New-York tribune., 1912-08-25
CANON HENSON REFUSES
10 WITHDRAW CHARGES
uointajns Directors of Peruvian
Amazon Company Con-
nived at Atrocities.
uN1RUTHS FROM PULPIT
uis Statements So Character
lied, but He Sees No occa-
sion to Abate Severity
of Censure.
IBy Gable 20 The Tribune. J

=, August 4, in which he attacked Sir
Tim Llster-Kaye and Messrs. Gubbins
,,a Read, formerly directors of the
p.,uyiap Amazon Rubber Company,
AZ the Putumayo atrocities. has
,-o,sht out remarkable letter from
,.burst. Morris, Crisp & Co., a Arm Of
l,vyers representing Sir John Lister
yaye and others, addressed to Canon
Henson
In his sermon the Canon dwelt on the
responsibility OF the former directors
- the Peruvian Amazon Company.
Mentioning Englishmen by name. He
,a,d the actual perpetrators of the
crimes mentioned in Sir Roger Case
mspts report are beyond our reach.
hut their employers. with whose
suIl,y Il unknowing connivance their
crimes we're committed. and who shared
out the bloodstained gains which they
transmitted are here among us. Is 1t
not the irreducible demand OF Justice
that these men. and notably their
leader and the arch organizer Of the
whole tragedy. be arrested and be
brought TO public trial?"
Messrs. Ashurst and Morris, assert
ins that their object is not TO threaten
from legal or from any other point OF
view. say:
The statements you made in your
sermon with regard to our clients can
be characterized only as absolute un-
truths, and constitute an outrage on
every precept Of fair play and justice.
The fact that you attempted to screen
goursclf behind The sanctity OF the pull
III NJ Westminster Abbey can make
10 difference, elmer 20 the legal or the
naral aspect q the matter, but so far
Is odT experience Of fifty years goes 1t
enlircl, Unprecedented for a minis
,y Of religion 10 use the pulpit in such
manner"
The writer's Of the letter then pro-
ceed {" defend their clients, adding:
As We have said. 1t is without prece-
cent that a minister of religion Of rank
h the Church to use the Church 10
Eisr on such a sacred occasion as a
ssnon from the pulpit the most out
ngeous ISLANDERS against honorable
ssntlemen, for which there is not the
slightest foundation in fact. envenom-
ing the matter by pronouncing their
names from the pulpit and suggesting
mat they he 'ested and brought to
public trial.
Now, however that the facts have
been brought to your attention, we
nave 10 request, on behalf Of our cli-
snts. that after you have had an op-
portunity 10 consider the matter you
INFORM us what you purpose TO do to
make amends for conduct which our
clients arc justified in describing as
unworthy Of clergyman Of the Church
o. England, unworthy OF a gentleman.
80 S4 tAAy VI d lldil
To this Canon Henson has replied
NAT the firm of solicitors had evidently
not seen the full report of the sermon.
ana sent q report which ne said was
correct. The solicitors wrote again,
aying that the report of the sermon
Which Canon Henson submitted bore
Tidence of being an edited one. not
ruthfully representing what had been
really said from the pulpit, and again
asked an answer TO their first letter.
whereupon Canon Henson wrote:
I have reflected whether there is any
obligation resting on me 10 mitigate the
severity Of the censure which in the
most public way possible ! thought it
ny duty to pass on the conduct Of the
directors Of the Peruvian Amazon
Company. l have particularly consid-
sreo whether there are any statements
That sermon which merit your de-
Sr'puon Of absolute untruths.' and
which therefore ought publicly TO be
withdrawn.
Tie conclusion TO which / have ar
NVed Is that the sermon is entirely
'asahed by the facts, 80 far az ] am
soie to know them. No statement In 1t
ass open TO the charge CT untruthful-
Less or exaggeration. and your clients
they can clear themselves from the
neayy culpability which rests upon
Hen, in my deliberate Judgment are
Heatly To be congratulated on the op-
%rtunity which the appointment OF a
select committee Of the House OF Com
Mons 10 investigate their responsibility
VII In due course bring them.
agree that the course / took wac
siirely unprecedented, and am con-
snt to justify It by pointing TO the
s4urely unprecedented circumstances
- Which II was adopted. chose
Asstminster Abbey for what / had TO
ny because in my Judgment It was the
''snt place for such a pronouncemen'
sna would secure for my words the
''cest possible publicity"
Alter discussing the defence Of the
english directors. in the course OF
sa'ch ne said, Your clients maintain
aey are ignorant of the facts; reply
wat such ignorance is culpable," he
n'ceeds: FOR directors to confess
s'orance is 10 acknowledge neglect OF
so'y, and I repeat that the effect OF
N'H gross neglect of duty was TO i'm
~use even those directors who were
"'ant OF the facts in guilty con-