The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-07-27

brother, Charles P. Taft, and the
disclosure of the real persons In In
terest, was induced improperly and
for the promotion of their private
gain, to make the order.
Declared to BE Fraud.
"The statement, in SO far as my
brother is concerned-and that is the
chief feature Of the postscript-Is ut
terly unfounded. He never wrote TO
me or spoke to me in reference to
Richard s. Ryan or on the subject
OF Controller bay or the granting OF
any privileges or the making of any
orders in respect to Alaska. He has
no interest In Alaska. never had, and
knows nothing of the circumstances
connected with this transaction. He
does not remember that he ever met
Richard s. Ryan. He never heard Of
the Controller Bay railroad until my
cablegram of inquiry reached him,
which, with his answer, is in the rec
ord.
"Mr. Ballingsr says in a telegram
In answer to my inquiry, both of
which are In the record, that he never
received such a postscript and that
he was in Seattle on the date of July
lS, when 1t was said to have been
written.
Richard s. Ryan, in a letter
which he has sent me without solicit
alton, and which is in the record, saws
that he never met my brother
Charles p. Taft, and that SO far as
he knows, Charles p. Taft never
had the slightest interest In Con-
troller bay in the Controller Rail-
way d Navigation Co., or in any
Alaskan company, and he utterly de-
MES writing or signing the alleged
postscript. The utter improbability Of
his writing such a postscript to Mr.
Ballinger at Washington, when the
latter was away for his vacation for
two months, must impress everyone
THE fact Is that Mr.. BaIIinger
never saw the letter OF July 13, 1910
to which this postscript is said to have
been attached. 1t was sent to me by
MIR. Carr. Secretary Ballinger's prf-
waite secretary, at Beverly, on July IA
the next day read the letter at
Beverly in August with other papers
andssent them to the White House. 1t
was placed upon the White House
files and remained there until April
~, 1911. when ii was, by request OF
Secretary Fisher, returned to the In
terror department, and 1t was after
this that Miss Abbott says she saw
the letter with the postscript attached.
Mr.. Carr saw no such postscript when
he sent the letter to me. / did not
see It when / read it. No one saw 1t
In the executive office. but 1t re-
manned to appear as postscript when
Miss Abbott saw the letter in April
or May on the files OF the interior de-
partment. All others were denied the
sight.
THE person upon whose statement
the existence of what has been proper
" characterized as an amazing post.
script Is based is a writer for the
newspapers and magazines. She was
given permission by Secretary Fisher
after consultation with me. to ex-
anime all the files In respect to the
Controller bay matter--and this under
the supervision Of Mr.. Brown. then
private secretary to the secretary OF
the interior. After the examination.
at which she alleges she received this
postscript from the hand OF Mr..
Brown, she prepared an elaborate ar
ticle on the subject of this order and
Controller bay. which she submitted
TO Mr.. Fisher. and which she dis
cussed with Dir. Fisher ut length. but
never In the conversation did she men,
ton the existence OF the postscript.
Mr.. Brown. who was with her at the
time and showed her the files. testi-
@F4nA
In the papers, and that he never hand
ed her and she never saw such a post
script there. Similar evidence Is
given BY Mr.. Carr and other custo-
dams Of the records III the interior de-
partment.
Stronger evidence Of the faasitv and
rnaliciousiy slanderoug character or
the alleged postscript eoula noe 80 hal