Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-11
THAT CARRANZA LETTER
Controversy Over the Distinction of Having
Stolen It
secret Service Agent Redferu and
George 4. Bell of Montreal Both
Claim the Honor.

special dispatch from Boston in todays
New York Tribune says:
Responsibility for the fate of the famous
Carranza letter. at the beginning Of the
Spanish American war. has in the last few
days been switched about by apparently un-
reliable individuals until today. when the
story was reduced to this plain statement
by Ralph d. Redeem, the United States
secret service agent at Boston: Il stole that
| letter Certainly l did"
In an interview Mr.. Redfern then related,
for the first time, the series of circum-
stances connected with the important en-
terprise in which he assumed a great risk
of liberty and perhaps, life.
That letter was not garbled in transla-
ton declared Mr.. Redfern. at was sent
in the United States mail to Chief Wilkes
office, and there translated to the satisfac-
ton of Sir Julian Pauncefote, and the orig
inal is still in the office. The only persons
who knew anything about the letter at that
| time were the United States consul, Gem
eral Bettinger, Vice Consul Patrick Cor
man and the man and woman who accom-
panied me into the house on the pretended
errand of leasing rooms for the summer"
While in Montreal, Redfern said. he
watched the movements of the members of
the Spanish legation, Carranza and Du
Bose. He impersonated business men Of
various kinds to cover his identity and
| throw off suspicion. He played his part so
well that he secured personal permission
from his victims to enter their rooms while
they were taking breakfast in room be-
low, and just after the letter had been
taken met them face to face and acknowl-
edge their courtesies.
Having learned of Carranzas intention
to move into house on the upper street,
Mr.. Redfern secured quarters just opposite,
from which he could study the formers
movements and habits.
Bell sticks to His story.
Another dispatch, this one from Montreal,
in today's New York Herald says:
George A. Bell, who made a sworn state
ment that he stole the Carranza letter and
that it was changed and distorted in WASH
ington, reterates his story today. in spite
of the denial of Chief Wilkie and of Major
Bittinger, the United States consul here,
who said it was stolen by Ralph Redfern of
the United States secret service. He says
the statement that Redfern stole the letter
is untrue, and adds:
II stole that letter in the way l have de-
tailed. That is my statement once and for
all. i gave the circumstances of how il was
done under oath. Perjury is a serious crime
If L have committed perjury l am not run
ming away from it.
'Chief Wilkie says the letter was obtain
ed by his agent on May "a Lieutenant
Carranza swore he had the letter in his
pocket at breakfast on the morning of Sat
urday, May Is, and only put IL on the bu-
reau afterward. L repeat that the letter
was in my possession at St Lambert until
I:l5 Saturday night, May ~, when 1 board
ed a train for New York. The letter could
Saturday night and Wilkie says that that
very night he showed it to Secretary Gage
and Assistant Secretary VANDERBILT IL was
a physical impossibiity."
Mr.. II. c. st. Pierre, Q. c., a prominent
criminal lawyer here, who was legal adviser
to Messrs. Carranza and Du Bose during
their trouble in Montreal said today:
II would not be at all surprised IL IL was
Bell who stole the letter from Carranza.
The portrait of him published in the papers
agrees perfectly with the description given
by Lieutenant Carranza. When the letter
was published in Washington eight days
after 1t was stolen, Lieutenant Carranza
immediately protested that it was altered,
He gave me details of which | took note.
NOW L hnd that these alterations in the
letter OF CarranZa denounced by Bell are
exactly those indicated by Carranza'
Mr.. st. Pierre added: stella Meedon a
servant in CarranZas house, told me that
the man who took the letter had a habit
OF tWltching his necktie, and Bell declares
he deliberately undid his neSktie in order
TO give him an excuse to go Is the glass and
arrange ii. He stole the letter as he passed
the table where it lay. believe Bells story
or how the letter was stolen completely