Evening star., 1901-05-11
Department Employe Tried to Sell
Government Information.
OFFER MADE TO NEELY'S COUNSEL
The Latter Notified the Attorney
General.
CONFESSION OF CULPRIT

William n. Williams, confidential s"cre-
| tary to Col Edwards chief OF the insular
division of the War Department, dis
missed today upon charge of attempting
J to sell information in the archives Of the
government relating to the Neely case.
Yesterday Attorney General Knox was
| called up on the long-distance telephone
by Judge Lindsay of New York. one Of the
attorneys for Nicely, in the alleged Cuban
! postal frauds.
Judge Lindsay said he had received a let
ter from a man in Washington Offering TO
sell him for 5000. and the expenses OF a trip
to New York. copies OF correspondence he
tween the War department and the De-
partment of Justice which would be of
value to Neely's counsel. An answer was
to he written to the general delivery of the
Washington post office in the name of John
b. Dickinson.
Attorney General Knox Immediately
placed the case, in the hands of the secret
service officials. after comforting with the
W ar Department. Chief Wilkie detailed a
man to watch the general delivery window
| and shortly after 8 O'Clock this morning
young Williams appeared and asked for a
letter for John b. Dickinson. lie was fol-
lowed to the War Department by the Sc
cret service officer and Secretary Root
was notified.
Williams summoned immediately into
the presence of the Secretary Of War. Cul.
Edwards and chief WHltie and was shown
the letter making the offer to Judge. Lind
say. He denied having written it or having
( seen it. He was then asked to produce the
letter he had received at the post Office TINS
{ morning.
The CuIprit's Confession.
With this the young man gave up further
dissimulation and acknowledged the au-
thorship of the letter. lie said that while
the papers were on his desk a few days ago
the impulse seized him to make a couple
of hundred dollars. and he wrote The letter
under that impulse.
After making this confession he was sum-
marily dismissed. further steps in the case
being abandoned. inasmus-h as he had not
actually delivered the goods.
1t is said that the information he offered
to sell is of no present value in the Nicely
case.
1t is an opinion written by Assistant At
torney General Beck upon one feature of
the case, which might once have been Of
value. but later developments have rem
dered it yalueess. Williams volunteered To
turn the correspondence that he had at
tempted to sch to Judge Lindsay over to
the officials here.
Copies of Correspondence Found.
After his confession the secret service
officials went to his residence on 10th street
northeast to search for the copies of cor
respondence offered for sale. They were
found hidden under a pillow.
Judge Lindsay's communication was
gratefully received by the Attorney Cen
eral, who was anxious to locate Immediately
the official who was offering government
secrets for sale, and he very much re-
ieved 10 find that the man was not in his
department. Secretary Root was equally
anxious to find the culprit, and the quick
work of the secret service officials WAS
gratifying TO the heads Of both departments.
On the Temporary Rolls.
Williams has been on the temporary rolls
of the War Department as a stenographer
and typewriter since January 16. 1900. For
four years before that date he clerk
to the House committee on claims. He
was a protege of Representative Brumm,
and held the office of clerk to the commit
tee on claim while that gentleman was
chairman.
Mr.. Williams is a citizen of Schuylkin
county Pa. and constituent of Represen-
tative Brumm. 1t through the infu-
ence of the latter that he secured his APP
pointment in the War Department. He has
served almost continuously in the insGlar
division of the Secretary's office and acted
as the confidential secretary of Col Ea-
wards chief of the division. 1t was while
acting in that capacity that he obtained
the information which he was trying to
misuse to the detriment of the govern
ment's interest.