Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-17
Mr.. Cromwell Issues
Statement of Case

When William Nelson Cromwell was
Informed of the returning of an indict-
ment he said that the grand jury's ac-
ton permitted him to make public
statement respecting the subject of the
alleged libels. He added:
THE published stories were concocted
over two and half years ago by un-
scrupulous parties in New York, some
OF whom have criminal records in an
attempt to blackmail me. At that time
these parties made a demand upon me
to pay them a large sum of money, with
IL threat that If 1 did not comply the
stories would be published. I instantly
and Indignantly denounced the stories as
false in every respect, refused to enter
tain their demands and dismissed the
miscreants. This attempt to blackmail
me was temporarily dropped. but was
renewed again in July and August last,
when l was active in the political cam
paign. At that time some of the same
people. with their group enlarged, again
attempted to blackmail me, and again
them $4,000 for the suppression of the
stories or having them published.
GIN answer to my indignant refusal the
blackmailers stated that even if they
could not substantiate the stories, and
even If there was no basis for the use of
the names of Mr.. Charles P, Taft and
Mr. Douglas Robinson. the publication
of the stories, with the inclusion Of the
names of those gentlemen. was bound to
injure the cause of the republican party,
and particularly would defeat. they be-
lieved, the election of Mr.. Taft, and they
argued that because of my we'll known
support of Mr.. Tafts campaign I should
be willing to pay them 5000 rather than
permit the publication of these stories
that if 1 did not purchase and suppress
~ torioc no lott in, Is,
campaign. when l could not have time to
send to Paris for records and proofs, or
otherwise overtake and Offset the stories
before election.
Placed Before District Attorney.
Il decided that the time had come to
place the matter before the district at
torney of New York, and 1 did SO.
II was told by these parties that if l
dbl not pay them the stories would APP
pear in the New York World. 1 have alb
solute proof that the parties behind these
stories were at the time in frequent con-
ference with managers of the World at
their office and residence upon the sub
ject of these stories. According to the
threats and after the New York World
had held these conferences with these
blackmailers, the stories did. in fact, APP
pear in that paper and were copied by
other papers throughout the country.
Il do not STATE, nor 90 peileNe, tHdt
the World was a party to these attempts
to blacmail me: but l do say that it was
dealing with the same gang that was at
tempting to blackmail me; that it knew
that | had laid the matchmaking scheme
before the district attorney of New York,
and that on the very eve of the publica-
ton of the story it not only had my eX-
plicit denial and denunciation of the
stories but received direct personal
notice from me, in its editor
ial rooms that the stories were
false in every respect: that they had been
concocted and used in an attempt to OK
tort money from me, and also of the
character of the parties furnishing the
stories: that the matter was in the hands
of the district attorney and that offered
it opportunity of ascertaining the truth
before publication. 1t cannot be said,