The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-06-15
No Satisfactory Explanation
of Finding" Is Yet
Offered.
KNOX AND HAMLIN
FIGURE IN CLASH
Secretary Indignant at Line of
Questioning Pursued by
Chairman Hamlin.

Furnished with no explanation except
that the $500 discrepancy i'll the Day
portrait mystery Of The State Depart
ment was spent under the direction OF
Secretary John Hay" now dead, the
House committee investigating the de-
partment turned it's attention today to
the strange manner in which the
voucher was found" after a Eve years
absence from the files.
Secretary Knox appeared before the
committee late yesterday. He con-
frmed the testimony of Thomas Nor
rison, disbursing officer, that the $3.50
voucher Covering a painting costing
only $3.50 had been found on the floor
of the disbursing office. The discovery
was made a week ago by a messenger,
he said. The Secretary could not ex-
plain how the voucher got there, or
where II had been. He said he had
theory that 'it had been in the State
Department all this time"
Messenger Testifes.
Howard Sangston, the messenger, was
also on the stand. He found the
voucher on the floor, while picking up
waste paper, he said. He thought the
date was about June 6, and he gave
the papers Immediately to Mr.. Nor
rison, who remarked:
My, Howard, these are the papers
that have caused all the trouble. This
Is that Rosenthal voucher"
Albert Rosenthal, the Philadelphia
artist, will be summoned before the
committee again. following the commit
tees impression that some one has re-
Gently had Mr.. Rosenthal sign re-
receipt had been attached to the
found papers. Rosenthal testified
two weeks ago that he had never
signed a receipt.
Files MichaePs Explanation.
The Secretary filed with the commit
tee the explanation made to Secretary
Root in 1906 by William H. Michael,
now consular general at Calcutta, who
was chief clerk of the department when
the voucher was drawn for 2,450, al
though the artist painting the Day por-
trait, Albert Rosenthal, states that he
received only $3.50 for the painting. and
that he signed the voucher in blank.
Mr.. Michael's explanation to Secre-
tary Root was that the remainder Of
the money was turned over to and eN-
pended by Secretary John Hay. who
used the $3.50 excess in paying other
bills due from the emergency fund.
Secretary Knox's eXplanation Of the
payment of 5000 to Frederick Hale, son
of Senator Hale, for legal work done
in connection with ascertaining the
boundary line in the Passamaquaddy
Bay region was satisfactory, and the
committee probably will abandon their
investigation of this alleged irregular
ity Mr.. Hale had been hired by Sec
rotary Root, said Mr.. Knox, and he
performed extended services incident
to the negotiations between the United
States and Great Britain, which were
finally ended by a treaty between Mr..
Knox and Ambassador Bryce.
Michaels Explanation.
Former Chief Clerk Michaers ex-
PLANTATION, made to Secretary Root in
1906, is as follows:
Whatever was done in the premises
was done by direction of Secretary Hay,
as nothing could have been done other
wise, and If there is anything in the
transaction open to criticism 1t Is the
error of sending to the artist voucher,
which was not intended for his sigma
ture at all, and which he should not
have signed