Arizona republican., 1912-12-19
Employes of Standard Oil Man Stole Communica- tions and Sold Them to William Randolph Hearst for Publication
THOUSANDS ARE
 PAID FOR THEM
Some Were Photographed and Returned While 9th CTS Were Kept and All Published in the New York American
ASSOCIATED PRESS DIsPATcHI

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-Former Senator Joseph E. Foraker of Ohio, testifying before the senate commit tee Investigating campaign contribu- tions today, read a statement set ing forth in his story the manner in which William R. Hearst obtained the famous Archbold letters.
 The statement was a resume of report made by former Senator GiI- christ Stewart, purporting to be based on a description by W. w. Wink field of how WinkfieId and Charles Stump took letters from the Standard Oil office and sold them to Hearst. Both Winkfield and Stump were em- ployed in Archbolds office at the time the letters disappeared. Wink field is a negro, a son of ArchboId's butler
 Foraker said that while he could not vouch for the accuracy of the report. he suggested that Stewart be called to tell his story first hand.
 The first part of the former sena- tors testimony related to an alleged story as reported by Stewart of the preliminary negotiations for the dis posaI of the letters taken from the
 
 field and Stump 10 a man named Eldridge and the first parleys as to the price to be paid According to his statement a man named .Eldridge who was working for the Hearst New York American made the deal Man- letters were brought to him some of which he photographed and returned to the files and others were kept. For the Foraker, Penrose and Hanna letters he received over seven thous- and dollars, and received g total of thirty four thousand dollars.
 Winkfield and Stump held out many letters for which they demanded fif- teen thousand dollars. The last bunch was sold last spring and nego- tiations had been begun for the re- maining seventy odd.
 According to the statement of Winkfield, Stump noticed in the news papers an item about the sale of let ters and taking some from the Arch bold files tried to sell them, but failed Finally he wrote a letter to the New York American making an offer and the next day was called up He insisted on talking to MT. Hearst but was contented to meet a rep resentative" in the Little Savoy sa loon As a result of that conference they went the next day to the private editorial office of the New York American where Eldridge talked with them They were told that Hearst stated they were performing a great public duty They talked as to the price with Eldridge. wanting $10,000 but getting a promise of only $500O.
 The principal portions of the state ment giving the details of the alleged transaction follow. They finally, after about half an hours barley, compro- missed on $500O. WinkfieId and Stump then promised to bring the letters the next evening. The next day Stump and Whitfield took the letters out one by one from the files. Then they wrapped up two copying books in some newspapers, and put the whole in a large box, sulh as tailors deliver stuff in and came out without it. When Archbold had gone home they took it immediately to the Little Sa- voy and left it with the proprietor and returned to the office Laer after the office closed they secured it and Stump carried the letters to ElQrluSe- ODOn HIS tIllI elIlSt dpJH this occasion EIdridge seemed to he expecting him and ushered him into a large private office. Eldridge took them and was gone about an hour He then brought from an adjoining room fifty one hundred dollar bills which he gave to Stump. He asked him if he could leave the letters there until the next night and come at six o'clock.
 He next had the money changed tc smaller denominations and had big time that evening The next evening Stump went to see Eldridge and Sc cured the letters and files. Eldridg' and another man informed him they were of great value and asked him i he could get other correspondence He informed them he could. The! then gave him a list of prominen congressman, sergents, surgeons, gov ernors, some other men of promi hence. telling him to go as far bacl on the files as possible and lool them up. Anything he found con corning them were to be brought t EIdridge photographed and returne and paid for according to the value This list included the names of owe 200 men. They insisted on gettin five thousand dollars for every bate of letters and this was agreed or
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