The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-04-03
Committee, St. James Building, New York
LETTER THAT CAUSED THO UBLI
Written to Brother-in-law of stuy-
 vesaRt Fish.

Written to a Brother-in-law of stuy- vesnRt Fish.
 New York, April 2.-A sensation was created here to-day by the publication of letter written in December last and addressed to Sydney Webster, of New York and signed "E. H. Hartman" Following is the letter:
 MT. Sydney Webster 47 East Seven
 teenth Street, New York:
 Dear Sir-I am glad to see that you are in town and hope soon to have an opportunity of talking matters over with you.
 T had printed copies of the testimo- ny sent you in hopes that you would, after reading them, give me some idea of where stand, for I confess that feel somewhat at sea in the whole in- surance matter. The trouble originated in my allowing myself to be drawn into other peoples affairs, and partly from a desire to help them, and at their re- quest I seem to be like the fellow who got in between the man and his wife in their quarrel.
 "As to my political instincts to which you refer in your letter of December 1S, l am quite sure I have nono, and my being made at all prominent in the po- litical situation is entirely due to Pres ident Roosevelt and because of my talk ing an active part in the autumn of 1904 at his request, and his taking ad- vantage of conditions then created to further his own interests. If 1t had been a premeditated plot 1t could not have been better started or better car ried out.
 About a week before the election in the autumn of 1904, when 1t looked cer- tain that the state ticket would go den- ocratic, and was doubtful as to Roose- welt himself, he (the presidenO sent me a request to go to Washington to con- fer upon the political conditions in New York state. I compiled, and he told me he understood the campaign could not be successfully carried on without suf- ficient funds, as the national commit tee, under control of Chairman Cortel- you, had utterly failed of obtaining them, and there was a large amount due from them to the New York state committee.
 T explained to him that under stood the difficulty here was mainly caused by the upstate leaders being un- willing to support Depew for re-elec-. tion as United States senator; that he | (Depew) could be taken care of in some other way. I thought matters could | 1.a nI ha ing elements in the party brought into alliance again. We talked over what could be done for Senator Depew, and finally he agreed, If found necessary, he would appoint him as ambassador to Paris.
 With full belief that he (the presi- dent) would keep this agreement, I came back to New York, sent for Treasurer Bliss, who told me that I was their last hope, and that they had exhausted every other resource Tn his presence called up an intimate friend of Senator Depew, told him that it was necessary, in order to carry New York state, that $200,000 should be raised at once, and if he would help would sub scribe $bO,OOO. After few words over | the telephone the gentleman said be would let me know, which he did. prop- ably in three or four hours, with the result that the whole amount, includ- ing my subscription, had been raised.
 "The checks were given to Treasurer Bliss, who took them to Chairman Cortelyou. If there were any among l oe any other like organizations, of course Cortelyou must have informed the President. do not know who the subscribers were other than the friend of Depew, who was an individual.
 This amount enabled the New York state committee to continue its work with the result that at least fifty thou sand votes were turned in the city of New York alone, making difference | of one hundred thousand in he general result.
 ''There are between 2,2O0 and 2,8O0 districts in Greater New York and in a campaign such as that the expendi- lures of fifty dollars in each district, for campaign purposes, not including the watchers on election-it would take more than one hundred thousand dol lars
 Some time in December, 1904, on my way from Virginia to New York, stopped and had short talk with the President He then told me that he did not think it necessary to appoint l Depew as ambassador to Paris, as agreed, in fact he favored him for the senate I had not expected that he was the one (sic) to say as to what would be necessary, but he arrogated that to himself and I of course could say nothing further After that I used what influence I could to have Depew returned to the senate, as I considered there had been an implied obligation which should be lived up to.