The San Francisco call., 1901-10-01
SOUGHT CONTROL
OF HEMP OUTPUT
Senate Committee Meets
to Hear the Charges
Against Heistand. y
Lieutenant Colonel Is sAccused
by Major Hawkes. of Form
ing Combination.

WASHINGTON Sept. 30.-The Senate
subcommittee of the Committee on Mil
itary Affairs, consisting of Senators Haw-
ley (chairman), Proctor, Burrows, Cock
rell and Harris, at II o'clock to-day be-
gan the investigation of charges against
Lieutenant Colonel H. o. S. Heistand of
the army in connection with the alleged
Manila hemp combination.
The charges were preferred by Major
E. j. Hawkes., formerly a volunteer Off
cer and We're deemed of sufficient seri-
BUSINESS to warrant an investigation by
the Senate.
Colonel Heistand was present to-day at
the opening OF the inquiry in company
with his attorney, Charles w. Needham.
The committee decided that the pro-
ceedings should be public, that course
being regarded as best for all concerned.
In brief the charges against Colonel
Heistand are that he, in connection with
other officers in the army and some OFF,
cials in the civil departments of the Gov
ernment, attempted to form a combinA-
ton to control the output of hemp from
the Philippines, using their official po-
SltlonS and influence to further their
ends. Major Hawkes. preferred the
charges TO the Secretary of War and
also TO the Senate Committee on Military
against whom the allegations were made.
After some consideration the Senate by
resolution authorized the investigation.
AT the opening of the inquiry several
partment were submitted to the commit
tee, including a copy of the charges made
against Colonel Heistand and his reply to
them.
Reply of Heistand.
In his reply Colonel Heistand says he
was identified with the proposed company
and considered his connection with 1T
legitimate and honest. Some time prior
to the making of the charges Colonel Heis-
tand says he ceased all negotiations with
Major Hawkes., effecting a settlement in
full with him. Major Hawkes. delivered
receipt for them. subsequently Colonel
Heistand received a letter from Major
Hawkes., in which the latter said he had
retained certified copies of all the letters
and papers in the case and had photo-
graphs of the most important documents.
Among the papers sent by the War De-
partment were those relating to the ap-
pointment of Major Hawkes. to the army
and as an officer in the Philippine Gus
toms service and his discharge from that
place.
Formation of Company.
At the afternoon session Major Hawkes.
was sworn and testified to the statements
heretofore made in the Senate which
caused the investigation. He went into
details and read copies of letters which
Heistand had written to him. The most
important development during the day
was Major Hawkes. testimony regarding
the first meeting of some of those who
were projectors of the proposed Manila
ley & Michener's law office in this city
in the summer of 1899. Those present,
besides the attorneys, were Colonel Hell
stand and w z. Wharton. In answer to
an inquiry as to who were in the company
] Colonel Heistand wrote the following list
! of names: William w. Dudley, Lewis T.
/ Michener Z. L. Hawkes.. James +. Boyd
George D. Meiklejohn. Charles H Allen
and H. 0. S. Heistand, H. c. Corbln ano
! Lewis B. Jackson.
Major Hawkes. produced paper con
tanning this list, saying he saw sHelstano
/ write the names. Colonel HeIStdnd IN,
! spected the paper and said he thought II
was his writing, but where or when he
! wrote the names he had no recollection
/ Members of the committee brought out
the fact that Boyd, Meiklejohn, Allen
Corbin and Jackson were not present al
the meeting Some discussion arose as tc
/ a cablegram from General Otis contained
! in a letter. HeiStand wrote to Hawkes.
regarding a site for a hemp factory in
! the Philippines. The committee wanted
to know who sent the cablegram to Cen
Colone! Heistand said ne sent it as a
personal message.
The letters which were read to-day were
I copies which Hawkes. had retained
Heistand acknowledged most of them
saying that so far as he could recollect he
had written them. The committee ad-
mitted them, subject to changes which the
originals might show. These originals are
in Heistand's possession and he was asked
by the committee to produce them and he
promised to do so.
The investigation will be resumed to-
morrow morning.