Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-25
CROMWELL ON The STAND
Panama Canal Attorney Before Grand
Jury in Libel Case.
DINNER FOR ]. s. SHERMAN
President and Many Notable Men
Attend Function in Honor OF
Next Vice President-Move
for Auditorium.

WASHINGTON. Jan. A-Through VIII
liam Nelson Cromwell. who negotiated the
Panama canal purchase, the federal grand
jury which Is inauiring into the alleged
nbelous statements of the New York World
and the Indianapolis News IN connection
with that transaction, yesterday got at the
bottom of the facts in the case. Mr.. Crom-
well was under examination for two hours.
lie brought with him a large number OF
papers and these were carefully gone over.
SO earnest was Mr.. Cromwell in his state
ments that at times his voice clearly Gould
be heard in the corridors Of the city hall,
although nothing that he said could be
understood. He declined to make any
statement beyond the fact that be was
leaving for New York this afternoon.
An interesting feature OF the hearing was
the offering of the evidence OF the original
warrant for the 40, 100000 by which the
government acquired title to the canal
ownership. The document was framed and
was brought to the grand Jury room by
=. r.. JacohS, a clerk In the office of the
auditor for the State department.
When the grand jury adjourned until
MondaJ 1t was with the understanding that
otheU witnesses were to appear.
Banquet for sherman.
President Roosevelt and 100 other men
prominent in public life attended a dinner
at the shoreham hotel tonight in honor
Of Vice Presldent-Elec James s. Sherman.
The dinner was rendered by New York's
republican representatives in congress rs
a manifestation of esteem fer their coli
Vague, whose service in the house Is draw
ING to q close.
Besides the president conspicuous among
those at the banquet board we're Speaker
Cannon. Secretary Root, Secretary straus,
SECRETARY Cortelyou, numerous senators
and representatives and other government,
officials.
Representative Payne was POSTMASTER
The speakers we're President Roosevelt,
Secretary Root, Senator Depew, Speaker
Cannon and Representative Sherman.
President-elect Taft sent a letter of re-
greet, In which he spoke Of his warm re-
gard fot Mr.. Sherman.
Auditorium for Washington.
NesrIy 100000 was subscribed at a
pubVe meeting here today to forward the
erection of a great auditorium building
Secretary Root. Assistant Secretary
Bacon and other public men participated
FIFTY well-known business men have
signed articles of incorporation for the
proposed building under the title or TIM
National Auditorium Company of Wash.
ington. The site is on Seventeenth stree
northwest, between the Corcoran Ar
sgallery and the Hall of the Daughters
of the American Revolution. Among th'
subscribers were Thomas f. Walsh am
Levi +. Morton, each contributing $1,000
urkis Omcers Coming.
The ten officers of the Turkish navy
who at the request of the sultan of Tur
key were given permission by the United
states government to mi tT
American battleship fleet on its voyagi
from the Mediterranean to HamptoI
Roads, have been placed on board thu
Ohio, Missouri, Virginia and Louisiana
now at Smyrna, and which will leav,
soon for Negro bay. The gunboat Scor
pion conveyed the Turkish officers from
Constantinople to Smyrna, arriving to
day,
Nearly One Million.
The National Red Cross has receives
1901 1871 to date for the relief of tn
sufferers from the Italian earthquake
OF that amount New York contribute
$s06,6i California S1s0,067; Illinois
$el.so9; the Christian Herald, $4,000
Missouri, $1,000. and Washington. $40,
SAT.