New-York tribune., 1906-01-19
BIGELOW IN CONTEMPT.
REFUSES TO ANSWER.
arrested, bat Soon Released by SEN
ate Canal Committee.
trrom The Tribun. Bureau J


washington Jan. 1S-Poultney Bigelow whose
attack on the management Of isthmian canal
affairs IN an article published in me nut
pendent was denounced recently by secretary
Taft appeared before the Senate Committee o.
Interoceanic Canals to-day, and for time was
held In arrest because he refused to furnish the
names of persons he alleged 20 have gwen nun
information Mr.. Bigelow made various asseL
items. prefac5ng them with the statement; 1T
is nv impression" Finally Senator Knox gave
evidence of inpatience and demanded facts OF
me witness who then asserted that many
engineers of note declined to accept governments
employment in clearing up these unsahi'aiS
conditions" lin the canal zone)- -
Senator. Knox immediately demanded the
names Of the engineers referred TO- anu ~
figelov after some hesitation gave the i'ati0'
Of John r. Freeman. OF Boston ana "liii" "a
1aarrI,v Parsons. Of New-York He alleged that
there were others. but declined 10 give nc
names on the ground that to do so would be 10
,.,o,ste confidence and subject these persons TO
.,,h.-rasspent He intmated that the ols-
,,..suro of fhe administration would ne eA-
b,bite5 in such a manner that their reputa-
,Ions would he worth nothing after the oiii'N
renlies had been concluded Inc comm
declared that refusal to answer its quesuo.i'
vvouId 1lace the witness in conteH'p" o"O ~
,,ersisted I'm his refusal This afternoon 'he Gun.
I,,ittoe in executive session, discussed 'i'0
,-,s.bi,i,v ~ nIacing Mr. Bigelow under arrest
end he was finally given into the ousio0S ..
assistant sergeant at arms Wnlle uiiuei a.
xs reiyaIou- said 10 a Tribune correspondent
49, neither Mr.. Freeman nor Mr. Parsons nao
-oId hin, thew we're unwilling or had decllneo 'o
or,-A on the isthnus but he had ''gatnereo lh"1
srnression from conversation with tner~
A. tbe afternoon session of the committee a
difference Of opinion arose regarding Iiie P
,,-ocedure; whether further testimony shouIu %
80, now and the committee content itself with
reporting the contempt 70 the Nlce-Fresioeh'' u
the witness be held in arrest. 1t was nhaHy
.se+o-,ir,e5 IN release the witness for the pres
ent and the question Of hearing further evl-
dence from him was deferred until tomorrow
That Mr. Biselow will be imprisoned Tor con-
tempt is not generally believed 1t Is saio py
some members of the committee that MS WhoIe
testimony gave little evidence Of being ROUNDED
on more than hearsay evidence, ana II Is thousht
likely that he will appear again and acknowl-
edge that he has no confidential sources OF III
formation which he is concealing-
REFUSES TO GIVE NAMES
Mr.. Bigeiow was interrogated by Senator Nor
gan. His attention called to his statement
that Mr.. Freeman had declined to accept place
with the government on canal work. The wit
ness said he had not been told personally by
T.
He was asked to name others. but declined He
said, however, that he had had conversations
with Mr.. Dunlap. Editor of The Mining Jour
nal; William Barclay Parsons and Mr.. Free
man we'll others
Have any of these gentlemen said they would
not be willing TO go to the jsthmus to undertake
engineering work because Of physical conditions
other reasons Of that character" asked Mr..
Morgan.
1T would be very unfair TO these gentlemen
for me to answer that question: replied Mr..
Bigelow. Continuing, he declared that he would
not quote any Of them, and he declined to dis.
close eny conversations with persons who had
not given him authority to do SO. He said that
Tracey Robinson and others he had mentioned
in his article had been so covered with mud
by administration officials that he would not
think OF embarrassing others. He offered to
quote parts Of 4 letter from Mr.. Robinson. but
would not put in the entire letter
Mr.. Morgans questions were severe in hold
ing Mr.. Bigelow closely 10 facts and in demand
Ing details concerning the generalities of his
early testimony
would Ike TO withdraw the names have
already given" said Mr. BigeIow but he was
told that he could not withdraw anything; that
he had been called TO tell the truth and would
be expected to tell 1t on all matters on which
he said he had knowledge.
ne Ia" requires that you answer any oues-
mons put 10 You by this committee" explained
Mr.. Morgan 1T requires you to answer. even
though it might violate private conversations
or 1ncrininate you Should you refuse Il Is ON
\ duty TO report your conduct TO the President OF
me Senate and for him to proceed against you
y IN court OF justice Do you want any further
authority on that point Of Iasv?"
! accept your word on law questions" replied
the witness, but should like to state"--
HIS statement was cut short by Mr. Morgan
who instructed the stenographer to read +be
question, which was whether the witness wouId
name any engineers who had declined to go II
the isthmus on account Of physical or other con-
dfions.
DO you refuse to answer without their con-
Hent?" asked Mr.. Morgan
Il should like To appeal to the chairman
was invited here to make a statement concern.
sng my experiences"
Again the witness was cut short Mr. Morgan
demanded an answer TO the question.
do you refuse to answer" he asked Will
great severity of tone
"of course do, for the reasons have stated
replied the witness. He was not permitted Il
make any eXplana ton. Mr. Hopkins then in.
uuired if he refused to give the names of an,
other engineers than the ones he had mentioned
As declining 10 go TO the isthn1us. Mr.. Bigelov
replied that he had not said that any engineer
had told him personally that they were un
willing 10. take q government position on tn,