New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-12
6O-62 West 23d Street.
SUYTHE AFTER THE SHARK
STILL HUNT IN PANAMA.
SIeuth-Emissary of Democratic Com
mittee Tells of Failure.

Clifford H smythe. the sleuth-emissary sent
by the Democratic National Committee to the
new Republic OF Panama for the purpose OF OBJ
tanning possession Of certain supposed docu-
rnents and information which would stir UP q
campaign issue against President Roosevelt and
Secretary Hay in the Panama question. has re-
turned to this country. Mr. Smythe came back
about week ago. but on the advice Of his late
employers ne sequestered himself at once So
unfortunate the party was the result OF his
mission that they did not care TO have him talk
TO reporters, he did not show himself even
at the polls 10 vote for Judge Parker.
Snythe complains that if IL had not been for
his cable message falling into the hands OF the
State Department at Washington through a mis-
chance he might now be wealthy man, as the
Democratic committee offered TO pay him almost
anv amount Of money he asked if he could OBJ
tain for them a secret document which they
thought Secretary Hay had signed, guaranteeing
certain leaders in Panama protection and recog-
milton by this government II they would revolt
from the United States OF Colombia and eStao-
IiSh an INDEPENDENT government He knew nOth-
ing bout the cause Of the miscarriage OF his
plans until he got the newspapers coming home
on the steamer. When ne read the newspapers
and found how the game had been exposed.
Smythe wise enough not TO go near the
Democratic headquarters. He rang up on the
telephone and was told TO lay low" until after
He hied himself to Yonkers where he now is
STAYING with relatives SInythe tells the story OF
his mission with the huTnor 1t deserves out win
an underCurrent or SADNESS ne was COLSU4 d
Carthagena under President Cleveland He says
that he heard that four plotters OF Panama came
to Washington previous to the revolution anu anu
obtained a document signed by Secretary Hay
promising that they would be protected anu rec
OguIzed by the United States government IN q
revolution When he visited the natlOnaI DEM
ocrstic Headquarters and laid his astounding
information before Judge Parkers managers
they jumped at the idea OF getting possession OF
the alleged document and laying IL before lhV
people of the country. They believed that u the
document were in existence and they could get
a COPY Of it and show II up properly Judge
n. country.
II was the first idea TO send him 10 Panama
and the United States OF Colombia as repfe-
sentative of the Democratic committee with
great flourish Of trumpets, Smythe says, out ne
showed how foolish this would be TO accom-
plish his object, he said he would nave 20 auOpe
the most secret kind OF methods 50 az ms own
suggestion ne went TO Panama as the repre-
sentative Of a syndicate Of Democratic news
papers The committee made no deInlle imam
ciaI arrangements with him. except that all OF
his expenses were TO be paid. and II ne was sue
cessfuI in obtaining actual possession OF tne
document" ne was u hoEc p1AN0 o 49,
Smvfhs reached Panama and met good re-
caD1tor from the officers OF the new government,
who accepted his statement that ne was new
naper man seeking information He says tnat
he finally was led TO believe that the paper ne
1vas saarching for was in existence, but thaJ
the naonle who told him this said that the men
yrho had II would not give IT up unless they re
ceived big price for II. The arrangement Win
bis arpDloyers was that he TO send al OF
his cable messages in the code OF 1901. now out
OF date Then he sent the cable dispatch when
fen INTO the hands OF the State Department IN
washington and resulted in the exposure OF the
whole scheme In this dispatch he asked the
Democratic committee how much II was Wliline
70 nav for documentary proof OF the dealings
OF President Roosevelt and Secretary Hay with
the panama revolutiOnists.
He cannot understand TO this day how the
message fell into the hands OF the government
but he says that II had no sooner done so than
his negotiations with the revolutionists closeo
with snap. Every place ne went he says
things shut up before him after that like
stone wall and ne realized that the game
was nm and started for home. He did not kno"
What really had happened until be reached New
York.