New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-11
RYAN LETTER A FAKE,
It IS NOW BELIEVED
Miss Abbott, Who Is Said to Have
Found It, May Have Been
Cruelty Imposed On.
TAFT AND FISHER SKEPTlCAL
Latter Says Woman Made No
Reference to Letter in Inter
view He Had with Her
-Dennett Testifles.
From The Tribune Bureau.

From The Tribune Bureau.]
Washington. July l0.-There IN growing
impression that the story OF letter al
legged to have been written by r. S. Ryan
of the Controller Bay Navigation Company.
TO ex-Secretsry Ballinger. in which Mr..
Ryan ~ made to say that after ne had In
duced Charles p. Taft to see the President
IN his behalf he had no trouble in securing
the release OF the land he desired for a
terminal is a fake, pure and simple. 1t is
believed by those who have been looking
into the matter that Miss NJ. +. Abbott.
who has been for some time in the employ
OF the National Conservation Association,
and may he still, and who is credited with
saving she found this letter, has been
cruelty imposed on.
The President Is incensed over he effort
10 drag his brother into the affair. He
realizes that as the probable Presidential
candidate of the Republican party he is
reasonably fair game for the defeated IN
surgents. but he does not feel that his rela-
tives are. He cannot remember that MS
brother ever mentioned the subject OF Con-
troller Bay TO him. and does not telieve he
did. A search Of the files Of the White
House reveals nothing bearing on the SUD
3ect Of the correspondence between the
President and his brother.
Secretary Fisher is equally skeptical lie
says that Miss Abbott submitted her story
20 him and that It contained no reference
to such a letter; that they talked over the
subject Of Controller Bay and that she did
not mention II, and yet the Interview III
which she is quoted as saying mat she
saw the letter says that che examined the
record before she talked with Mr.. Fisher,
which ia true. Miss Abbott says that she
offered her article TO Golfers and that
they refused II, and that is regarded as In
Itself sufficient to show that II must nave
contained nothing damaging TO eX-Secre-
tary Ballinger, as Secretary Fisher pointed
out to-day.
Ashmm Brown, who was secretary 10
Secretary Ballinger and for time secre-
tsrv 10 Secretary Fisher, denies emphau-
ca1ly the statements attributed TO him by
Miss Abbott, and says he never saw or
heard Of such a letter. or postscript, and
ne is ready so 10 testify on the stand. Sec
retarv Fisher. who returned from Chicago
to-day. has had a search made Of the files
Of his Office and no trace of the alleged let
ter can be found.
Mr.. Fisher Issues Statement.
Secretary Fisher says that when he
talked with Miss Abbott he was particu-
larry interested in learning any facts which
had a bearing on the Controller Bay mat
ter and that he pressed her pretty hard
for the basis Of certain insinuatons in her
article" but that she never referred TO the
alleged letter. Mr.. Fisher issued this
statement:
No reference whatever was MADE IN
this interview 10 what Miss Abbott very
properly calls the amazing postscript
which she says she found attached TO a
letter 10 Secretary Ballinger from Mr..
RYAN. nor was this postscript ever men
toned or referred TO in any other inter
view which l have ever had with Miss
Abbott OF any one else prior 10 its publica-
ton in a Philadelphia newspaper
a mtold upon my return to-day that
the most diligent search of the records Of
this office has failed to disclose any such
document, and every one who has searched
the record says most emphatically that he
has never seen this postscript or any other
writing Of this character. This includes
Mr.. Brown. who was private secretary OF
Secretary Ballinger.
Miss Abbott had confidential interview
with Chairman Graham and the Democratic
|. members Of the investigating committee be-
fore which she is to testify on Wednesday,
but OF course they will not disclose the mat
ter of the interview.
Secretary Fisher is disposed to ridicule
the allegation that the railroads are seeking
a monopoly in Alaska, both because the law
oh
monopoly of the waterfront on Controller
Bay and because he believes the law gives
the government abundant control over the
railroads TO make any attempted monopoly
ineffective. Mr. Fisher Is learning, scarce
" with complacency. how easy 1t is to
manufactur fakes which impugn the honor
and integrity of the Secretary of the In
terror. as are some Of his associates who
have heretofore been in sympathy with the
conservati ton and the ins'irgent movements.
There is strong impression. however. that
tho insurgents have overplayed their hand
this time and that this story is going 10 re-
act on them.
Commissioner bennett on Stand
Commissioner bennett appeared before
the investigating committee to-day and an
swered all the questions put 10 him. He
Immediately punctured the idea that the
Guggenheims or any one else were seeking
a monopoly OF the Controller Bay water
front by pointing out that the law required
the government TO retain title TO every AL
ternate eighty acres Of the waterfront.
Waiting TO testify. when Mr. bennett
took the stand. was Miss Abbott, the youth
full writer, who is credited with having
discovered" the Ryan letter.
Commissioner bennett explained that in
Withdrawing lands either proclamation or
an executive order may be used. In the