Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-07-11
G. P. TAFT IN
COAL SCANDAL
Odd Situation Developed by
"bick to Dick" Note.

Washington, July 11.-TLere is con
siderable speculation here over the
actual facts behind the Dick to Dick"
letter, which purports to bring the
name of the presidents brother,
Charles P. Taft, into the Alaskan coal
dispute.
Miss NJ. r. Abbott. a youthful writer,
who was graduated from Radcliffe col
lege only a few years ago, stands
ready to take the witness chair before
a house committee and testify under
oath that she saw the "Dlck to Dick"
letter in the interior department files
and took it down word for word.
She already has laid before the house
committee on expenditures in the IN
terror department, which is investigat-
ing the matter, a memorandum she
represents as her original notes on this
letter.
On the other hand, Walter Fisher,
the newly appointed secretary Of the
interior, declares all employees who
have access to the files deny they ever
heard Of the letter until Miss Abbott
published It.
The White House, which has been
considerably disturbed over the Incl
dent, also discredits the insinuation
that Charles P. Taft took any active
interest In the Alaskan coal land stu
alton.
The letter Miss Abbott declares she
copied from the records Of the depart
ment purports to have been written by
Richard 8. Ryan, a New York pro-
moter who has been represented,
against his protest, as an agent Of the
Guggenheim syndicate, to Richard A
Ballinger, then secretary of the inte-
rior. The letter, as Miss Abbott says
she copied 1t, is as follows:
Dear Dick-I went to see the president
the other day about this Controller bay
affair. The president asked me whom !
represented. I told him, according to our
agreement. that I represented myself, but
that did not seem to satisfy him, SO I sent
for Charlie Taft and asked him to tell his
brother who 1t was I represented. The
president made no further objections to
my claim. Yours. DICK.
NiAb1NNA opDNiSbts VA L u 1oLL
with whom Miss Abbott has been In
close touch seek to insinuate from this
letter that President Taft was infu-
enced by his brother to withdraw from
the Chuach forest reserve the land
along Controller bay, In Alaska, thus
giving Ryan an opportunity to file his
entries.
pron 1Jd In Saat anAo- ,D4, &hI1
land soon after it was withdrawn, and
Mr.. Taft's enemies have contended
that Ryan represented the Guggen-
helms and that the grabbing" of this
water front If unchecked would give
them a practical monopoly Of the Alas
ka coal lands, as 1t was the only place
not already held by them where coal
! shipped prohtably.
Secretary Fisher called at the Whit
House and wet over the develop
ments with the pres}defIxhe lmme
dtately ordered q search Of the lateg
files for any communication from
Charles P. Taft concerning the at
tempt of r. S. Ryan to secure land or
Controller bay. After a two hours
search the announcement was made
that nc reference was made IN any Of
Charles P. Taft's letters to the presi
dent OF Ryan, and the president could
not recall that his brother ever ha6
mentioned the subject to him.
At the instance of the White House
Charles P. Taft's secretary in CiEcin
natl was instructed to search his let
ter files for any communications tt
the president or passing between
Charles P. Taft and Ryan.
A telegram was received In Wash
lngton saying that nc mention was
made of Ryan in any of Charles P,
Taft's letters on file in Cincinnati.
Charles P. Taft himself is In Europe
with his family.
Ashmnn Brown. former secretary OF
Mr.. Ballinger and who was retained
for several weeks In that capacity by
Secretary Fisher, denies he ever saw
the "Dick to Dick" letter and also
many statements hat are attributed
to him by Miss Abbott in her article.
Miss Abbott says Brown showed her
the Controller bay record at the direc.
lion of Secretary Fisher.
O'ConneIPs Wonderful Orasory.