The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1906-01-19
B|GELoW ON the STAND
DECLINES TO TELL SOURCE OF
INFORMATION REGARDING
CANAL AFFAIRS.

Washington, Jan. 19. - Poultney
Bigelow, the magazine writer, who
was denounced by Secretary Taft for
his criticism of the management OF
canal affairs, declined to disclose to
the senate canal committee the source
of his information. Upon being in
structed to answer he declared:
"The committee can put me on
bread and water or even condemn me
to Colon, but 1t cannot compel me to
divulge that which was given me in
confidence"
The committee then went into exec
utive session and for an hour dis
cussed what action should be taken
concerning Mr.. Bigelow's contumacy
without reaching decision.
When the hearing began Mr.. Bige-
low was asked to tell his story IN his
own way.
"As to what saw personally on
the isthmus," said Mr. Bigelow, Il Will
say that l had the better part OF two
days, arriving at Colon at 10 o'clock In
the morning" Going to map OF the
isthmus he pointed out that laborers
were landed in an oozy swamp or
pestilential character and he asserted
that the sanitation was OF the worst
character. He said that to use names
would subject the persons who helped
him In getting his information to en-
barrassment and make their names
worth nothing by the time official re-
plies were concluded.
Mr.. Bigelow said he spent most OF
the time investigating sanitary condi'
tions. He thought he had been III
grave danger there because OF fact
that Secretary Taft and Governor Ma
COON had not been through these
swamps and that there must nave
been some good reason for their avoid
ance of these places.
Asked to State Facts Only.
Describing conditions Mr.. Bigelow
declared that there are no sanitary
deposits. His testimony was general
and on motion of Mr.. Knox the Wit
ness was instructed to confine 1t TO
stating the facts on which he based
his article on the mismanagement OF
canal affairs. He replied that ms
article was based on his personal Visit
to 100 different shacks which Secre-
tary Taft, Mr.. Stevens and Mr.. Shonts
had pronounced to be In good, health
ful condition and which he found to be
without water or sanitation. He was
interrupted again and told that I'M
pressions were valueless and asked to
give facts.
"Well. here is fact" said the wit
ness. MANY engineers OF note de-
clined to accept government employ
ment in clearing up these unsanitary
conditions"
"Name them," demanded Mr.. Knox.
81 think it would be embarrassing
to them to have their names made
public" said he. Upon insistence be-
ing made Mr.. Bigelow gave the name
OF John F. Freeman of Boston and
said there were others, but he de-
clined to give the names.
Several members of the committee,
notably Mr.. Hopkins, Mr.. Knox and
Mr.. Simmons, urged that Mr.. Bigelow
be compelled to answer.
After Q controversy, In which Mr.
Bigelow sought to be relieved OF CIV
! ing authority for his statement, sew
eral times asking that the president or
Secretary Of War Taft be called to
corroborate his charges, Mr.. Morgan
protested that Mr.. Bigelow should be
given opportunity to give the founda-
ton OF his article so that the commit
| tee can tell whether he spoke the
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