Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-22
INVESTIGATION FOR FRAUD
Assisted Attorney General Russell
Puts Documents in Evidence.
POSTAL EMPLOYE TEST1F1ES
Otis Guild Tells of Receipts of News
papers Through Mails-Baker
Quizzed by Student.

continued before the District of Columbia
grand jury today with the testimony of
Philander c. Knox, senator from Penn
sylvania, and Attorney General at the
time of the purchase of the canal.
He is supposed to have reviewed in a
general way the negotiations leading up
Ia the purchase. and to have shown the
grand jury just what degree of vigilance
ne exercised in seeing that no advantage
was taken of this government in the
transaction.
Mr.. Knox. it is known, during the prog
ress of the settlement of the canal pur-
chase made a personal visit to Paris, and
also sent trusted assistants to the French
capital to unearth any graft if such
should exist in the transaction.
The first government documents bearing
on the canal purchase to be laid before
the grand jury were presented today by
Assistant Attorney General Charles W.
Russell who, when he entered the grand
jury room, carried a brief bag bulging
with papers and pamphlets On issuing
from the room he declined to say any,
thing about the investigation or to iden-
tify the documents which he carried.
Following Mr.. Russell, the reading of
the alleged ltbelous articles from the In
danapols News proceeded. The World
articles We're not read to the grand jury
today. At 1910 the grand jury took
recess for twenty minutes to await the
arrival of Secretary Root.
Root Has to Wait.
Mr.. Root arrived at the city hall five
Il Iaff for. %la
recess. and was compelled to wait in the
private Office of Mr.. Baker for fifteen
minutes. In response to the inquiries of
the press representatives the Secretary,
holding out his subpoena. declared that
it was the only paper he had brought
with him. He had nothing further to
say.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Roots testi-
mony, which lasted less than ten min
Monday
Mr.. Root stated today that he had not
been within the precincts of the city hall
since the Guiteau trial in 1882, when he
was a spectator. Asked if he had ever
been before grand jury previously he
answered.:
Il used to run grand jury when was
district attorney
Senator Knox Comes Early.
Senator Knox, accompanied by his pri-
vate secretary, G. +. Wilson. reached the
city hall promptly at II o'clock and was
ushered into the district attorneys pri-
Vate Office, where they were closeted with
Mr.. Baker for ten minutes. Mr. Baker
then escorted Mr.. Knox to the grand Jury
room. which is at the extreme end of the
corridor from the office of the United
States attorney.
Twenty minutes were consumed by Mr.
Knox In detailing to the grand jury his
connection with the canal purchase.
When he retired he declined to say any
thing concerning his testimony or about
The investigation generally
The subpoena issued to Mr.. Knox re-
queSted his attendance at 12:15 O'clock
His private SECRETARY communicated with
the district attorneys office and suggest
cd that owing to the senator's engage
ments al the Capitol the hour would be
inconVenent.
Mr.. Baker then arranged that the testi-
nony of Mr.. Knox should be given at
II O'clock He was, therefore the first
witness to testify today. as the grand
jury convenes at that hour
The appearance of Mr.. Knox in response
10 the subpoena, it was learned today. was
purely voluntary. He could not have
peen compelled TO testify at this time if
he had been unwilling. During the ses-
sions of Congress its members are ex-
empt from service OF process
Otis Guild, employed in the mailing divi-
sion OF the city post office, followed Sena-
tor Knox on the witness stand. Through
him. ii is thought. the grand iury was
advised of the receipt through the mails
of the copies of the two publications con-
tanning the alleged libel for distribution
In this District.
Assistant Attorney General Russell who
was under the then Attorney General
Knox, closely identified with the canal
purchase settlement, next testified He is
presumed TO have shown documentary
evidence to the grand jury tending TO
establish the fact that the transaction
was above suspicion.
Mr.. Root Has to Wait.
Jocularly remarking that he broupb
his subpoena and his conscience with
him, Secretary Root appeared at the court.
house at 12:,o O'clock He immediately
conferred with District Attorney Baker
the grand jury having just previous tn his
arrival taken recess until | O'Clock.
Mr.. Root was the last witness ue uas
IN the grand jury room only a short
while.
Law Student Quizzes Baker.
An incident occurred a few nights 400
II Is said, at local law school which
IS considered attempt to break the
sphinx-like silence observed throughout
this inquiry by United States Attorney
Baker, who is a lecturer there During
the course of the lecture, which was on
real estate law. one of the audience
supposedly d law student. piled the pro-
iessor with questions of criminal libel
law.
Mr Baker squelc he'd the questfoner with
the remark that he was lecturing on rea |
estate law, which was far removed from
me law OF criminal libel Several students
are said To have taken umbrage at the
inquisitor and threatened To eject him
Supreme Court, Century AGO,