The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-05
BOOTH RISES TO DENY IT
Says He Did Not Say the Things At
tributed to Him, But
Meyer Says He Did.
Salt Lake City. Feb. !. 1905.

Salt Lake CITY Feb L 1903.
To The Salt Lake Herald:
1 desire to deny the correctness of the
statement which You published in this
mornings Herald as follows:
Mr.. Booth is quoted saying. There
Is absolutely no doUbt-in fact. il is now
settled-that the committee will report
four against Smoot and six in Tavor OF
him l make this statement on what
learn to be the fact in Washington and
from the testimony
never made any such statement nor
any statement similar to that. | stated
that the special dispatch which was
printed in The Salt Lake Herald Sunday
morning. Jan. -. was probably more
nearly correct than any of the other spe-
ciai dispatches received BY the Tribune or
Herald since that time That portion or
the special that refer TO is rs follows:
There has never been poll of the
colll l hittee' IN tact such d poll cannot DC
made. but II IS the belief Of fair-minded
men VINO have watched the examination
from start TO close, that Senators Nc
COmaS.- Fora ker. DepeW, BeVeridge, Dill
lngham. Hopkins, Knox and Baliy WI
sign the majority and that Chairman
Burrows and Senators Dubois. Overman.
port against SmOOt'
l quoted the above and stated that when
left Washington il was believed that the
committee stood about as your special
correspondent reported in the above. L
never claimed to have any special knowl-
edge from any of the committee or anyone
else concerning the same
1 now stste that the following quota
ton from the article in this morning
paper is false:
Mr. Booth is quoted as having ex-
pressed regret that the fun committee was
not present when he gave his TESTIMONY
as he believes that was sufficient to set
tie the matter, and the presence of the
fun committee. he is convinced. would
have resulted in the ending of the investI-
l have never at any time nor to anyone
expressed anything about my regret that
mere was hot Iuii COMMITTEES present
nor anything regarding the effect Of my
testimony
l deny the statement that I have ex-
pressed any opinion as to how the senate
this morning. or how the committee will
report: except as to the committee. / did
state that the report published in Your
paper on Sunday morning. above quoted.
was about correct from the best Informal
ton that could be obtained at Washing
ton. although the committee had rot been
pollCd. and no definite knowledge could
be obtained upon the subject
I did state that I believed Senator Smoor
would not be unseated. and that in my
opinion there would not be one-third of
the senators against him when il came to
a final vote; and that the senate of the
United States was too just and upright a
body of men to unseat a senator on ac-
count Of his religious belief Respectfully
yours, HIRAM E. BOOTH.
Meyer on the Interview.
Attorney c. w Meyer who was The
Herald's authority for the greater part
OF the story to which Mr.. Booth ObjeCTs
said last evening when told its accuracy
was questioned:
THE Herald account of this matter is
very conservative. 1t UNDERSTANDS the
facts. With the exception of the state
ment about Mr.. Booths regret that the
whole committee and a number OF the
other senators did not hear his testimony.
| am ready to Substantiate every state
ment contained i'm The Herald
Mr.. Booth went further than ANYTHING
credited to him in the article. For in
stance. in speaking Of Senator Kearns,
he said; 'kearns has as much Influence
in Washington as GaleaZzi has in Salt
G. r. Waterman was present part
of the time when the conversation be-
tween H. e Booth and G. w. Meyer took
place.
Il did not hear the whole converse ton,
because / had TO run to catch my street
car" Mr.. Waterman said. "but I distinct
ly remember that Mr.. Booth said that the
committee would report by a large ma
jority in favor of SmOot, and that SmooI
would retain his seat"
Judge MeCarty is the man TO whom IL
is said Mr.. Booth gave that part of the
interview relating to Mr. Booths regret
testimony. An effort to reach Judge Nc
Carly last evening failed Mr.. Booth.
however. remembered his converse ton
with the judge, and his recollection is
that he expressed to Judge McCarty his
regret that some members of the commit
toe were absent This was because of
his belief that they desired to get at the
truth. They ask questions i'm a way that
indicates their desife TO ascertain the
truth said Mr.. Booth. Il had special
reference to Mr.. Knox and Mr.. Hopkins. %