The times., 1899-07-09
Mr.. WILKIE DENIES It
A Story From Canada About the
Carranza Letter
Frederick Bell, of Montreal, Who
Says He Stole the Document,
Charges the Chief of the Secret
Service With TnmperinS With It
The Inconsistencies Pointed Out.

Smoswhat of sensation was caused yes
terday by despatch printed in a New
York evening paper from Montreal, in
which a man giving the name of Frederick
Bell made certain statements which placed
Chief Wilkie, of the Secret Service. in a
very unpleasant position, and even charged
the latter with being party to the forg-
ing of the famous Carranza letter which
was secured in May, 1898, at the beginning
of the late war.
While greatly annoyed at the wild state
ments contained in the despatch, Chief
Wilkie states that it is fabrication from
start 10 finish, and the claims are so con-
Trajectory as to be almost unworthy Of any
denial.
The Carranza letter was the famous
epistle which was written by Ramon Car
rama, former attaehe of the Spanish Le
CATION at Washington, to an official of the
Spanish Government at Madrid. In the
letter Carranza, who was then sojourning
at Montreal, war having been declared,
stated that he had a spy system in full
operation and was obtaining much valua-
BILE information. The letter was secured
by United States Secret Service agents and
turned over to the Secretary of State, who
Immediately caused Carranza and his col
league, Senior Juan Dubosc, to be deported
from Canada because of the evidence con-
tanned in the epistfe.
The Montreal despatch contains the
claims of Frederick Bell, who alleges that
on May 2S, 1885,. he personally stole the
Carranza letter tromo,eth house occupied
by the spaniardsiic and Fat once carried the
epistle to Chief While at Washington,
under whom he was working. He then
claims that Chief wilkie summoned Con
zala de Quesada and an Italian named
Cavannah TO translate the letter from
Spanish into English. Bell further claims
that the original letter was then tampered
with and alleges that certain changes, al
terations. and insertions were made IN the
original which charged altogether the
tenor OF the misstve. Bell further al
leges that when the letter had been thus
changed, the Italian, Cavannah, was hand
ed some Spanish Legation stationery by
Chief wilkie, and he, the Italian. proceed
ed to forge document which was handed
to the State Department as the letter
stolen in Montreal Bell claims that he
then threatened TO expose the matter and
received $50 from Washington. The money,
he claims, came In an official envelope"
without any written, communication. BEL
states that he was promised $1,000 Tor mis-
share in the transactions.
Chief Wilkie denied each and every
statement made by Bell when shown
copy of the despatch last night and stated
that he could easily prove that the whole
affair was a string of lies.
"In the first place" said he. Il have
never before tonight heard of Frederick
Bell. He is not in the Secret Service en-
ploy and to my knowledge never has been.
He is either a clumsy liar or poor novice
at the blackmailing business. II he would
only give few dates or facts | could
easily trip him up. He says that he stole
the letter on May rs. Now l VIII snow
you few facts and figures.
Chief Wilkie then produced the original