the committee, would show the
exact amount and how it was spent.
He should Insist that Colne be sum-
moned with the books and papers before
the committee.
Cot Thompson said there was not a
cent of money that actually passed
through the hands of the American
company. A system of checks was used.
For instance as illustration: Col.
Thompson did not pay himself his sal
airy of $4,000 a year mot $4,000 as
not frequently printed out of funds in
his own hands, as has been intimated
in some of the charges. When he
drew his salary he drew check
against Seligman q Co., of New
had a personal deposit there, and
the money was paid on it. This check
Seligman e Co. would send across to-
their Paris bank, and it was caShed
there out of the French funds. That
was the system used. The American
committee did not itself have dollar.
They drew upon the Paris funds in this
manner for all the expenditures that
they incurred--for the dredges, loco
motives, cars, etc., ETC., that were built
or shipped to the isthmus. They did
not know how much money was used in
France. Sufficient to say. their orders
were honored. He himself had volun
Il h oln- frnI
600 to $4,000 year. Regarding the
statement that French committee Of
stockholders came over to this country
some months ago and submitted a list
of questions to Col. Thompson in the
endeavor to find out how the American
money was spent, and the French COM
mittee could not get any satisfaction
out of Col. Thompson and returned
TO France i'll disgust, Col. Thompson
SAID that about the last of October OF
first part of November a series of four
teen questions from the French consul
at Chicago, who had received them from
his government. The questions related
more particularly to the purchase of the
Panama Railroad company by the Pan
anna Canal company, which the French
men seemed to think was made at an
eXtravagant price. Col. Thompson an
swered the questions fully, and sub
scribed them before a notary public and
sent them to the French consul at Chi
cago These answers were intended
for the French tribunal there about to
begin its sensational probing into Pan
anna affairs, and they are in Paris for
purposes only known to the French
government. He declined to give out
those questions or answer for publica-
ton.