New-York tribune., 1912-01-30
WILSON ANGRY, M'COMBS
PLEASED, At STATEMENT
Governor Startled by Colonel
WatterSon Making the Issue
One of VeraCity Only.
"DID HE CALL ME A LIAR?'
Candidates Manager, However,
Says Kentuckian Has Proved
Case of Adversary Complete
ly in Harvey Incident.
rBy Telegraph 10 The Tribune J

Trenton. Jan. Ex-Governor Wilson
declined tonight to make any comment
on Colonel Wattersons latest contribu-
tions 10 his controversy with the Gov
ernor. saying that he would wait until
to- morrow, so that he could read Mr..
watterson's statement in full.
When a summary of the Kentucky
editors statement was read to him. Gov
ernor Wilson became aroused and ex-
claimed:
Did he call me liar?'
He regained his composure in sec
ond however. and said that he would not
make any reply until he had carefully
read tho entire statement which, he
said, would he tomorrow morning.
All Of Governor Wilson's close friends
here denied tonight that the Governor
had written a letter 10 Colonel Harvey
since the dropping of his name from
"Harper's Weekly in which, it was re-
ported he tried to make amends for this
treatment Of the colonel When the Gov
ernor was asked about this letter he de-
clined to discuss it.
William F. McCombs, manager Of the
Wilson movement. said last night. after
reading Colonel Watterson's statement,
that he did not see anything in it that
called for an answer.
ITS a fine editoral-beautiful Eng
Iish. well written" said Mr. McCombs,
but. SO far as its argument IS con-
Cerned, II seems to me that an analysis
of It shows that he. Watterson, has re-
futed every charge that he, Watterson,
has made"
AS an instance of his assertion Mr.
McCombs pointed to the colonel's state
ments with regard to the prospective
solicitation of funds from Thomas r,
Ryan. emphasizing first the point that
the Ryan story from the beginning was
Colonel Watterson's own story.
Now Colonel Watterson says that
the matter wasn't put up TO Ryan at all.
which simply confirms what | said in
previous statements; that we never got
any Ryan money AS for Colonel Wat
terson's point that We that is, the Wilson
or, as he puts It, the Wilson
promoters, were so eager for Ryan
money-well if we were so eager for 1t,
how Is it that he did not take it up at
all with Ryan?"
That mysterious stranger who met
Colonel Watterson and exhibited such an
eagerness for Ryan money can be iden
tified only by confession, apparently. for
with Colonel Watterson stating that he
had said his last word. Mr.. McCombs as.
serted that it certainly was not he who
met the colonel and exhibited the afore-
said eagerness, and that, Furthermore, he
did not know who It was.
Was It william G. McAdoo?" he was
asked.
NO said Mr.. McCombs. positively.
and he answ ered In the same way when
Cleveland H. Dodge was suggested
1T seems to me it's up to Colonel Wat
terson 10 name the man." said Mr. Nc
Combs. 81 don't know who 1t could have
heen."
MIR. Dodge. he said, had never been
of the Wilson movement, and as
to whether he had contributed. Mr.. Nc
Combs said that he had previously pub
lished in The New York Times" list
of contributions received, which he was
willing 70 swear to If called on to do so
Il think that was unprecedented in a
Presidential nomination campaign" he
pdded ard | will add no name to that
list until give out another list for pub
lication in the same manner"
Touching on the point raised by Col
onel Watterson's statement that Gov
ernor Wilson had written "abject let
ters' to Colonel Harvey after the
famous break with the editor. of Harp
er's Weekly Mr.. McCombs said
II know, that is. I've heard" he said,
that Governor Wilson wrote to Colonel
Harvey after the break. | have never
seen the letter. and don't know. IS
a matter Of fact, that IL was ever
sent"
No connoisseur omits Aneostura Eitters