Evening star., 1908-01-15
IS ENTIRELY FALSE
Mr.. CorteIyou Pronounces
Story of His Resignation.
AT HIS DESK IN TREASURY
Not Looking Well and Strong From
Recent Grip Attack.
CAPERS AND HITCHCOCK CASE
They Have Been Informed That
They Are Free to Do as
They Please.
,APERs AND HITCHCOCK CASE

In a quiet but emphatic way secretary
Cortelyou today denounced as false in
toto fresh story that his resignation is
in the hands of President Roosevelt and
that he has accepted an offer TO become
president of the knickerbock Trust
Company of New York, at the earnest
personal request of j. Peirpont Morgan.
The White House also stated that there
is no truth in a story that Mr. Cortelyou
has submitted his resignation or that
such action on his part IS looked for or
even desired.
Mr. Cortelyou. as usual. would make no
official statement for publication. But he
indicated plainly that the particular story
brought to his attention was a pure fab
rication from one end to the other in
Guiding all details. From the most au-
thentic information these statements may
be made:
Mr.. Cortelyou has not resigned.
He has not accepted the presidency of
the knickerbocker Trust Company or any
similar position.
He has not argued with the President
that he had a perfect right to be can
didate for President.
He did not see j. p. Morgan while he
was in New York, from which city he re-
turned last night.
wi tC1yOu Ills ACSh.
Mr.. Cortelyou was at his desk in the
Treasury today and was besieged by in
quirers There were numerous callers on
business. and altogether he had pretty
busy day He is not looking we'll and
strong The attack of grip from which
he suffered for a number of weeks. and
which went through his family, has left
him anything else but a well man. lie
realizes that he must confront stories of
resignation from the cabinet and differ
ences between himself and the President
at frequent intervals. but he would care
little for them if they were based upon
actual facts Between the after effects
Of the grip and what he regards as
malicious falsehoods IS to his relations
with the President to which may be
added democratic attacks in the Senate
as to his financial policy, his generally
placid disposition has received few
Jars.
Whatever views the White House may
have entertained as to Mr.. Cortelyou. his
presidential boom. and the work done for
him by certain friends. it is the under
standing from inside sources, that the
President earnestly desires Mr.. Cortelyou
to remain in his cabinet, and that MOTH
ing has occurred in or out of the CABINET
room to show that there is ill-feeling be
tween the two men. The same is true
as between Mr.. Cortelyou and Secretary
Taft, who has. in many ways. let 1t be
known that he entertains nigh regard
for his colleague. That Mr.. Cortelyou
has not completely eliminated himself
from the presidential race is true. 1t is
likewise true that he is doing nothing in
that direction. and his most intimate
friends are undertaking no work In his
name The President or Mr.. Taft. 1t Is
pointed out. would not expect Mr.. Cor
telyou to suppress himself or any ampl-
tion that he may have
Cortelyou as Dark Horse.
Intimate friends of the Secretary of
the Treasury sincerely desirous of pro-
noting him to the highest place in the
land without bringing about any conflict,
feel that Mr.. Cortelyou need not take a
single step of an active nature. but that
his chances will remain as dark horse.
They point out that If the national con-
vention is not controlled by the Taft peo-
pie at the beginning there will be splen-
did opportunity for a dark horse, and
they are perfectly willing that Mr.. Cor
telyou shall await this opportunity. If
this attitude of close friends of the Sec
fault can be found by any of those seek
ing the nomination of Judge Taft.
Case of Capers and Hitchcock.
Considerable emphasis has recently been
laid on the fact that neither Frank H.
Hitchcock nor John G. Capers, supposed
political managers of Mr.. Cortelyou, have
Joined the Taft column. This has led TO
insinuations that Mr.. Cortelyou has not
released them from their pledges to him
and that they were not Tree TO JON sec
retary Tafts brigade. From the best
information it is known that Mr.. Cortel-
YOU has informed these and other frlends
that they are free to do as they please
without offense to him. This release Is
considered as settling anything IKE an
active fight on Mr.. Cortelyou's behalf.
Attendance at Cabinet Meeting.
Efforts to make it appear that Mr..
Cortelyou kept close to his home. even
after recovery from the grip. because
of his desire not to attend cabinet
me etings are not in accordance with the
facts Against the advice of his ply
sician. Mr.. Cortelyou attended the New
Year reception of the President. and
he has been to every cabinet meeting
since he was able to be out of his
home except that of yesterday. when
he was on his way here from New
York. He attended cabinet meetings
for ten days or two weeks before he
went to his own department, and at
least at one of these meetings remained
for nearly two hours.
Offers of Fine Places.
MIR. Cortelyou mas open numper OIL OIL
fers to become connected with great bank
ing or business concerns of the country,
and it is not impossible that some time in
the future he may consider it advisable
to accept one of these offers. But up to
this time he has not done so, does not con-
template doing SO any time soon and has
said nothing or written nothing to the
President that may be construed as res
ignation. He is not under pressure to
leave the cabinet, and the President
would. for many reasons, prefer that he
should stay with the administration until
it's close next March.
OCEAN LINER MOVEMENTS.
SIASCONSET. Mass, January 15.-The