New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-13
Senator Asserts Discharged
Clerk Forged Famous
Correspondence.
BRYAN DEFENDS PE0RIAN
Senate Is Likely, However, to
Seek Assurance That No
Conditions Attach to
Appointment.
From The Tribune Bureau. J

Washington, Nov 12.-Henry M rim
dell. TO whom Senator Jim Ham Lewis
of Illinois. was said to have offered the
Enthusiastically to Russia for year VIII
he the next Ambassador TO Russia oespi.e
the clamor that has been raised aceoiu
ing TO the Secretary of state, VINO lssue"
statement to this effect to-day IL -
expected that Mr. Pindelfs name VIII 81
10 the Senate without delay
In his statement Secretary Bryan says
tba, the matter has been grossly misrep-
resented and that the President VIII not
allow malicious Misrepresentation 10 IN
terfere with his right to nominate "no.n
soever he pleases. Mr.. Bryans STATE
ment follows:
eThe Ambassadorship to Russia is va
cant and the President has for some tiihe
been DESTROYS of filing 1t by an appoint
,nent which would be entirely worthy Oh
the great dignity and importance or the
most. Knowing Mr.. Pindeh PERSONALLY
his character, his ability, his exceptional
etness for the duties of such place ne
Offered him the appointment
Unsousht by PindeIl.
o'Mr. Pindell did not seek the appoint
ment. II was rendered him witnout any
solicitation on his part not onl!' pu'
without any knowledge or anticipation oii
his mart that II would be offered 10 MN.
In resnonse TO the offer he frankly stated
that no would be glad 10 serve the al
,o,n,sfration in any way in which the
President thought he could serve II sue
cessfully, but that he did not Ieel INA.
no could conscientiously obligate hlrnseii
70 serve the full ordinary term OF lot
eign appointment. because he did not ieei
that he could leave his business so IONS
The President asked him 10 accept II TOT
as long a time as he could stay ana ne
consented.
.oThis Is a full statement OF matter
which has been grossly misrepresenteo'
The President will not allow malclous
instrumentation 10 interfere with MS
right to nominate to the Senate the pest
qualified men within his choice for con-
snicuous and responsible positions.
Senator ]. Hamilton Lewis took upon
himself to-day the full burden OF the a.
legged misunderstanding that has arisen
over the letter attributed to him. concern
ing the appointment OF Henry M Plndel
as Ambassador to Russia. and then ex-
onerated himself by the declaration that
the document in question is forgery
Collision in Forgery.
n was fabricated, he said, by clerk
whom he discharged several weeks ago
for forging checks. Sin collision with his
associates" 1.-THE language used. he
said in his statement. land the phrase
ology In the invented letters were foreign
to anything ever used by me-
Despite the denial of Senator Lewis that
he had ever penned the communication to
Mr.. Pirdell, assuring him that he could
spend pleasant year abroad without
being hampered by diplomatic duties, 1t
Is probable that the Senate will scrutinize
the circumstance attending the nomina-
ton with extreme care Some Senators,
at least. are inclined to suspect that
where there is so much smoke there must
have been some fire, and wish TO satisfy
themselves that no conditions were at
tached to the appointment.
The statement MADE by Senator Lewis
follows:
THE appointment of Mr.. Pindell this
morning by the President closes that
phase of the subject, however 1t is now
but fair for me to state that if the news
papers had published a letter that was