The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-07-13
WHERE is THE LETTERS
NO TRACE OF TELL TALE NOTE
CAN BE DISCOVERED.
Part of Another Docu1s,e Mysteri-
ously Disappeared Before President
Taft Signed 1t.

both addressed and signed "Dick" "
from Richard s. Ryan, of New York
to Richard A. Ballinger, then sec
retary of the interior, purporting to
show that Charles P. Taft had in
fluenced his brother, President Taft,
to forward the alleged attempt Of
Guggenheim interests to acquire Con-
troller Bay the only outlet for large
coal fields in Southern Alsaka, fig-
ured in a congressional inquiry be-
gan Monday.
q The testimony before the house
committee on expenditures IN the in
terror department and statements
the White House and from Charles
P. Taft's office failed TO lift the mys-
terry enshrouding the alleged letter.
Fred bennett, commissioners of the
general land Office, testified that ne
knew nothing Of it anu that he would
not necessarily know Of its existence,
and such a letter VS. not recalled
n-any other quarter +t''
The letter was non to be found In
the files, though Miss NJ E. Abbott,
a newspaper writer, who will testify
later, says she copied such a docu-
ment from the official files. Presi-
dent Taft has expressed confidence
that his brother never communfcat-
edt him on tne subject, either
- J., Nv IN. I'M writing z -.
It>was stated at rtae White House
that a careful search of the files In
the executive Office failed to reveal
any record of letter to the presi-
dent from Charles P, Taft concerning
Ryan orlbearing in any way upon the
Controller Bay affair.
The most important development
was the testimony Of Commissioner
bennett that the claimants represent
ed by Richard S. Ryan Of New York
said to represent the Guggenheim
interests, had benefited by the om1s-
sion of one provision in the final pa
pers. ''' p. ......
Mr.. bennett sail that when the
executive order opening the Control
ler Bay land to entry reached his
Office It contained a provision under
which entrymen could not file on the
land for go days alter the order was
issued. In some way or other he
did OF know how, he said, this PRO-
vision was lost or eliminated before
the final PRONUNCIATION Of the order.
Mr. bennett said that the first
draft, which, in accordance with the
custom, was prepared at the depart
ment of agriculture, contained the
80 days provision, but that 1t was
not in the order as finally signed
by the president.
"Who struck it our"
"I do not know"
Chairman Graham Of the commit
tee asked Mr. bennett to furnish
comics Of all kilograms and cores
pondence regarding the Controller
Fay claims and the report dealing
with the surveys made there.
Mr.. Fisher, secretary Of the inter-
ior department, issued statement
Monday concerning the interview at
tributed to Miss Abbott, in which
she referred to postscript to let
ter from Mr.. Ry,n to Secretary Bal
linger.
"No reference whatever" says Mr..
Fisher, "was made in this interview
to what Miss Abbott very properly
calls the amazing postscript which
she says she found attached to a
letter to Secretary Ballinger from
Mr.. Ryan, nor was this postscript
ever mentioned or referred to in any
other interview which I have ever
had with Misc Abbott or any one else
rrior to it's publication in a Phila-
delphia newspaper.
Il am told upon my return that
the most dilligent search OF the rec
ords Of this office has failed to dis
close any such document and e., cry
one who has searched the record
says most en- .,natically that he has
never seen THIS postscript or any
other writing If this character. This
includes Mr.. Brown. who was private
secretary to Secretary Ballinger."