The Washington times., 1901-10-02
PROBING THE HEMP DEAL.
Major Hawks on the Stard During
Yesterdays Session.

TIFF Between Witness and senator
HawIey-AIIcged Request by Hell
stand TO Have Correspondence
misunderstanding Proceeds Rapidly
The subcommittee of the Senate Com
mittee on Military Affairs, to which is
referred the investigation of what mas
become known as the Manila hemp scan
dal, is collecting evidence regarding the
charges made against Lieut.. Col H. .. >
Heistand by Major Hawks. The court
proper has been in session but two days.
but a great mass of evidence has already
been heard 1t is evidently the intention
Of those members of the Senate compOs-
ing the subcommittee to wind up the in
vestigation as quickly as possible.
Throughout the session there were nu-
merous incidents indicating that the au-
gust members of the subcommittee were
anxious for the speedy conclusion of their
task. Considerable laughter was provoked
by passages between Senator Haw-2'', the
chairman of the committee, and the wit
ness. on one occasion Senator Hawley.
evidently nettled by the deliberate man
ner in which Hawks was reading letter,
remarked:
Il wish to ask that persons reading let
tors and talking would do faster or let
some one near them do the reading and
endeavor to speak more rapidly them
selves"
Major Hawks Immediately replied: Il
hope the Senator is not alIuding TO me"
Chairman Hawley adjusted his eye
glasses and retorted: Il am sure you
talked faster about hemp"
Major Hawks had the last word. Look
ing up from the paper he was reading, he
said in a quiet tone: There was more
money in sight
Major Hawks reply caused no little
amusement and 1t was some time before
the committee settled down to business
During the day subpoenas We're issued for
L. B. Jackson. the Chicago promoter. a
friend of Major Hawks. and Frank Ad-
derholt, of Akron, Ohio, both. it is claim
ed, interested in the hemp deal.
II is probable that the hearing Will
last for at least five or six days yet
There are many important witnesses still
to be heard. among them being the ex-
Secretary of War George D. Meiklejohn-
one of Major Hawks first acts al the
opening Of the hearing yesterday morning
was to make a statement regarding the
charges preferred against him by Lieu
tenant Colonel Heistand in mis- answer to
the charges preferred. in which Heistand
accused Hawks of having made threaten
ing representations to his wife, during
the accused officers absence in China.
Major Hawks stated that he did not in
tend to bring any ladys name into the
controversy, but inasmuch as the accused
officer had reflected upon him regarding his
conduct toward Mrs Heistand. he believed
1t perfectly proper for him to read letters
which had passed between himself and
Mrs. Heistand. Instantly the accused Of
fictr's counsel. Charles w. Needham,
sprang to his feet, objecting to the in
PRODUCTION of such letters. After an ami
mated discussion regarding the matter
by the members of the committee prop
osition to the effect that the letters be
psrused by the members of the enquiry
board before being allowed as evidence
was adopted.
At the end of this controversy, Major
Hawks started in to give his testimony
regarding the division Of the stock Of
the rope company. He stated that $780,
900 worth of stock was set aside to be
divided between himself, Lieutenant Col
onel Heistand, General Corbin, Mr.
Meiklejohn, Mr.. Boyd, and Dudley q
Michener, the latter firm receiving theirs
as payment for services rendered. Major
Hawks stated that this agreement was
made in Lieutenant Colonel Heistand' s
Office ia the War Department. The wit
ness then told Of his having endeayored
to raise the necessary funds in New York
City to float enterprise.
Hawks then told of Lieutenant Colonel
Heistand having called on him at his ho-
tel in this city, while he (Hawks) was i'll.
and stating that Mr.. Allen and General
Corbin had withdrawn from the enter
prise. He also said that Heistand stated
that Mr. Meiklejohn desired the to
whom it may concern letter. He stated
that he at once granted Mr.. Meiklejohn 5
request, and had his nurse take the paper
from a bureau drawer. and hand II to
the accused officer Hawks then made a
statement which created no little stir in
the room. He said as Heistand was leav-
ing the room. ne looked back and said:
Major think you had better burn up
the rest Of that correspondence
All eyes were then directed to Lieuten-
ant Colonel Heistand who sat opposite
Major Hawks with his attorney. but the
accused officer only looked the witness in
the eye, his features set firm. Then"
said Major Hawks, Il made up my mind
to burn nothing"
or not the gentlemen named in connection
with the company Were expected to use
undue influence other than that of d stock
holder in its behalf. Hawks replied that
they We're not supposed to pay anything
for their stock in the concern.
Some time was then spent by the com
mittee in questioning the witness regard
ing the TO whom 1t may concern" letter
given him. No prospectus of the com
pany, he added, was ever published. but
he handed to the committee a copy Of one
drawn up by the firm OF Dudley & Mich
ener. II was read aloud by Senator Bur-
rows, and a number of questions asked
the witness regarding ii.
When questioned by Senator Burrows
as TO whether or not there had been
any subscriptions received for the stock,
Major Hawks replied that there We're no
actual subscriptions but many promises
He also denied that the company was in
corDorated and stated that no officers
were talked OF.
Major Hawks then related to the court
a visit ne made to AdJutant General Cor
bins office. where he said he Informed
the Adjutant General how he had been
treated by Heistand Corbin, he said, told
him that If his claim was just and II he
would make il out he would forward it
through military channels. Then, said
the witness in a loud voice:
Il made out a bill to II. o. S. Heistand
and associates and sent it with a state
ment to General COrhin. l never re-
ceived any notice Of its receipt, heard
nothing from General Corbin. and it was
not forwarded through military chan
nels."
At the afternoon session Major Hawks
again took the stand. When asked by
Senator Cockrell whether he had finished
his evidence. Major Hawks stated that he
didn't think he had. exactly. and that he
wished the committee would give him
time enough to confer with his attorney.
The most Important testimony bearing
upon the interview between Hawks and
MIR Meiklejohn was one in which the AS
sistant Secretary is alleged to have re-
marked that Hawks would be unable to
secure any Government position as long