The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-13
LEWIS EXPLAINS
LETTER INCIDENT
Secretary Bryan Declares Mat
ter Has Been Grossly
Exaggerated.
TAKEN UP WITH PRESIDENT
Nomination of Pindell to Be Am
bassador to Russia May Be
Sent In To-Day.
Especial to The rimcs-pispatch

Especial to The Times Dispatch
Washington, November l2.-Seuator
James hamilton Lewis, of Illinois, and
Secretary Of state Bryan both issued
statements to-day on the now famous
Lewis Pindell letter. offering Henry
NJ. Pindcll, of Peoria. Ill. tho anbas-
sadorship to Russia for a year.
Senator Lewis's statement was is
sued following call at the White
House. lie says rindcll will be APP
pointed.
Secretary Bryans statement admits
the administration knew pindell would
resign before the expiration OF the full
term lie says also that Pindcll will
be appointed
The nomination may he sent TO the
Senate tomorrow. Senator Lewis has
appealed TO the Democratic members Of
the Senate to confirm riudclrs APP
pointment and says he has received as
surances that tho Peoria editor will
DO confirmed. There is good reason
to believe. however. that Il tight will
b. made on the name in the Senate. II
Is possible that the nomination will be
held back until the entire Senate mem
bership has been sounded.
senator Lewis explains the circum-
stances under which he admitted hav-
ing written tho letter and gives his
theory Of how tho letter came into cX-
istcncc. This is still at variance with
the original comment of Pindcll. who
said the letter had been stolen from
his desk.
statement of Lewis.
Senator l.cwis's statement IL as fol-
lows:
Tho appointment of Mi. Pindcn this
morning Is tho President closes that
phase OF tho subject. However. IL Ia
now but fair for mo "a state that if
the newspapers have published let
ter that was misleading and misiu-
forming. insofar as ii appeared To h..
either my statements OF as coming from
me an responsible for this and not
the papers When the matter Of some
letters OF nino to MI. Pindell was
brought 10 my attention by tho repre-
sentatives of some paper. said:
II have written MIR. PinIcl on the
subject, and. 30 far IS I am concerned.
any letter of mine on public business
is the business Of the public AT /,
proper time. YOU may put 1t upon the
billboarls OF the lampposts. Ar. pm
dell, however. is tho man 10 talk OF
any letters no has from me. ard not ! ;
This doubtless led the papers to as
sumo that did not deny the particu
lar lettcrG thGt had been imposed upon
them rs being from me. The creation.
In these letters, assumed to have bcen
from me 10 Mr. PindclI now develops
10 have been the result or a colluSion
on the part OF Il former employee OF
nay Office in Washington. who had
previously forged my name To checks.
AND mad been discharged, but who had
been protested by me from the PENALTY
because Of his fainily--and certain or
his contedoratos. These shaped thoec
letters ard sought to dispose OF the
same as beinS from me To Mr.. Pinde!i
the stenosrap her having memory
that letters of some kind on the sub
Jscts referred 10 had been dictated tx,
me 10 Mr.. bindeli
however The language ana the
phrascoloSy in the invented letters
were so foreign 10 anything ever used
by ine that for three weeks through
out tho country no had been unsuc
c.ssiul Later, through co-opcra ton
OF some enemies OF NIr. pindell, IN
Illinois. as ann informcr1. who
Nouched that such letters had been
seen, either in the possession Of Mr.
Pindeli, or had been spoken OF bv him
as having been received was this
iaithless einploye able to impose upon
reputable newspapers. Ny pindell.
tor his own res SONS exhibited Ia In.
PRESIDENT and the Secretary OF state
al or tho correspondence between us
mat they themselves could see that
no such letters as published had ever
been written or existed NV assur-
ances to the heads or the alininistra
ton upon the subject both in rho
opinion OF the officers of the admins
tration and NIL others concerned, as
well as the Senate.
Mr. Pinden will non he confirmed
and sent upon his mission. aa,l. SO far
as am concerned, tho incident Of the
alleged letters is now closed"
Matter Exaggerated.
secretary Bryan said:
MI. ?indell did not seek the an
pointnent In response to the OFFER.
he frankly stated that he did not feel
That no could conscion,iously obligate
himself to serve tho fun ordinarv term
Of foreign appointment, because hc
ala not icel that lie could leave his
business so long. The President asked
MIN 10 accept Is for as long time as
u" could stay, and hc consented
This is full statement OF a mat
ter which has