Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12
SMYTHE BACK AGAIN
TELLS OF HIS FRUITLESS TRIP TO
THE ISTHMUS.
Tried to Obtain Documents duplicating
the Administration in the
Panama Revolt.
From the New York Tribune.

rum the NeW lOfh iTipuuc-
Clifford II. Smythe, the sleuth-emissary
sent by the democratic national committee to
the new republic of Panama for the purpose
of obtaining possession of certain supposed
documents and information which would
stir up campaign issue against President
Roosevelt and Secretary Hay In the Pan
anna question, has returned to this country.
Mr. Smythe came back about a week ago.
but on the advice of his late employers he
sequestered himself at once. So unfortu-
nate to the party was the result of his mis-
sion that they did not care to have him
talk to reporters, so he did not show him
self even at the polls to vote for Judge
Parker.
Smythe complains that il 1t had not been
for his cable message falling into the hands
of the State Department at Washington
through mischance he might now be
wealthy man, the democratic committee
offered to pay him almost any amount of
money he asked If he could obtain for them
secret document" which they thought
Secretary Hay had signed. guaranteeing
certain leaders in Panama protection and
recognition by this government If they
would revolt from the United States of CO.
lombid and establish an independent gov
eminent. He knew nothing about the
cause of the miscarriage of his plans until
he got the newspapers, coming home on
pers and found how the game had been
exposed, Smythe was wise enough not to
go near the democratic headquarters. He
rang up on the telephone and was told to
LAY low until after election.
He hied himself TO Yonkers. where he
now is staying with relatives. Smythe tells
the story of his mission with the humor 1t
deserves, but with an undercurrent of sad
ness. He was consul at Carthagena under
President Cleveland He says that he
heard that four plotters of Panama came
TO Washington previous to the revolution
and obtained a document signed by Secre-
tary Hay promising that they would be
protected and recognized by the United
States government in a revolution. When
he visited the national democratic head
quarters and laid his astounding 'informa-
tion" before Judge Parkers managers they
jumped at the idea of getting possession OF
the alleged document and laying IL before
the people of the country. They believed
that If the document were in existence and
they could get copy of 1t and show 1t up
properly Judge Parker would sweep the
country.
1t was > first idea TO send him to Pan
anna and the United States of Colombia as
"A representative of the democratic commit
tee with great flourish of trumpets,
Smythe says. but he showed how foolish
this would be. To accomplish his object
he said. he would have to adopt the most
secret kind of methods. So at his own
suggestion he went to Panama as the rep
resentative of syndicate of democratic
newspapers. The committee made no def
mite financial arrangements with him, ex-
cept that all of his expenses were to be
paid, and IL he was successful In obtaining
actual possession OF the document" he was
to have price running into four figures
Smythe reache~ Panama and met a good
reception from the officers OF the new gov
eminent. who accepted his statement that
ne was newspaper man seeking informa-
ton He says that he finally was led to
believe that the paper he was searching for
was in existence. but that the people who
told him this said that the men who had
It would not give it up unless they received
big price for IT. The arrangement with
his employers was that he was to send all
OF ms cable messages in the code of 1901
now out of date. Then ne sent the cable
dispatch which fell into the hands of the
state Department in Washington and re-
suited IN the exposure OF the whole scheme
III TINS dispatch he asked the democratic