Connecticut western news., 1912-09-05
T.R. MAKES REPLY
 TO ACCUSATIONS
FIatIy Denies Receiving Money
 From Standard OIL
ORDERED $1O0,OOO RETURNED

Sends Long Letter to Chairman clapp.
 He Declares That if Any Rsquss. For
 Funds Vras Made 1t Was Done With
 out His Knowledge.
 Colonel Theodore Roosevelt made public his reply to the charges of Unit ed States Senator Boies Penrose and John D. Archbold of the Standard oil company, who alleged that money was received from the Standard oil in the 1904 campaign with Roosevelt's privi- lege and consent The reply, which was a detailed and complete refuta- ton of the allegations, was contained in a communication to Senator Moses E. Clapp, chairman of the committee which is Investigating the campaign fund contributions. He said:
 My Dear sir-I regret greatly that the committee was unable to have mo appear before it last Monday to answer the state- ments of MT. Penrose and Mir. Archbold In one sense, of course, these statements need no answer. As far as they concern me they are merely repetitionH of inJuri- ous gossip. repetltiona of what dead man Is alleged to have said about meas in the case of the Hartman matter, whore repetitions of what a dead man. Mir. liar riman. is reputed to have told others as to conversations with me is now reoited anew as injurious gossip at third hand in- stead of merely at second hand.
 The charge against Mir. Penrose was Q direct charge This charge vas not mere- ly that he took 900 from the Standard On company, but that at or about the time of thus taking it. while & member of committee of the senate which was formed to investigate industrial affairs in the United States, he was in constant communication with MT. Arohbold on the subject and that he submitted to Mir. Archbold for his approval in advance a copy of the report of the commission. If these statements are true, of course Mir. Penrose Is unit to represent the people in the United States senate. and the testi- mony against him is direct Apparently, however, the committee is Investigating not this charge against MT. PenroHe, which was sustained by direct evidence, but Mir. Penrose's counter charge. which was sus- tained by no evidence at all and only by the repetition of second hand gossip.
 Standard oil Contribution.
 As regards the statement of Mir. Pen rose and MT. Archbold that with my con- sent or knowledge MT. Bliss asked the Standard oil people for S100,0o0. or any other sum, or received such sum from them, it is an unqualified falsehood. I ] true that Mir. Bliss asked or received such a contribution, although I call attention to MT. Archbold's statement that the money was given not fin cheeks but in currency and that he has lost the receipt , for it. and I call attention to the further fact that during Mir Bliss life Mir Arch bold made no such accusation, and that MT. Bliss cannot now answer the accusa- ton, or, if what purports to be a receipt from him is produced. to testify as to whether it is or is not genuine. Nor can I of course, testify as to whether Mir Bliss stated to MT. Archbold that he made the request with my knowledge or that he received any of the money with my knowl- edge-although I do not believe for ono moment that he ever made any such state ments.
 What can testify to is that if any re- quest for funds was made from the Stand ard oil company, or if any funds were received from the Standard oil company by MT. Bliss or any one else connected with the national committee in 1904, it was not merely done without my knowl- edge, but done against my express direction and prohibition and in spite of the fact that I was assured that no help request had been made and that no such contribution had been or would be re- ceived
 Colonel Roosevelt submitted several letters written to Mir. Cortelyou in which he directed Mir. Cortelyou to re- turn any and all monies that might have been contributed by the Stand ard oil company.