Evening star., 1901-10-01
HAWKS, oN'THe STAND
HE TELLS OF THE gPHoPosED CORD
AGE goMPANY.
Prospectus Read to the Senate Inves
tisating committees4Hrhe Release
Given Colonel Hefstand.

After recess yesterday the accusing wit
ness. Erastus L. Hawks was sworn by Sena-
tor Hawley. Senator CockreI told the wit
ness to give clearly he could. without
expressing opinions, all he knew about the
formation of the alleged cordage company.
and what connection, if any, the parties
| named insthe resolution had Herewith.
| Some time in May, 1899, the witness said,
he called at the War Department and drop
ped in on Major Heistand and the latter
brought to his attention the fact that it
| would be deslra BILE to form a hemp combi-
| nation.
| HE outlined to me what he thought
| could be done about controlling the output
| of the hemp product of the Philippine
| Islands, and asked me what l thought
| about the proposition
Witness continuing, said he told Mai.
| Heistand he knew nothing about the mat
| ter, but would look it up, and that there
upon Major Heistand gave him letter of
| introduction to Capt. Pillsbury, who had
| charge of the manufacture of cordage for
| the government.
Have you the original letter?' inquired
| Mr.. Hawley.
| Yes, SIR
| Mr.. Hawks proceeded to look through
| the papers he had with him in several
| packages and finally said he could not
| find the letter of Introduction, but that he
| had letter he had written to Capt Pills
| bury, and the latter's answer. Members
of the committee said it was important the
| first letter should be produced. The wit
ness thereupon made another search. At
| last he exclaimed
Il have it,, and read it, dated May 81.
1899 1t was addressed to Maj. E. L.
| letter to Capt. Pillsbury, inclosing a card
| of introduction to the latter.
Plan of Organization.
Mr.. Hawks then read a letter he had
written to Pillsbury, inquiring the price of
| hemp in this country, cost of making rope
| here, and the advantages to be derived
| from it's manufacture in Manila. He read
| the reply from Captain Pillsbury, stating
| the price of hemp at Manila was thirty
| one pounds English per ton. and the cost
of bringing it to the United States S160 per
| ton. Continuing, witness read a letter
| which he said he wrote Major Heistand
| May 20, 1899, which he read, regarding the
| formation of corporation, recommending
| it be chartered under the laws of New
Jersey, and giving details of the cost cf in
| corporation, of stock, books, etc, and other
| expenses, amounting to 500 in all The
letter said $1,000 would cover all expenses
| to ncorporators, who could then arrange
| company affairs as they saw fit, and an
| nounced that the writer would go to New
| York and Paterson to see hemp experts.
Before l went" witness continued, "I
desired to receive something to show my
| connection with parties in Washington,
| and L drew up a letter addressed to whom
| II may concern, winch l. presented to Ma
| jor, now Colonel, Heistand.'
| Witness said he did not have the original
draft, and said he had returned it to Colo
| mel Heistand. -
| Mr.. Medham, said the draft would be pro-
| duced later.
AS read it stated that Major E. L. Hawks,
who was organizing the cordage company
was deserving of confidence and recon-
mending the corporation to the attention
| of investors.
This was signedf' declared the witness
| ''by H. o. S. Heistand. assistant adjutant
general; James E. Boyd, assistant attorney
general, and Geo. D. Meiklejohn, assistant
| secretary of war -l
| Letter From Major Heistand.
| He then read letter from Major Hell
stand to himself. dated July q, 1899, which
| Major Heistand admitted with frankness
was his writing, and which was as fol-
lows: at7= -f-'@
Il did not get to see General Corbin be-
fore you left the other day I was kept
busy at the w. H all afternoon and only
CHANGED to meet Meiklejohn as he was
leaving office. He is much pleased with
the work done. We are expecting cable
any time in re the site.
You are assured of assistance in making
your project a success; and, indeed it looks
as If you could, even in spite of us, if
we were not your friends"
Witness at this point said he should like
to recount a conference held after his first
talk with Major Heistand at the office of
Dudley & Michener. There We're present
Major Heistand, Captain w. E. Horton,
Dudley and Mchener and witness. Witness
said that he asked during the conversation
who was in the combination among Major
HeiStand'S friends who would give the COM
pany it's support.
"Thereupon," said witness, Major Heis-
tand picked up letter head of Dudley &
Mlchener and wrote upon it the names Of
several gentlemen. I have the original
here" Senator Burrows objected to it's in
PRODUCTION.
Senator Cockrell said there could be no
objection to the names being read. The
paper was handed to Colonel Heistand, who
said it was his handwriting. But where
| wrote it or under what circumstances
do not recall"
"I can testify to its being written as 1
have stated" said Mr. Hawks. "The
names are those of w. w. Dudley, L. T.
Michener, q. L. Hawks, I. E. Boyd, G.
D. Meiklejohn, Charles H. Allen. H. c.
Corbin and Louis B. Jackson"
who was Louis B. JackSon?' inquired
Senator Cockren
HE was gentleman 1 had interested in
the project" was the reply of the witness.
Prospectus of the Company.
Proceeding, Mr.. Hakws read a pros
pectus Of "the Manila Rope Company"
which he stated was read at the conference
! In Dudley G. Michener's Office. 1t was a
lengthy uOCuHleuI covering ali points OF q
corporation authorized to do business in
this country and abroad. Witness said the
prospectus had been prepared by Dudley &
Michener. Neither Messrs Boyd, Meikle-
john, Corbin Allen or Jackson were pres
ent at the conference. The meeting, wit
ness said, was only a preliminary to
determine upon the formation of the COM
pany. Returning to the trip Of witness to
New York, he said he had certified copies
of letters received while there The origi-
nails, he said had been returned to Colonel
Heistapd. Senator Cockrell gave notice to
the latter to produce the originals Witness
then read copies of letters from Colonel
Heistand. One dated July 81 said:
Your note of the 26th to hand, and
note with qualification what you say of our
prospects and progress. l have sent you
pamphlet, showing export duties, ETC., as
at present arranged. Of course, the needs
of the future will be met as developments
require" OF
Witness then produced a large envelope
containing two pamphlets Maj. Heistand
admitted sending them tcrwitness. One re-
lated to export duties in the Philippines,
and the page relating tehemp was under
scored. and on the coyerawa note "See
marked pages" Another letter from Mai