The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-23
B|GEl0W ON CANAL MATTERS
Magazine Writer Appears Before The
Senate Committee
TESTIMONY NOT SATISFACTORY
The Committee Involved I'm n Coutro-
sers,. Which VIII &c C~ont:Sucd To-
day-The witness Warned That Hrs
Cours. MAJ Bring Him Into Com
tempt - Two Executive Sessions
Held.

Washington. January lS.-Pouitney
2igelow. the magazine writer, whose
arraignment of the administration ana
management Of Tsthmian canal affairs.
in an article published In the Indepen-
dent was denounced by Secretary TAFT.
proved Ia he a c-ontumacious witness
before. the senate committee on inter
oceanic canals today. and involved the
committee in a controversy which con
tinued through TWO executive sessions
and must be considered again tomor-
row before action can be taken n
reCalCitrancy of the witness WAS shown
rs the result of a statement made by
him that many eminent engineers had
declined to accept employment Of the
because OF physical condl-
tons on the sthmus The committee
demanded the names Of such engt-
ncers and Mr. Bigelow declined to
give them. OF the ground that To do So
would be To violate n ~onhdenc and
subject these persons to cmbarrass-
inert. lie intimated that the dispieas-
ure 81 tlc administration would be eS-
hibited 81 such manner tE2i aheir
regulations would be worth nothing
after the Official replies had been con-
Guided
TWO opportunities To answer were
given to Mr.. Bigelow. but he persisted
in his refuSalS. Senator Morgan. VINO
conducted. the last examination. warm
ed the witness in such manner as
| seemed TO commit the committee 90
punishment if he continued to bring
himself into contempt, but the advice
was of no avail and the doors were or
dered closed for a second time. In
executive session IL developed that the
committee was agreed that the onense
of Mr.. Rigelow was of such a nature
that there could be no doubt of the
Committee's power To have MN dealt
with summarily.
Senators Knox, Hopkins and Morgan
| favored a ce~rtification of his recall
c~itrancy to the vice president for sub
| mission OF the case To United states
Attorney Baker for the district OF Co.
lumbia.
This course met opposition from
Senator'S German and Simmons. on the
ground that it would prevent furtheT
examination of the witness on other
subjects mentioned in the magazine
article making charges against the ca
nal management. Several OF
the commission said that Mr.. Bigelow y
usefulness as q witness was at an ehn'
and argued so vehemently against any
DELAY in proceedings against Mr.. Bige-
low that Senators German and SIM
mons declared that their purpose
/ seemed to be to interfere with the thor
ough investigation Of canal aifalrs'
which was ordered by the senate.
When il was apparent that there
could he no action today a motion TO
adjourn until tomorrow at IL O'CLOCK
was carried. This was with the nn-
Outstanding hat the records OF today $
hearing should be printed and In the
hands of the committee at tomorrow" :
meeting. Mr.. Bigelow was command
ed to hold himself ready 10 appear TO-
morrow If wanted.
In his testimony Mr.. Bigelow said
hat laborers were landed In an ooZy
swamp of a p~estilential character, and
he asserted that the sanitation was ol
the worst character. His testimony
was general. and on motion or MT
Knox the witness was instructed I.
confne 1t to stating the facts on winch
he based his article on the mismanage'
ment of canal affairs. He replied tina
his article was based on his persona
visit to 100 different shacks. whicf
Secretary Taft. Mr.. Stevens and MI
Shonts had pronounced to be IN soo'
, healthful condition, and which m
found to be without water or sanita
ton. He was again asked to give iact
or the names of those VINO iur''she'
him the information.
you can put me on bread and wa
ter. or ever condemn me To colon pu
!, YOU cannot make me disclose Una
, which has been given me III conn
dence." replied the witness
After much sharp questioning n
said he had no names OF engineers "h
had told him they would not go to TN
isthmus Senator Morgan was sever
: with the witness. telling him the la
2 required him to answer any queslloH
: mt by the committee. ana cu'I'h
; short witness Dronered explanations