New-York tribune., 1906-11-06
TOBACCO STORY DENIED
HEARST MORAN FICTION.
Norman Hapgood Brands "Amer-
can" Yarn as Fake.

Eearsts American" clinched its own grip
Yesterday on the Ananias Cup which it offered"
70 other papers by printing the old old story
OF alleged bribing OF government officials by
the Tobacco Trust With the story appeared GER
tain letters which THE American" offered as
evidence that the government had been de-
bauched but which only served TO make the
story appear hshy on the face OF it The story
which occupied much space. was an attempt TO
make Secretary Root who has gained Hearsrs s
undying enrity by describing him as he is- ana
Thomas F. Ryan who once stood In the way Oh
sorne OF Hearst'E political ambitions TO appear
as disgraoed ana discrsdited debauchers Of the
r,eeislaturs. While ~The American" insinuated
and suggested that these two men were all that
and more Il did not dare 10 make the direct ac-
-,,sarion- AS e matter Of fact, neither man ever
Rad the least connection with the case at ths
tine.
Ths story was hung on the demand OF John B.
Moran the independent candidate for Governor
of Massachusetts, District Attorney Jerome
for the letters. some OF which were reproduced
n The American" which had been sold TO Col
Hers Weekly" by man named A D. Hughes.
There was a delay IN printing them by col
Hers" due to q desire on the part OF the editor
70 confirm them IN every detail that this man
Hughes did not Ike. and he took copies OF
certain letters 10 Hearst, and even he was re-
luctart 10 print them. When Hughes declared
however that Golfers" was not printing the
letters. as Il had promised to DO. because
President Roosevelt had forbade their puoI-ca-
ton AIr. Hearst began 70 get excited 80 oio
AIr. Moran. OF Massachusetts. Although me
tobacco case in no wise affected MASSACHUSETTS,
Mr.. Moran demanded that the District Attorney
procure and send these letters 10 him 10 WHICH
AIr. Jerome replied 70 Mr.. Moran
Your letter OF November received There Is
stil a constitution IN This sLale
Norman Hapgood. editor OF Golfers" said
without hesitation, when he saw the story. that
st vas q lie from start 10 hnish-and proved It
The duplicates of the letters sold by Hughes
we're correct, but everything else in the story
was entirely false. Mr.. Hapgood said;
We have All the letters which THE American
saws that we have and lot more They viii be
published as soon as possible, too 1Aey WoUl0
have been published before this, but Mark SuIil-
van who was investigating and preparing the
story for Us, had 10 drop his work lor q WINE
for family reasons, which caused the postpone
There is absolutely nothing IN any Of the let
ters showing that III Ryan or Mr.. Root had
the least knowledge OF the case or was in any
way concerned IN interfering with either courts
or legislatures. Il IS true that Nj. Ryan was
head OF the Tobacco Trust, but that is the only
rh.rg that the letters have in regard 20 him
That any member os the administration, any
fnancier or capitalist or any person at all had
anything 10 DO with the postponement OF the
publication ot these letters by Golfers" or
that any political reason entered into Il IS an
unqualified lie.
We bought the letters from this A. .. Hughes
On speculation, purely for history OF the To-
hacco Trust which We are preparing. anc, so far
we know. they are al genUine
This IS one OF the puerile tricks OF Hearst and
Moran 10 make political capital here and n
Massachusetts. The letters co not affect Mas
sachuserts IN the slightest degree. When Moran
says that Il is stated IN these letters that bills
affecting the interest Of the Tobacco Trust were
defeated IN the Massachusetts Legislature he
lies Again, he les when he says that
holding them back for fear that they would
have sn injurious effect the Republican
party. They were held back for the sole rea-
son that our article had not been completed. 7
IS a lie. without qualification. that any Repub-
Mcau CF1cIal. prominent or otherwise had the
least thing 10 DO with the delay IN publication.