The sun., 1909-02-18

Of the Panama Canal property.
I The indictment against the Indian
apolis Neus is illustrated also. IL is
cartoon reproduced in fac simile In whic
Norman f.. Mack, chairman OF the Demo
cratic national committee Is repre-
s-ntsd in the act Of digging up evidenc
out OF the Panama Canal. this evidenc
presumably applying to men labelle,
Cromwell. Charles p. Taft and Morgan
who are represented with frightsne,
looks on their faces peering over the cana
embankment.
| In discussing the publication Of tn
pictures which the World identified a.
those Of men who figure in rumors abou
the great canal deal" the indictmen
says that the paper meant thereby tina
the said Charles p. Taft, the said Dougla
Robinson and tie said William Nelsoi
Cromwell were the men who figured II
the charges in connection with grea
scheme to corriptly and dishonesty
make a large sum Of money in connec
! ton with the purchase by the United
States Of the Panama Canal, as more ful'y
set out and stated in the said article.
One allegation Of libel OF President
Roosevelt and President-elect Taft is
based on a publication in the World il
which il was said in substance that al
records in Paris concerning the transfer
Of the canal had vanished, the publica'
ton in part setting forth:
In the first place every source OF offica
informa ton as to the identity OF thost
who got the $40. 900 200 is not only closeC
but wiped out, obliterated. as a result
of an agreement between the Unitec
States Government and the new Panama
company" to which the indictment adds
this comment:
Meaning thereby that every source oI
knowledge and information to be had a mo np
the pubic records and from Government
officials as to the names OF the persons
who fraudulently and corruptly got the
SO. .0OO. 600 paid by the Government oi
the said United States for the Panama
Canal were fraudulently 'and deliberately
destroyed and put out of existence for the
purpose OF protecting the aforesaid alleged
syndicate and the members thereof. pur-
suant to an agreement made between the
aforesaid Compagne Souyelle du Cana
de Panama and the representatives OF the
Government of the said United States
including the said Theodore Roosevelt
President Of the United States. and the said
william u. Taft. who was then Secretary
OF War OF the said United States.
The fifth count. in which President
Roosevelt and Senator-elect Elihu Root
are alleged to be libelled. is based on a
publication Of December Is in the World
in part as follows.
As to the detailed distribution of the
Panama loot only one man knows il all,
and that man is William Nelson Cromwell.
The two men who were most in Mr.. Crom-
wells confidence are Theodore Roosevelt,
President OF the United States and Elihu
Root. former Secretary OF War and now
Secretary of State.
Meaning thereby that the said Theodore
Roosevelt, President Of the United States,
and the said Elihu Root we're entrusted by
the said william Nelson Cromwell with
knowledge OF the existence OF the said
alleged syndicates and OF his participancy
in the said alleged syndicate and in the said
unlawful scheme. and that the said Elihu
Root. former Secretary OF War and also
Secretary Of State, knavishJy and corruptly
accepted such information and confidence
and connived at the purposes and scheme
Of said alleged syndicate. to the great in
jury scandal. ridicule and disgrace of
them. the said Theodore Roosevelt. Presi-
dent OF the United States. the said Elihu
Root. the said Douglas Robinson. the said
Charles p. Taft and the said William Nelson
Cromwell
Referring to the cartoon reproduced
from the Indianapolis N.Hs, il is said
in the indictment that il meant that
Norman H. Mack was discovering evil
dence and that he was bringing to light
and public knowledge facts showing
fraud and dishonesty, and il meant thai
the said investigation would expose the
said Charles P. Taft the said j. Pierpont
Morgan and the said William Nelson
Cromwell, who are depicted in the said
picture by three certain delineations
with the names thereto affixed -Crom-
we'll" Charlie Taft" and Morgan, I"
meaning thereby that the said Taft,
ances, attitudes and expressions of the
said three, as represented. were guilty OF
completely in the aforesaid fraud, to their
great injury, scandal, ridicule and dis
grace
STATEMENT BY CROMWELL.
William Nelson Cromwell made a
statement this afternoon. commenting on
the indictments returned He said
wish to say in the most positive manner
that the stories respecting the Panama
Canal purchase published by he New York
World. the indianapolis Ners and other
papers. and for which these editors are
indicted. we're not legitimate newspaper
publications They were exceptional and
premeditated; were made with foreknowl-
edge Of their infamous source and after
specific warning by me OF their falsity.
The stories thus published were concocted
over two and half years ago by unscripu-
lous 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 threat that IL
did not comply the stories would be pub
lished. ] instantly and Indignantly de-