The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-08
F. p. BLAIR's INTERVIEW.
The Chicago Times-HeraId AfFirms
Its Authority.
From the Chicago Times Herald.


From the Chicago Times Herald,
Yesterday the Chicago Tribune devoted
one of its leading news articles to a denial
of the authenticity of the interview with
Frank P, Blair, counsel for Capt. o. NJ.
carter the government engineer convicted
by a courtmartial of frauds in connection
with the harbor work at Savannah, Ga.
Its headlines, which fairly represent the
attempt to assail the truth and genuine
ness OF the remarkable statement made
Dy Mr.. Blair through the columns of the
Iimes-Herald, read as follows:
BLAIR SAYS IT'S FAKE.
DenOunces as Absolutely False Al
Legations in Times-HeraId-He
Has Not Stated and did Not Aver
He Had Preferred Charges of Per-
jury Against Gen. Otis in the Car
ter Case-Denies That He Had or
Said He Had the Reported CONVEX
Stations with President Mckinley.
Denials Specific on Every Point.
The article justified the headlines. 1t
told how several items were taken from
the Interview in the Sunday Times Her
aid and read to Mr. Blair which he pro-
nounced entirely false" the Statement
is absolutely false" and Fiction, nothing
but felton," etc.
Absolutely assured of the substantial ac-
curacy of its original interview with Mr..
Blair as printed on Sunday morning, the
TimesHerald yesterday demanded of him
a categorical confirmation of its report
over his signature and received the fol-
lowing letter:
ITO the Editor of the Times Herald.
Dear Sir-Referring to your request OF
to-day concerning the interview with me
Nrin tod an
say that l did not state that Gen. Otis
had been guilty of perjury and suborna-
ton of perjury, and that charges had been
preferred against him. l merely quoted
the affidavit which 1 made concerning
him, which was published Sept l in the
New York Journal.
Speaking generally of the interview
while there are inaccuracies in it, and
some conclusions drawn by the writer
which | do not indorse, it is, considering
its length and the hurry in which it was
taken, quite accurate.
Such being the case of course I did
not brand it as spurious" without
authority" or wholly false"
Chicago, Sept. 4, 1889"
This may save Mr. Blair's face, as the
saying is, but it is not the whole truth as
to the interview, which was obtained by
the most reliable reporter on the Times
Herald staff and one of the most accurate
interviewers in the country The inter
view was not taken hurredly at all Mr.
Blair dictated it with great deliberation
emphasis and profanity. At the conclusion
of each statement or paragraph the re-
porter read his notes to Mr.. Blair, and
his sensing of the attorneys statements
went through unchallenged from begin
ming to end.
Those notes are before the writer now
and they confirm the printed interview
that Mr.. Blair said that the charges
against Gen. Otis were perjury" "su-
bornaton,' same as Barr" Possibly
Mr.. Blair did not mean to so charge Gen.
Otis. Possibly he had some other person
in his mind. But these words appear in
his answer to the reporters question.
What are the charges against Otis?
In the Tribune account of Mr. Blair's
reputation of the Times Herald inter-
view he is made to deny the remarkable
conversation he said he had with President
Mckinley. In the reporters notes, read
and approved by Mr.. Blair, this story
runs as follows:
The affidavit 1 have made in regard to
Gen. Otis is true. preferred charge
against Otis five or six months ago. When
1 did so the President says, OTIS repre-
sents sovereignty of the United States
down there (meaning the Philipplnes).
Il said: Tt don't make him less liar
THE President SAID: But will have 70
recall him.
II said; Yes"
In writing out his notes the reporter
added words from his memory. which is
as accurate as a steel plate engraving, and
nothing from his imagination.
There Is nothing in the interview Mr.
Blair did not say, and the only portion OF
what he did say THAI was suppressed was
long diatrlpe against the New York Her
old which he accused of supervising the
truth, AS this had no bearing on the case
II was suppressed because in the reporter
discretion it might have proved a BOOM
erang for Mr.. Blair and his client
With this explanation The Times Herald
takes leave of Mr.. Frank 2. Blair who
could have obvlated its necessity by
CANDID confirmation Of his published inter-
view. Sometimes the mouth uttereth
things from which the eye starts when Il