The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-02-16
CROOKS STARTED
CANAL STORIES
Mr.. Lowering Says NY. Worlds
PTObeTS Were ES-COnVictS.
DECLARES THEY ARE KNOWN

Congressman Alleges Their Doinas In
Panama Canal Affairs Reveals a
Plot to 9iaekmsil. and Says New
York World Gave Congressman
Rained His Information Regarding
Canal Purchase.
Washington. Feb. l3.-That Repre.
sentative Rainey. OF Illinois. got from
the New York World his information
regarding the Panama canal affairs
winch formed the subject OF his recent
speech and that ex-convicts investigat.
ed the stories of fraud and corruption
pertaining TO the requirement of title
by the United States to the propertv.
was the charge made in the house of
representatives by Mr.. Lowering. of
Massachusetts. Maybe" he said. the
World did not originate all the scan
dalous stories il published. but it's col
umns were public and We do know that
the World did give credence and cir.
culation TO them
Mr.. lowering declared that the per.
petrators of these false statements are
known. and the story OF their doings
reveals a chapter in the history OF
blackmailing that is rare in the annals
OF crime. These gentlemen" he said
are known. Their names are known:
their aliases are known: their haunts
are known. and their plans are
known"
Does the gentleman object TO stat
Ing who they are?" inquired Mr.. Bur
Lesson. OF Texas.
Says ES-conVicts Have Been Run In.
Mr.. Lowering protested that he was
laboring under great difficulty because
oi the absence of Mr.. Rainey from the
chamber. He admitted that he did not
notify the Illinois member that he was
TO speak on this subject 81 want to
say" he said. that these men have
been run down and brought to book.
and II turns out that many OF them
are ex-convicts. and they stand a good
chance OF returning to the peniten-
tiary"
He was pressed by Mr.. Shackleford.
OF Missouri, for information as 10 who
these convicts were. but Mr.. Lover
ing would go no further than to state
that before long they would be pro-
duced In court. Their names. he said
had been brought before the grand
Juries. both at Washington and New
fork. and at the proper time would
become known TO the general public.
How do you happen to be familiar
with the secrets of the grand juries p"
Mr.. Shackleford asked. but before he
could answer. Mr.. Gaines. Of Tennes
see. inquired If he was not a warm
personal friend OF William Nelson
Cromwell. Mr.. Lowering admitted that
he was. Responding to questions by
Mr.. Shackleford. the Massachusetts
member said he personally was not a
client OF Mr.. Cromwell. but that he
was a member of corporation that
had retained his services.
Ralney Was a Victim.
Further referring to Mr. Rainey, Mr..
Lowering said:
This gentleman has been made q
victim or he is too willing to asperse
such fair names as those of Charles
p. Taft, Douglas Robinson. William
Nelson Cromwell. Roger Farnham and
several others. 1t was a shameless
prostitution of the privilege of free
speech which members enjoyed on the
floor OF the house"
Mr.. Lowering could not say whether
the World paid for the stories. and he
stated that whether the gentleman
from Illinois got his information from
the New York World or directly from
these blackmailers does not matter"
Mr.. Rainey will reply to Mr.. Lover |
ing's charges at the first opportunity.