Evening journal., 1900-05-21

the Museums, issued a statement yes
terday giving the facts in the case. He
characterized the discharged employe
as a blacRmailer. and effectually stamp
ed the fabrication that the Museums
had allowed itself to be used in any
way in the interest OF the trust.
Dietz asserted that for three months
he was employed by the Museums to
get information for the trust as to the
exact amount of refined sugar sold by
the iobbers in this city. The story
quoted a letter purporting to be writ
ten by George II. Frazier, general man
ager of the Franklin Sugar Refining
Company, TO Thomas Dolan, a director
or the Museums, stating that the COM
pany would be willing to pay for re-
ceiving the information. Dietz declar-
ed that he performed the work satis-
factorily, but that DR.. Wilson refused
to pay an expense bill OF $780,
ThereupOn DietZ says he resigned"
and instituted suit. not only for 5000,
but also for $1,000 as extra reimburse
ment for ''overwork." DR.. Wilson re-
fers to Dietzs demand for $1,000 as
blackmail.
According to Dietz's assertion, the in
formation wanted by the trust was for
use against the trusts independent
competitor in this city, the McCahan
Sugar Refining Company.
To a reporter for The North Amer
lean w. ]. McCahan, Jr., scotched
Dietz's preporterous story. as follows:
I'VE have every confidence in theI
impartiality OF the Commercial Mus
Gums, and do not believe that theI
Museums was a party to any underhand
practices against us. In fact, we knew|
OF the inquiry made by the Museums
agents as TO the volume OF sugar busi-|
ness in this city, and it was entirely
legitimate inquiry, If the Franklin
Sugar Refining Company desired SUCH
information. We have certainly no obi
jections to offer, and, as far as we areI
concerned, the story which was publ
lished does not affect us one way orI
another. The Commercial Museums isl
a valuable institution, and we have|
every confidence in its work and|
methods"
The statement issued by Director|
Wilson in reference to the story con-|
cocted by the Museums enemies, andl
to Dietz's connection with the institu-|
1 ton, is as follows:
THE inquiry referred to did not CALL
for confidential information nor did thel
Museum ever consider it as asking
facts other than those collected at|
! stated intervals by the United States
! Census Bureau or the Department oq
Labor. The desire in this instance was
/ for figures in an intermediate yeaIi
which the Museum undertook to gather
None Of the details asked from anyOne|
were of a confidential nature an lest
information might me ELECTED in the|
course of the investigation which im1
properly used might be regarded as y
breach of confidence, instructions wereI
\ given to assign a reliable and discreet
man to the work, and the total result
namely the local consumption of sugar
in Philadelphia, was the only informal
ton asked for. An investigation likd
this would have been carried on at thd
request of any business firm and in nd
case does the Museum consent TO securd
or divulge the business secrets Of any1
one.
at was soon discovered that the sup1
posed trusted employe Of the Museum
was conducting himself contrary to in1
structions, endeavOring to secure facts
that were not desired and prosecuting
the inquiry in an undignified manner
and he was therefore recalled from thd
work and summarily discharged. Bel
fore leaving the Museum he produced
a number OF alleged interviews and
material, asserted that he had copies OF
private papers, and endeavored to levy
blackmail upon the institution, threat1
ening their publication unless an ex1
! orbitant sum were paid him for his
= silence. This request was peremptori
lily refused.
{ when the Museum became aware OF
the improper manner in which the I'M
- quiry was being conducted, the inves1
t tigatiOn was Immediately discontinued
- all the information and reports receiVi
t ed up to that time filed away and ND
report or summary composed from
them has ever been shown to anyOn'
nor has one of the original details beer
disclosed.
There was nothing in the inquirI
I submitted to the Museum which calle'
: for information other than that com
d piled by the statistical bureaus OF IN
government and the different state
5 and general inquiries of this sort arr
q frequently submitted by business firm
= from every part of the country and an
= swered as far as possible in the ordl
! nary routine work of the Museum.