Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-27
ANSWER is MADE
John D. Archb0ld Makes Statement on
Letters Hearst Has Made
Public.
REFERS TO CAMPAIGN GIFTS
Also Takes Indirect Slap at Accuser
lntimating He Was Responsible
for Mckiniey's Death.

New York, Oct 27-John d. Arch
bold of the Standard Oil company
made the following statement yester-
day afternoon regarding the letters
read by William r. Hearst at the Car
negie hall meeting Saturday night:
Il am sure that until Hearst read
the letters neither Judge Morrison nor
Judge Henderson had any knowledge
of my having written Governor Stone
in their behalf. Judge Henderson was
not appointed by Governor Stone to
the supreme court, but was three
years later appointed by Governor
Pennypacker to superior court
judgeship.
Glad to Aid Them.
IF, however. any feeble word OF
mine could have Influenced in the
slightest degree the selection of thosc
gentlemen for their respective posi-
tons, l would be proud of it. Theii
state mas had no better servants than
they and l certainly have never asked
of them any favor of any kind. either
for myself or for the company with
which l am connected.
Calls Them Campaign Gifts.
MY letters to General Elkin REFER
ing TO accompanying drafts related en-
tirely to contributions to the repuUli
can state committee, then engaged il
the campaign preliminary to the re
nomination of Mr.. Mckinley, sub
ject regarding which l think Hears
would be- little sensitive, for was i
not the election and the tragic deatf
of Mr.. Mckinley that came near cost
| ing Hearst his precious neck?
THE intimation by Hearst that he
has had any communication from me
or any of my associates in connec
ton with the stolen letters is lie.
1.-The only favor which / would ask
or hope even to ask. of Hearst. is tha
he return me the letters handed hin
by his larcenious gentleman friend,
| which were written from Japan re
lating to the fatal illness of my daugh
ter in that country
Ell<in Makes Denial.
Pittsburg. Pa, Oct. 27.-Justice
u. Elkin, who has made only genera
denial of William r. Hearst's charge:
as to his relations with Standard Oil
made a detailed statement last night
explaining the letters and the matters
to which they referred. Regarding
the letter to Mr. Twombly, Judge Ell
kin says he was interested in SOM
coal lands and Mr.. Twombly knew 0
a railroad which was to pierce tina
section of the country. Elkin, seekin;
information, asked Archbold. an oil
personal friend, to introduce him t
lTwombly.
| Regarding the next two letters, il
which the inference is attempted L
be drawn that the money mentionet
therein was intended to secure the dc
feat of certain legislation which wa
deemed Objectionable, Mr.. Elkin says
1.-THE legislature was not in session
that year. there were no bills pending
and the inference is manifestly III
founded. The preceding session O
the legislature had expired min
months before these letters wer
written, the members of the succeed
ing legislature had not even bee
nominated, and those subsequent
nominated were not elected until tn
following November, eight month
afterward. While the drafts mel
toned were forwarded to me. the
were not intended for my use. The
were contributions for political pul
Ipoces and were by me immediatel
turned into the campaign fund.-