Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-02-08
WIRE TRUST BOOKS
DESTROYED; CARY
EXPLAINS WHY
BELIEVED PROSECUTION
OF COMPANY WAS ENDED
Chairman of United States
Steel Corporation Gives Out
Statement in Answer to Gov
ernment'S Charges,

IBv Morning journal spscia, Leased wire.l
New York. Feb. Judge Elbcrt
II. Gray. chairman of the United
States steel corporation. gave out a
statement tonight in explanation Of
the charge made by the government
that certain evidence used in tn
prosecution OF the Jackson wire pools
and needed To support the govern
ments suit to dissolve the corpora
ton. had been destroyed.
Judge Gary said that the evidence,
Il trunk fun of "old papers that had
been before the federal grand iulN
in New York and returned after the
indictments in the wire pool, had been
disposed of, were ordered destroNe
by Frank Baackes Vicc-president OF
the American steel and Wire company
who supposed that all the prosecu-
tions growing out of the wire pools
were at an end and that the papers
were no longer needed for any pur-
pose"
Judge Gary's statement. in part
follows:
II heard OF the destruction OF these
papers yesterday and upon inquiry |
learned that the circumstances We're
as follows. In the spring of 1911 the
New York federal grand jury began
an investigation into the affairs of the
American Steel ana Wire company
during the course OF this inquiry a
subpoena was issued directing the
wire company To produce all lettel =
and papers bearing upon the transar-
tions under inquiry. The ease of thu
wire company complied with this sub
poena by gathering together from
their files ai the papers called for.
They were very numerous ana filled
large trunk.
Upon the day the indictments We're
filed the trunk fun of papers was
returned To Mr.. MacNeagh (Charles
MacNeagh) general solicitor of the
corporation, i'm response to his letter
referred to in the petition of the gov
errmcnt for IN Injunction
THE indictmencts were all dispOs.
cd of by pleas of nolle Coutendre and
the papers We're never called FOR again
by the district attorney. The trunk
remained in the personal charge oi
Nj MacNeagh during all of July and
until the 25th OF August when he lett
on two months vacation. During
the absence OF Mr.. MacNeagh MI
Boiling. assistant general solicitor, was
in charge of the office
AT the end of September the Of
fices or Mr.. MacVeagh and MIR. Bol-
ling were moved from the seventeenth
floor of No. II broadway.
"Mr Bolling then noticed the trunk
in one OF the offices and directed that
inquiry be made at the offices of the
American steel and Wire company,
No. 80 Church street, New York CITY,
to ascertain " the trunk could not be
stored there. Upon hearing that III
could he directed its removal and itl
was accordingly removed to the OFFICE
of the wire company on or about Sep
iemher IS. 1871. This was done with
out the knowledge of Mr.. MacNeagn.
when Mr. Cotton of the depart
mcnt OF Justice, applied. about the en-
II January. tor leave to inspect IN" /
Cf the trunk MI Boiling
made inquiry at the office OF the wiicl
company In New York and learned !
that shortly after the trunk was re
rcivcd at that office il was forwarded /
bv direction Of Mr.. Bdackes To the ~ . I
ice of the wire company at Worcester, /
Mass. from which it had been origin |
ally sent
Further inquiry developed that 1f-
Ter It's arrival at Worcester It's con |
.tnts were destroyed by order of MI.
paackes Mr.. Baackes reports that
when he ordered the contents destroy /
ID. he supposed that all the prosecu-
ions growing out of the wire poois
we're Al an end aud that the papers
we're no longer needed for any pur-
luSrs