The sun., 1909-02-18

nounced the 81 ores as false In every respect
refused to entertain their demGnds and
dismissed the mlscreants. This attempt tt
blackmail me Was temporarily dropped, but
was renewed In July and August last. wher
! l was active In the political campaign. Al
that time some OF the same people. with
ihei1 group enlarged, again attempted IL
blackmail me and again put before Tue the
/ alternative OF paying them $4,000 for the
/ suppression OF the stories or having them
published.
| In answer TO my indignant refusal the
! blsckmailers stated that even II they could
not substantiate the stories. and even II
there was no basis for the use OF the names
OF Mr.. Charles p. Taft and MIR. Douglas
Robinson. the publication OF the stories
with the inclusion OF the names OF those
gentlemen was bound to injure the cause
OF tho Republican party. and particularly
would defeat, they believed. the election OF
MIR. Taft. and they argued that because OF
my well known support OF Mr.. Taft's cam
paisn ! should be willing to pay them
S25, 900 rather than permit the publication
OF these stories; that II did not purchase
and suppress the series would be sprung
late in the campaign when ! could not
have time to send TO Paris for records and
proofs or otherwise overtake and Offset
that the time had come to place the matter
before the District Attorney Of New York
and did 30.
| was told by these parties that IL ! did
not pay them the stories would appear
IN the New York World | have absolute
proof that the parties behind these stories
we're at the time in frequent conference
with the managers Of the World at their
ONCE and residence upon the subject Of
these stories. According to the threats
and after the New York World had held
these conferences with these blackniailers,
the stories did. In fact. appear In that paper.
and were copied by other papers throughout
the country.
do not state nor do believe that the
World was a party to these attempts to
blackmail me. but | do say that IL was deal
ing with the same gang that was attempt
ing to blackmail me. that II knew that 1
had laid the blsckmailing scheme before
the District Attorney of New York aud that
on the very eve OF the publication OF the
story it not only had my explicit denial
and denunciat ion OF the stories. but received
direct personal notice from me in its ed-
torial rooms that the stories we're false
in every respect. that they had been con-
cocted and used In an att Tempt to extort
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 I offered II opportunity
OF ascertaining the truth before publi-
cation.
IL cannot he said. therefore. that the
indictment OF the New York World and
the indianapolis Neps Is an indictment
OF the press OF the United States, as they
would like to make IL appear In order TO
obtain the support OF the general press
OF the country. Il would indeed be an
Indictment OF the press OF the country
il IL would sustain such newspaper prac-
tices as l have stated. but 1 know very
we'll that the press OF the United States
is too honorable to initiate or sustain such
a course.
There never existed the slightest
foundation upon which TO base any OF the
allegations contained in the stories pub
lished in the World: there never was any
purchase Of the securities Of the French
companies by any American syndicate
or myself; there never was any such syndi-
cate. and there never were any such profits
or gains The whole story Is a living con-
coction. on the contrary. every dollar
was paid directly by the United States to
the French companies In the Bank Of France,
as il shown by the official receipts Of the
liauidators OF both companies on file in
the United States Treasury. Every
Aep connected with the sale by the New
Panama Canal Company OF its property
to the United States has been matter OF
Official public record in France: the division
and distribution OF every dollar Of the
SO, 900 900 was made under the author
ization Of the courts Of France: the records
exist OF the payments Of this money TO some
go, 900 individuals. and each individual
receipt for the same II on fle in the court
aud bank records In France. All this the
Grand Jury carefully inquired into. with
the result just announced
Bowers Il Sands, counsel for the World,
would not say yesterday what course
would be pursued by Mr.. Pulitzer and
the employees Of that newspaper indicted
by the Federal Grand Jury in Washington.
It Ia likely. however, that they will resist
any attempt TO get them to Washington
on a District Of Columbia indictment for
libel and insist upon hearing before
the United States Commissioner here
with an opportunity TO appeal from the
decision should IL be adverse. Mr..
Pulitzer left the city a few days ago on
from him ne was at Newport News.
The Grand Jury proceedings here in the
case OF the World have been halted tempo
rariy, but the United States District
Attorney said that II was the intention
TO push the matter just as IL no indict-
ments had been secured In Washington.
Il In therefore possible that similar in
dictments will be handed down here.
The present Grand Jury's term does not
expire until March 8.
WHAT BoNAPARrE SAYS.